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Creatine is a supplement that many women automatically associate with bodybuilding and muscular men. Perhaps you’ve noticed it before and immediately thought: „This isn’t for me; I’ll get too bulky.“ Or perhaps it was concerns about weight gain, water retention, or losing feminine curves that quickly deterred you.
However, the reality is much more interesting. Creatine is not a steroid. In fact, it is among the most thoroughly researched nutritional supplements, and studies clearly show that its effects extend far beyond the gym and men’s locker rooms. On the contrary, it is beneficial for women, even for those who do not exercise. It can influence your energy levels, mental, or, for example, reproductive health. Today, we understand what a great pity it is that women have avoided it until now.
In this article, you will learn about the impact of creatine on:
Benefits of Creatine in Different Stages of a Woman’s Life:
What is creatine?
Creatine is not an anabolic steroid that will instantly transform you into a man after the first dose. It is a completely common substance composed of three amino acids (arginine, methionine, and glycine) that is naturally found in everyone’s body. Its key role is the rapid replenishment of energy to tissues with high energy demands, primarily muscles and the brain. [4]
Although the body creates its own reserves, these are continuously depleted during both physical and mental activity, and for optimal levels, it may be beneficial to supplement them from other sources. We commonly obtain it from foods, mainly meat and fish. However, intake from these sources is often insufficient, which is when supplementation becomes appropriate. [10]
If you want to know more about how creatine works in the body or how to choose the best one, read our other articles.
- Creatine Is Not Just for Muscles and Strength. What Are Its Effects on the Brain, Immunity and Overall Health?
- How to Choose the Best Creatine?
- Everything you need to know about creatine and its forms
Why should women be interested in creatine?
It might surprise you that creatine can be one of the most important supplements for women. The female body naturally has 20–30% lower creatine stores than the male body. In addition to naturally producing less, women often consume less creatine from their diet. Not to mention that vegans and vegetarians, who do not eat meat or fish at all, have an absolute minimum of creatine in their diet.
Furthermore, creatine levels in the female body are not stable. They fluctuate significantly due to constant hormonal changes. These fluctuations and insufficient creatine stores then directly affect energy levels and, for example, athletic performance.
However, it can also be viewed from a more positive perspective. Since women start with a lower baseline, your body can respond exceptionally effectively to supplementation. It can even benefit more from it than men’s bodies. Regular creatine intake will then not only help you achieve better strength performance but can also support mood, concentration, and, for example, bone quality. [14]
What impact does creatine have on physical performance in women?
If you exercise and are regularly active, you should not overlook creatine. This is not only because it can support muscle growth, but primarily because it will help you improve your performance itself. When you take it, your muscles have a rapid energy reserve. This allows you to handle more repetitions, heavier weights or more intense intervals without getting tired as quickly. Creatine can also support regeneration, so you can feel ready for your next workout sooner than usual.
To top it off, creatine can help balance performance fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. In the second half of the cycle, when your body naturally consumes more energy and fatigue sets in sooner, creatine provides muscles with an immediate energy source. This can help you maintain more stable performance throughout the entire month.
The main role of creatine is therefore not to bulk you up with a mountain of muscles, but primarily to improve physical performance. In practice, this means more strength, better endurance during intense efforts, and the feeling that you can get more out of your training. [4,10]
Effects of Creatine on Women’s Health
Although creatine is often discussed only in connection with muscles, for women, it represents much more comprehensive support. It brings unique benefits for your overall health at every stage of life. Let’s take a look at how this supplement can help you not only achieve better fitness but also mental well-being and improved health.
1. Creatine Stores Change with Sex Hormone Levels
Your body undergoes constant hormonal changes throughout the month. You know very well that the menstrual cycle directly affects how much energy you have and how you feel. But did you know that it also affects the utilisation of creatine stores?
How do creatine stores change during the menstrual cycle?
Due to higher progesterone levels, the female body naturally has increased energy expenditure in the luteal phase, i.e., in the second half of the cycle (after ovulation). During this period, female metabolism is faster, and consequently, creatine stores are depleted more quickly. This can then manifest as fatigue and lower performance. [15]
How can creatine help?
The creatine system in women is simply more stressed and thus needs more support. And since muscles, the brain, the heart, and other body parts need energy, low creatine availability can be reflected in their impaired function. Conversely, regular creatine supplementation can help balance these fluctuations and support more stable performance throughout the entire cycle. [15]
Of course, the most effective approach is to take creatine regularly throughout the entire month, not just in its second half. This will help you establish balance in performance and energy levels, regardless of which phase of your cycle you are currently in. [15]
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2. Affects Women’s Reproductive Health
Reproductive organs are among the most energy-demanding tissues in the female body. Your ovaries and uterus consume a large amount of energy, which is precisely why they are also extremely sensitive to creatine availability.
