Creatine for Women: The Unexpected Short- and Long-Term Benefits

Creatine for women is all the buzz right now, and for many good reasons, from improved energy levels to increased performance and muscle gain. But there are a lot of questions surrounding this workout supplement: what is creatine, is it safe for women, how much should women take, and how can it support your training routine?

Supplementing your training routine with creatine has short- and long-term benefits that might surprise you, so let’s talk about it! We’ll cover:

• What is creatine?
• Should women take creatine?
• The benefits of creatine for women
• How much creatine should a woman take?
• How and when to take creatine for optimal health and performance

What is creatine and how does it work?

Put simply, creatine is a natural compound that your body uses for energy, and it is mostly found in your muscle and brain tissue. Creatine boosts your body’s ability to create energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that stores and carries energy around your body) during high-intensity exercise. At the same time, it decreases the breakdown of proteins, which improves physical performance and can increase muscle mass.

Your body produces about 1 gram of creatine per day, which is only half of the amount you need for optimal health. The other half usually comes from your diet (think: foods like red meat and seafood). To help you get more creatine from your diet, you can also take it as a powder supplement.  

Many women take a creatine supplement before working out because it has many short- and long-term benefits, including:

• Helping to build strength and lean muscle
• Boosting your energy levels and performance
• Improving brain health and cognition
• Aiding in hormone balance
• Supporting bone health and aging
• Mitigating the effects of perimenopause and menopause

We’ll take a closer look at each of these benefits below.

But first: Is creatine safe for women?

Creatine is generally safe for men and women up to 30 grams a day for five years, and even promotes normal energy metabolism and healthy growth in children and teens. So, should women take creatine? Yes! In fact, women exhibit 70%–80% lower creatine stores than men, and they may also consume lower amounts of creatine in their diet than men. (More on the recommended daily amount for women below!)

For women experiencing menopause, creatine is even more essential. Due to rapidly changing hormonal profiles during menopause, women may experience more rapid bone and muscle loss. A combination of regular, heavy strength training, ample protein intake, and daily creatine supplementation can help slow and reverse these losses, helping women build and maintain lean mass.

Short- and long-term benefits of creatine for women

While you may think of creatine as a supplement that boosts energy and supports muscle growth (which it totally is!), the benefits of taking creatine go beyond the gym — here is a closer look at six ways creatine supports your body in the short and long term.

1. Boosts workout energy and performance

Creatine is a natural energy source. When your body has adequate stores, you have more energy for everything in your life, including your workouts. (Research has shown that it can lead to a 10%–15% boost in performance!) This means more reps with better form, more sets, more stamina, and a better ability to recover after your workout.

2. Helps build strength and lean muscle

Despite misconceptions that creatine is a steroid or hormone, taking creatine supplements gives you more energy, which leads to more strength and power, as well as a slight increase in muscle mass. (We’re talking around 1–2 kilograms more muscle mass than normal training when properly loading.)

3. Supports brain health and cognition

Creatine doesn’t just help your muscles — it can give your brain a boost, too. Creatine provides fuel for your brain cells, and it is particularly useful in situations that demand a lot of mental energy (like work) or when you're low on sleep or under stress. In a review of 281 studies, researchers cited that creatine supplementation improved short-term memory and reasoning. It has also been shown to improve attention span and processing speed (aka sharpness).

4. Regulates stress, sleep, and mood

As women, we’re no strangers to stress. Sometimes it can feel like you’re juggling a million things — work deadlines, packed meeting schedules, making big financial decisions, trying to maintain a healthy sleep routine, you get the picture. You probably also know that constant stress can take its toll on your body (and may even contribute to a shorter life expectancy).

But there’s good news: Creatine may promote longer sleep cycles, which leads to improved mood and emotional regulation, plus a host of other health and recovery benefits that improve your quality of life and longevity.

