5 Things You Need to Know About Creatine
With so much hype around creatine for muscle gains, why aren’t we talking about what it can do for women’s brains and bodies as they age?
Creatine is everywhere. But it’s been monopolized by the young, male, muscle-obsessed crowd. What most people don’t realize is that women over 50 stand to gain just as much from creatine as a 20-something dude doing bicep curls in his garage (if not more!).
As a dietician, I’ve learned many surprising things about creatine. Here are five you should know:
1) Creatine can help you think clearly.
Creatine isn’t just for building muscles. It can also improve your memory and cognitive function.
- A 2021 study of 1,340 adults aged 60+ found that higher creatine intake was linked to better scores on cognitive tests and may help prevent age-related decline in brain function.
- A 2022 systematic review found that creatine supplementation significantly improved memory performance in older adults (66-76 years).
2) Creatine helps offset what menopause takes away.
Estrogen helps your muscles produce creatine. When it drops during menopause, so do your muscle creatine levels (cue the fatigue, reduced strength, and sluggish recovery).
Creatine supplementation can counteract this. It won’t replace estrogen, but it restores energy and provides muscle support. I personally take creatine almost every day, and so does my husband.
3) You can have creatine with coffee.
There’s a myth that caffeine “cancels out” creatine. The idea came from a small 1996 study that suggested caffeine interfered with creatine’s effects on muscle relaxation. But more recent trials show they co-exist just fine.
- Fun Fact: A 2015 review found that creatine and caffeine work differently. Creatine improves power for short bursts (e.g., resistance training or sprinting) while caffeine shines for endurance (e.g., long run or cycling).
4) Not all creatine is created equal.
There are different types of creatine, but only one is backed by hundreds of peer-reviewed studies: creatine monohydrate. It’s the gold standard for muscle and cognitive benefits.
- Bonus: Creatine monohydrate doesn’t require you to do a “loading phase” (taking high doses for the first week) or to “cycle off” (taking breaks).
5) Food gives you creatine, but not enough.
Creatine is in animal proteins like beef, salmon, and chicken. But even generous portions fall short of the research-backed dose of 3-5 grams daily.
- For example: A half-pound (8 oz) steak provides just 2 grams of creatine.
That means you’d have to eat about a pound of meat every day to reach the advised dose. And if you’re vegan or vegetarian? Chances are, your baseline creatine stores are even lower.
So, to get the doses proven effective in studies, supplementation is your only real option.
Tips on Taking Creatine
If you’re looking to hop on the creatine bandwagon, just be sure to choose third-party tested creatine monohydrate and run it by your doctor first. Start slow and low dose, and gradually increase to 5 grams a day over 1-2 weeks. (And if you drink it with coffee, be sure to hydrate! 🚰)