In its absence, the energy balance of the cells in your reproductive system can be disrupted. This can then manifest as, for example, an irregular menstrual cycle, impaired ovarian function, or an increased susceptibility to gynaecological complications. [12,15]
What happens after creatine supplementation?
After creatine supplementation, the reproductive system can function more balancedly, even during periods of hormonal changes. Creatine can thus support the more stable functioning of the reproductive system and its overall resilience. [12,15]
3. Prevents Energy Fluctuations and Fights Fatigue
Your energy levels naturally change throughout the month. The menstrual cycle, hormonal fluctuations, physical, and mental stress place higher demands on the body. If cells then lack sufficient readily available energy, you can quickly feel it in the form of fatigue and lower performance. Frequent fatigue, energy fluctuations throughout the day, poorer concentration, or the feeling that you get exhausted more quickly may be related to low creatine availability. [10,15]
What happens after creatine supplementation?
Regular creatine supplementation can help you maintain more stable energy levels. This provides you with an ally in the fight against fatigue and in managing both physical and mental stress. This can be particularly beneficial in the second half of the cycle during PMS (premenstrual syndrome), when many women feel more drained and exhausted. [15]
4. Supports Brain and Cognitive Functions
The brain is among the most energy-demanding organs in the body. It constantly needs energy for thinking, concentration, memory and, for example, stress management. If its availability is reduced, you will quickly feel it in your mental performance. [8,14]
With low creatine availability, the ability of brain cells to quickly restore energy can be limited. This can manifest in you as poorer concentration, mental fatigue, slower information processing, or a feeling described as brain fog (a feeling of a foggy head).[14,17]
What happens after creatine supplementation?
Creatine also serves as a readily available energy reserve for brain cells. It helps them better cope with increased energy demands, for example, during mental stress or hormonal fluctuations. Supplementing it can help you maintain more stable concentration, faster thinking, and less susceptibility to mental exhaustion. [6,14,17]
Creatine Supports Cognition Even with Sleep Deprivation
When you don’t get enough sleep, the brain has higher energy demands, and that’s when creatine can help bridge this deficit. Supplementing it can therefore be useful during periods when you have little sleep – for example, when caring for small children, during exam periods, or on stressful workdays.
5. Supports Mental Health
Mood, emotions, and mental well-being are closely related to how much energy the brain has available and how important neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin function. In women, these processes are more sensitive to stress, hormonal fluctuations, and long-term strain.
If you have low creatine levels, this can manifest as a worse mood, increased irritability, weaker stress resistance, or the feeling that emotions affect you more. Research also shows that women with low creatine intake have a higher risk of depressive symptoms. [12,14]
What happens after creatine supplementation?
Creatine helps the brain to charge more efficiently with energy, which can manifest as a more stable mood and better mental resilience. For you, this can mean more successful stress control and less mental exhaustion in daily life. [8,17]
6. Supports Muscle Growth and Function
Muscles are crucial for your body, not only during sports but also in everyday life for daily movement. However, in women, muscles often function under more demanding conditions because they naturally have lower creatine stores, regular hormonal fluctuations, and higher regeneration demands. [13,14]
If the body has low creatine, you may feel weaker during movement, and muscles may tire more quickly and regenerate more slowly. In the long term, this can hinder muscle mass growth and performance improvement. [7,14]
What happens after creatine supplementation?
Creatine helps muscles produce energy more quickly when they need it most – during exertion and during regeneration. Supplementing it supports increased muscle strength, better performance, and more effective use of training without having to train harder or more often.
Furthermore, in women, creatine has been shown to help support performance throughout the entire month, which can help you feel stronger and more stable regardless of which phase of your cycle you are currently in. [3,7,9]
And don’t forget that this can also be useful for weight loss. More muscles and more intense workouts help increase basal metabolism. Not to mention that since creatine binds water and hydrates cells, muscles become firmer and the physique can appear more defined.
7. Improves Bone Quality
Bone health in women changes throughout life, and it is significantly affected by hormonal changes, especially after the age of forty and during menopause. However, bones do not function independently; their quality is related to muscle strength, stability, and how you move in daily life.
With low creatine availability, there can be a weakening of muscle strength, and if muscles are weaker, bones are less naturally loaded. This means less strength and resilience for them. This can gradually manifest as reduced stability and a higher risk of injuries, especially with increasing age. [2,3]
What happens after creatine supplementation?
