Creatine for Women: Benefits & Dosing

How creatine works 

For years, creatine was marketed almost entirely for young men in gyms. Researchers are now asking whether women, who are often left out of sports-nutrition studies, might benefit even more.

Creatine is a compound your body makes and also gets from meat and fish. Almost all of it is stored in muscle, where it helps recycle ATP, the energy molecule muscles use for short, intense efforts such as a heavy lifting, sprinting or the last few reps of a set. More creatine in muscle cells means a more fuel for repeated bursts of work.¹

Your liver plays a central role here. Creatine is made in two steps: the kidneys make a precursor molecule called guanidinoacetate, and the liver converts it into creatine, which travels through the blood to the brain and muscle tissues.^2,3

Benefits for women: What the evidence shows

The clearest benefit is that creatine allows for a more intense training schedule and particularly training which builds strength. A review of creatine supplementation across women’s life stages concluded that it may be particularly relevant around the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and menopause.⁴

Going through menopause? Check our article on HOW LONG DOES MENOPAUSE LAST?

Dosing: How much creatine to take

In my practice, I advise women, who tend to have lower total creatine stores than men, to consume between 3 to 5 grams of creatine daily depending on their levels of activity and lifestyle.⁴

Muscle stores of creatine rise gradually and are usually full in about 3–4 weeks.^1,2 Therefore, it can be considered that consistency matters more than timing.

Side effects and safety

Reviews have found Creatine monohydrate is well tolerated in healthy people at the recommended doses.^1,2 Albeit, he following side effects might be experienced:

1. Water retention: a 1–3 kg weight gain might be experienced early on which is mostly water accumulated inside the muscle.²

2. Gut upset: symptoms such as bloating, cramps and diarrhea are more likely with large single doses of creatine.²

3. Lab tests: Doctors use the levels of creatinine in the blood circulation to evaluate kidney function. Creatine supplementation may cause these levels to rise without it being attributed to kidney damage.²

4. Kidneys: research has not found kidney damage at recommended doses in healthy people.² However, people with kidney disease should seek individual medical advice before starting supplementation.

References

1.        Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z. PMID: 28615996. Available from: https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z

2.        Antonio J, Candow DG, Forbes SC, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18:13. doi:10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w. PMID: 33557850. Available from: https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w

3.        Brosnan JT, da Silva RP, Brosnan ME. The metabolic burden of creatine synthesis. Amino Acids. 2011;40(5):1325-1331. doi:10.1007/s00726-011-0853-y. PMID: 21387089. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00726-011-0853-y

4.        Smith-Ryan AE, Cabre HE, Eckerson JM, Candow DG. Creatine supplementation in women’s health: a lifespan perspective. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):877. doi:10.3390/nu13030877. PMID: 33800439. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/3/877

5.        Kreider RB, Melton C, Rasmussen CJ, et al. Long-term creatine supplementation does not significantly affect clinical markers of health in athletes. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003;244(1-2):95-104. doi:10.1023/A:1022469320296. PMID: 12701816. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12701816/