Creatine for Women

Creatine is a commonly used supplement in the fitness world. It is a natural substance composed of three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. It plays a crucial role in the production of energy during high-intensity, short-duration activities.

In pre and peri-menopausal women who are still having menstrual cycles and ovulating, estrogen is higher, which leads to an increase in creatine kinase and more focus on glucose oxidation (breakdown).

With the reduction of estrogen from menopause, peri and post-menopausal women may benefit from creatine supplementation as there is reduced creatine kinase activity. Women have more to benefit from creatine supplementation because body stores are low. Intramuscular creatine levels in women are only 10% compared to that of men.

Creatine is most well known for it boosting athletic performance during intense exercise. It helps with the conversion from ATP to ADP, think energy!

During pregnancy, postpartum, menstruation, during and after menopause, creatine supplementation may be important as the change in hormones impacts creatine synthesis.

And, here is where creatine can really shine for women. It may be a possible countermeasure to menopausal decreases in muscle, bone, and strength, by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress and serum markers of bone reabsorption. Loss of muscle mass with age is linked with insulin resistance and reduced insulin sensitivity. You’ve likely heard me talk about the importance of muscle mass as we age.

I’ve included some of my fav options here. You may want to do a loading phase of 10 to 20 grams for about 5 days with a maintenance phase of 2 to 5 grams per day. You can take it pre or post workout, studies are lacking here.

For natural sources creatine is found in sources like muscle meat. For every 2 lbs of beef consumed, you are getting about 5 grams of creatine. Other foods high in creatine are salmon, tuna, herring, pork, lamb, and chicken.

FULLSCRIPT OPTIONS FOUND HERE

*Not medical advice, consult with your provider.

Resources:

  1. https://highintensityhealth.libsyn.com/creatine-for-women-muscle-mood-sleep-more

  2. Ribeiro F, Longobardi I, Perim P, Duarte B, Ferreira P, Gualano B, Roschel H, Saunders B. Timing of Creatine Supplementation around Exercise: A Real Concern? Nutrients. 2021 Aug 19;13(8):2844. doi: 10.3390/nu13082844. PMID: 34445003; PMCID: PMC8401986.

  3. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w.pdf

Tara Woodland