Creatine supports muscle strength and functionality, which also improves overall bone health. When you strengthen your muscles through movement, the entire musculoskeletal system receives better support and can maintain its quality. [2,3]
8. Other Effects of Creatine
- It has a beneficial effect on the heart. Creatine supplementation supports the heart’s ability to work efficiently even under increased strain.
- It can help maintain stable blood sugar levels. [16]
- Its possible anti-inflammatory effects are also being investigated. [18]
Effects of Creatine in Different Periods of a Woman’s Life
1. Reproductive Age
During your reproductive years, your body adapts to hormonal changes every month. These affect your menstrual cycle, energy, mood, and how you feel during exercise. Many women observe energy fluctuations, PMS, mood swings, or performance variations during training in this period. Creatine can help the body function more balanced during this time. It supports a more stable energy supply, allowing you to better manage days when you feel more tired and lacking energy. In some women, sufficient intake is also associated with a more regular cycle and milder PMS symptoms, especially regarding fatigue and mental well-being.
At the same time, creatine plays an important role in supporting muscles and physical performance. It helps you feel stronger during training, recover faster, and maintain more stable performance throughout your cycle.
2. Pregnancy
During pregnancy, your body works at full capacity. It needs energy not only for you but also for the baby’s growth, which is why the need for creatine changes during this period.
Scientists are gradually revealing that low creatine intake may be linked to some pregnancy complications, and its use could be beneficial during pregnancy. However, these are currently only observations and not clear recommendations.
So, are you wondering whether to take creatine during pregnancy? Although it appears safe at normal doses, its use is not automatically recommended during pregnancy. During this period, it is always better to consult a doctor and make individual decisions. [5,12]
3. Perimenopause
Perimenopause is a period when estrogen levels begin to fluctuate and gradually decline. It is a natural transitional period in a woman’s life that occurs between ages 40 to 55 and due to hormonal fluctuations, several changes occur. For example, muscles no longer respond to movement as they once did, strength declines faster, and conversely, the body takes longer to recover. Bone density also decreases. In addition, perimenopause is often associated with significant fatigue, energy fluctuations, and reduced mental resilience. [14]
Precisely during this period, creatine can help your body better manage these changes. It helps support muscle maintenance, exercise performance, and recovery. At the same time, it can contribute to more stable energy levels and better mental health. [13]
4. Menopause
Menopause follows the changes you may have already started to feel during perimenopause, but the difference is that low estrogen levels are now permanent. The body thus loses one of the main hormones that supported muscles, bones, and overall health for many years. After the decline in estrogen, muscle mass and strength loss accelerate, stability worsens, and bones are more prone to thinning. [14]
During this period, creatine does not act hormonally but supports basic energy processes in the body. It helps maintain muscle function, movement stability, and indirectly supports bone health. [13]
5. Ageing
With ageing, bodily functions gradually and subtly decline. This is a natural, continuous process that begins after the onset of menopause and, over time, manifests as reduced strength, slower recovery, and less energy reserve in daily life.
Creatine can be a practical part of an anti-ageing strategy, as it supports energy processes in the body and helps maintain movement and vitality for as long as possible.
Does creatine cause weight gain?
The fear of gaining weight from creatine is one of the most common reasons why women avoid it. If you are among them, you can finally stop worrying today. Creatine use does not cause body fat gain.
It is true that when you start taking creatine, your weight will likely increase slightly. However, this is related to the fact that creatine binds water in the muscles. As a result, muscles are better hydrated (fuller), more efficient, firmer, but also a little heavier. The scale usually shows a few hundred grams higher.
Even over time, you might notice that the number on the scale has increased. However, this is also no reason to discard creatine. If you supplement it regularly, it is likely that you have better performance in training, recover better, and muscles grow and strengthen more efficiently. This will automatically reflect in the number on the scale.
However, you certainly don’t have to fear a higher proportion of muscles. On the contrary, a higher proportion of muscle mass will ensure easier long-term weight and body fat control, as more muscle means a faster metabolism.
So, if you are avoiding creatine out of fear of gaining weight, you can put that fear aside. Creatine does not add fat, but, on the contrary, it can help you feel stronger and more powerful.
Does creatine have side effects?
The good news is that creatine is among the safest nutritional supplements known today. At normal doses, most women tolerate it without problems. For some, mild bloating or digestive issues may occur at the beginning, especially if you take a higher dose at once. However, this can be easily resolved by splitting the dose throughout the day. If you are healthy and follow the recommended dosage, creatine is generally considered safe. [1]
What is the best creatine for women?
If you are choosing creatine, the ideal choice is creatine monohydrate.