5. Balances the effects of natural hormone fluctuations

One of the most common questions about creatine for women is, “What does creatine do for womens’ hormones?” The answer: Creatine doesn’t have negative effects on women’s sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone). It’s actually the opposite — estrogen and progesterone are involved in the production of creatine, and when these hormone levels naturally fluctuate throughout each menstrual cycle, so do our creatine levels in the body. This is why creatine supplementation is so important for women — it keeps your creatine stores high and your gas tank on “full.”

6. May support bone health and aging

Strength training is essential for maintaining and improving bone health, especially as we age — and strength training paired with creatine supplementation may lead to stronger bones, protecting them from fractures. It also results in greater adaptations in skeletal muscle than training alone.

This is because creatine provides energy for higher-quality workouts. When you’re able to lift heavier weights and handle a higher workout volume (more sets and reps), you’re not only gaining additional muscle, but you’re also providing more force against your bones, which prompts them to grow stronger.

Does creatine support weight loss for women?

Creatine can be beneficial for any fitness goal, including weight loss. One study showed that women over 50 who take creatine while doing resistance training lose more body fat than those who don’t. This is likely due to two factors: higher-quality workouts (which lead to higher muscle mass and better metabolism over time) and creatine’s critical role in fat metabolism.

How much creatine should a woman take?

Remember: Your body produces around 1 gram of creatine per day, and the rest comes from foods like meat and fish. One pound of meat contains about 1–2 grams of creatine, so supplementation is often the way to go, especially if you don’t consume a lot of meat or follow a vegetarian diet. Women need about 5 grams of creatine per day on average.

If you’re new to supplementing with creatine, a strategy called “creatine loading” can help get your body’s storage levels up to full. This involves consuming 4 teaspoons of creatine four times a day for one week. Then, you can continue with 5–10 grams a day to maintain those stores.

Loading your cells and maintaining those creatine levels helps you maintain energy for daily life, and when stressful situations arise (physical, mental, or emotional), you’ll be better able to handle them and navigate the cognitive challenge with less fatigue or tiredness.

How and when to take creatine

When you take creatine, your levels will be elevated for four to five hours. During this time, the creatine moves from your bloodstream to your tissues (mainly muscle tissues) for use.  

Does it matter when you take creatine? As long as you’ve loaded your cells, it doesn't matter what time of day you take your supplement, because your tissues will be at 100%. However, if you haven’t done creatine loading, taking creatine in your post-workout shake — after you’ve stimulated your muscles and your body — can kickstart recovery. Some evidence even suggests that the benefits of taking creatine after a workout may be greater compared to pre-exercise.

‍Pro tip: Creatine will be absorbed better if you take it with protein and carbs, such as a snack or protein shake — no matter what time you take it.

Are there any negative effects of creatine powder for women?

Despite a comprehensive body of research on the safety and effectiveness of creatine for women, there are still misconceptions about supplements making women “bulky” or “bloated.”

Let’s be clear: These claims are not medically supported. A review of over 680 studies on creatine showed no significant difference in side effects between those taking creatine and those taking a placebo. There are no negative side effects of creatine supplementation, for women or men, and there is no evidence that creatine causes unwanted weight gain, so consider that myth busted!

Is creatine good for women? Yes!

Whether you’re trying to gain muscle, lose weight, improve your overall fitness, or you just need an energy boost before your workout, creatine is an effective supplement for any workout routine — and the benefits go beyond the gym. Taken regularly, creatine can boost your workout performance (and results), improve cognitive function, promote hormone balance and healthy aging, and even support weight loss. Just a few grams a day can make all the difference!

More wellness tips for you

• Exercise and Your Period: How to Work Out During the Worst Time of the Month
• What Are Somatic Exercises? A Guide for Beginners
• Sleep or Exercise: Which Is More Important?

From questions from “Is creatine good for women?” to “How often should I work out to build muscle?” we’ve got you covered. Visit the blog for more training, nutrition, and recovery resources to help you reach your wellness goals.