Creatine comes up a lot more in my consultations now than it used to — and I think that's a good thing. For years it was seen as a "bodybuilder supplement," which meant a lot of women who could genuinely benefit from it never considered it. That's changing, and the research backing it is genuinely interesting.
What creatine actually does
Creatine is a compound your body already makes and stores mostly in muscle, where it helps regenerate ATP — your cells' quick-access energy currency — during short bursts of high-intensity effort. Supplementing increases your muscle creatine stores beyond what diet alone typically provides, which is why it's one of the most extensively studied and well-evidenced supplements in sports nutrition, with decades of safety data behind it.
Why it matters specifically for women
Women naturally tend to have lower baseline muscle creatine stores than men, which may make supplementation particularly effective. A comprehensive 2025 review tracking creatine's effects across the female lifespan — menstruation, pregnancy and menopause — concluded that hormonal fluctuations make creatine potentially more relevant for women than previously appreciated, not less.
- Strength and lean muscle — this is the best-established benefit. Combined with resistance training, creatine supports greater strength and lean mass gains, which matters even more as we age and muscle mass naturally declines.
- Menopause-related muscle and bone loss — the evidence here is strongest of all age groups. As oestrogen declines, muscle and bone loss accelerate, and creatine combined with resistance training may help offset both.
- Brain and mood — this is the newest and most exciting area of research, but it's still early. A 2025 randomised controlled trial in peri- and postmenopausal women found creatine supplementation improved reaction time and increased brain creatine levels, with some signal for mood benefits. Promising, but based on small trials — not yet enough to make strong clinical claims.
Does it cause bloating or weight gain?
This is the concern I hear most often, and it's largely a myth. Creatine draws a small amount of water into muscle cells (not under the skin), which can show up as a very slight increase on the scale in the first week or two — not fat gain, and not the "bulky" look many women worry about. It doesn't cause bloating in the digestive sense.
A practical, evidence-based approach
The typical protocol researched is creatine monohydrate, around 3–5g daily, taken consistently (timing relative to exercise doesn't appear to matter much). It's one of the few supplements I feel comfortable being fairly direct about, given how much safety data exists — though as always, check with your GP first if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or have any kidney concerns.
The bottom line
Creatine isn't a magic fix, and the brain-health research in particular is still developing. But for strength, muscle maintenance and healthy ageing — especially through perimenopause and beyond — it's one of the more evidence-backed, low-risk options available. It works best alongside resistance training, not as a replacement for it.