- Depending on what suits you, you can choose tablets, capsules, or unflavoured or flavoured powder.
- For those with a sweet tooth, creatine in the form of gummy candies will be a delight.
- If you are looking for the highest quality, opt for micronised Creapure® creatine.
You can also try multi-ingredient products with a combination of several types of creatine or other substances, such as vitamins.
Our other articles can also help you choose the right creatine.
Tips for using creatine
To get the most out of creatine, there’s no need to complicate things. Just follow a few simple recommendations.
- Take 5 g of creatine daily, which is the commonly recommended dose.
- High initial doses, the so-called loading phase, are not necessary. Regular use of a smaller dose works just as well and is gentler on digestion.
- You can take creatine anytime during the day. Consistency is most important, not the specific time.
- You can take it with or without food. For more sensitive digestion, it is often better to take it with food or split the dose into smaller portions.
- Creatine is also suitable for long-term use without breaks, if you adhere to the recommended dosage.
- You do not need to adjust the dose to your menstrual cycle. Take the same dose throughout the month.
Myths about creatine
| Myth | Reality |
|---|---|
| I will become muscular and bulky. | Creatine rather helps to firm the physique and improve athletic performance. |
| I will retain water and look bloated. | Creatine binds water in the muscles, not under the skin. |
| Creatine is only for men. | On the contrary, it helps women with fatigue, PMS, menopause, and at work. |
| It will worsen my cellulite. | On the contrary, it can contribute to a firmer appearance of the skin. |
| It will disrupt my menstrual cycle. | Creatine does not disrupt the menstrual cycle, but helps to induce a more stable energy level throughout it. |
| It will increase my testosterone and male hormones. | Creatine has no effect on hormones; muscles will only become firmer. |
| I will gain fat from it. | Weight may slightly increase due to water in the muscles, not fat. |
| It will cause hair loss. | This myth has long been debunked. |
What Should You Take Away from This?
If you have avoided creatine until now, it is understandable why. Too many myths circulate around it. However, the reality is that for women, it can be a very useful supplement. It helps support performance, energy, recovery, and long-term health without you having to worry about weight gain or loss of femininity.
Its effects may vary depending on your menstrual cycle, age, and life stage, but precisely because of this, it can help the body where it needs it most. If you are active, want to feel stronger, or are looking for a way to better manage physical and mental stress, creatine can be a simple and safe option worth considering.
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[2] CANDOW, D.G. et al. Creatine monohydrate supplementation for older adults and clinical populations. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12272710/
[3] CANDOW, D.G. et al. Effectiveness of Creatine Supplementation on Aging Muscle and Bone: Focus on Falls Prevention and Inflammation. – https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/8/4/488
[4] COOPER, R. et al. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3407788/
[5] DICKINSON, H. et al. Creatine supplementation during pregnancy: summary of experimental studies suggesting a treatment to improve fetal and neonatal morbidity and reduce mortality in high-risk human pregnancy. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4007139/
[6] EFSA PANEL ON NUTRITION, NOVEL FOODS AND FOOD ALLERGENS (NDA) et al. Creatine and improvement in cognitive function: Evaluation of a health claim pursuant to article 13(5) of regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9100
[7] GORDON, A.N. et al. The Effects of Creatine Monohydrate Loading on Exercise Recovery in Active Women throughout the Menstrual Cycle. – https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/16/3567
[8] GUTIÉRREZ-HELLÍN, J. et al. Creatine Supplementation Beyond Athletics: Benefits of Different Types of Creatine for Women, Vegans, and Clinical Populations—A Narrative Review. – https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17/1/95
[9] JURADO-CASTRO, J.M. et al. Morning versus Evening Intake of Creatine in Elite Female Handball Players. – https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/1/393
[10] KREIDER, R.B. et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5469049/
[11] KREIDER, R.B. et al. Safety of creatine supplementation: analysis of the prevalence of reported side effects in clinical trials and adverse event reports. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11983583/
[12] OSTOJIC, S.M. et al. Association between dietary intake of creatine and female reproductive health: Evidence from NHANES 2017–2020. – https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/fsn3.4135
[13] SMITH-RYAN, A.E. et al. Creatine in women’s health: bridging the gap from menstruation through pregnancy to menopause. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40371844/
[14] SMITH-RYAN, A.E. et al. Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective. – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7998865/
[15] SMITH-RYAN, A.E. et al. Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective. – https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/3/877
[16] SOLIS, M.Y. et al. Potential of Creatine in Glucose Management and Diabetes. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7915263/
[17] XU, C. et al. The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39070254/
[18] Creatine in Health and Disease - PMC. – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7910963
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