Do you have to take creatine for menopause signs? Let’s speak about it.
Creatine is the brand new huge factor, particularly for girls in menopause. Touted as a miracle for every part from mind fog to bone well being, creatine is exhibiting up extra regularly in dietary supplements marketed towards ladies over 40. However does creatine really work? Is creatine good for menopausal ladies?
Let’s discover how the scientific analysis stacks up in opposition to the most typical claims.
Declare #1: Creatine Improves Bone Density
Verdict: False
Bone well being is a significant concern throughout menopause. As estrogen ranges drop, bone mineral density (BMD) declines, growing the danger of osteoporosis. Due to this, many dietary supplements declare to enhance bone energy or density — and creatine is not any exception.
Some have hypothesized that creatine may assist with bone well being by bettering muscle energy, thereby enhancing mechanical loading on the bones. Nevertheless, the medical proof doesn’t help this idea.
A randomized managed trial (PMID: 25386713) involving postmenopausal ladies discovered that though creatine improved muscle operate, it had no important impact on BMD. Equally, a complete 2023 meta-analysis (PMID: 37144634) concluded that creatine doesn’t forestall bone loss or osteoporosis.
In comparison with vitamins with well-documented results on bone well being — similar to calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium — creatine lacks a powerful physiological mechanism or medical proof for bettering BMD in menopausal ladies.
In abstract, whereas creatine might contribute not directly to musculoskeletal operate, it doesn’t enhance bone density and mustn’t substitute confirmed osteoporosis prevention methods.
Declare #2: Creatine Helps with Cognition
Verdict: Most likely False
Many ladies going by way of menopause report signs like mind fog, reminiscence lapses, and problem concentrating. This has led to rising curiosity in brain-boosting dietary supplements like creatine.
Creatine performs a central function in mobile vitality manufacturing, together with in mind cells. The speculation is that declining endogenous creatine ranges with age may impair mind operate, and supplementation would possibly assist replenish these shops.
A 2018 evaluation (PMID: 29704637) checked out creatine’s results on cognitive efficiency and located blended outcomes, with solely modest cognitive advantages in very particular conditions. For instance, some research used extraordinarily excessive doses (as much as 20g/day) and centered on sleep-deprived or cognitively burdened people. These circumstances usually are not consultant of the final menopause inhabitants.
There’s additionally restricted proof on creatine’s function in bettering temper or melancholy. A 2024 pilot examine (PMID: 39488067) discovered that creatine would possibly improve the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral remedy (CBT) in folks with melancholy. Nevertheless, extra sturdy trials are wanted to verify this potential profit.
Different analysis has examined creatine’s results in neurodegenerative ailments, however findings are preliminary and never straight relevant to the typical girl experiencing menopause.
In conclusion, creatine is just not a confirmed resolution for cognitive decline or melancholy in menopause, and any potential advantages are doubtless small and context-specific.
Declare #3: Creatine Helps with Muscle Power
Verdict: True
One of the well-documented results of creatine is its potential to improve muscle energy and energy, particularly when mixed with resistance coaching.
Menopause usually accelerates sarcopenia, the age-related lack of muscle mass and performance. This contributes to a decline in mobility, metabolic charge, and general high quality of life.
A number of meta-analyses help creatine as a helpful ergogenic help for older adults:
- A 2021 evaluation (PMID: 34836013) confirmed that creatine supplementation improved upper-body energy in older adults.
- One other 2024 evaluation (PMID: 40292479) reported that creatine, paired with resistance coaching, led to larger enhancements in energy and lean physique mass than train alone.
Creatine will increase intramuscular phosphocreatine shops, which in flip helps produce extra ATP throughout quick bursts of high-intensity train. This results in higher coaching efficiency, larger workload capability, and sooner restoration.
Though creatine doesn’t straight construct muscle with out coaching, it does assist improve the advantages of weightlifting, making it a wonderful complement for bodily energetic menopausal ladies.
Is Creatine Secure for Menopausal Girls?
Verdict: Sure
Creatine is without doubt one of the most extensively studied sports activities dietary supplements and has a sturdy security profile, together with in older populations.
A 2021 place paper by the Worldwide Society of Sports activities Vitamin (PMID: 33800439) concluded that long-term creatine supplementation (3–5g/day) is secure for wholesome people. Frequent myths about kidney injury have been disproven repeatedly by medical trials.
Creatine is mostly well-tolerated. Some customers might expertise delicate water retention or bloating early in supplementation, however these results are non permanent. Importantly, creatine doesn’t negatively have an effect on hydration standing, liver enzymes, or kidney operate in wholesome adults.
Girls with kidney illness or different continual circumstances ought to seek the advice of their healthcare supplier earlier than beginning any new complement, together with creatine.
Ought to You Take Creatine Throughout Menopause?
If you happen to’re questioning whether or not creatine is value including to your complement routine throughout menopause, right here’s the quick reply:
- Don’t take it for bone well being or cognitive efficiency — the proof simply isn’t sturdy sufficient.
- Do contemplate it in case you’re doing resistance coaching and desire a secure, efficient manner to enhance energy and restoration.
On this context, creatine is a software to reinforce efficiency, not a magic tablet. However for energetic ladies in midlife, it may be a part of a complete technique to take care of muscle, enhance exercise capability, and keep sturdy by way of menopause and past.
Tips on how to Use Creatine for Finest Outcomes
If you happen to resolve to attempt creatine, right here’s how one can use it safely and successfully:
- Dosage: 3–5 grams per day of creatine monohydrate (probably the most researched type)
- Loading: Not crucial. Simply begin with the each day dose.
- Timing: Anytime of day is ok, although some proof suggests post-workout might provide slight advantages.
- Hydration: Keep properly hydrated, as creatine attracts water into muscle cells.
- Consistency: Take it each day to take care of muscle saturation, even on relaxation days.
Closing Ideas on Creatine for Menopause
Creatine is just not a miracle treatment for menopause signs, however it generally is a worthwhile software for girls centered on energy, mobility, and general well being.
Right here’s the underside line:
- Creatine doesn’t enhance bone density or considerably increase cognitive operate.
- It might improve temper when paired with different remedies, however extra analysis is required.
- It improves muscle energy and efficiency, particularly with resistance coaching.
- It’s secure and well-tolerated in most wholesome people.
If you happen to’re lifting weights, recovering from exercises, or managing age-related muscle loss, creatine is perhaps value including to your routine.
References:
- Candow DG, et al. (2015). Results of creatine supplementation and resistance coaching on bone mineral content material in postmenopausal ladies. PMID: 25386713
- Forbes SC, et al. (2023). Creatine and bone well being: A scientific evaluation and meta-analysis. PMID: 37144634
- Avgerinos KI, et al. (2018). Results of creatine supplementation on cognitive operate. PMID: 29704637
- Silva S, et al. (2024). Creatine in adjunct with CBT for melancholy: A pilot examine. PMID: 39488067
- Chilibeck PD, et al. (2021). Impact of creatine supplementation throughout resistance coaching on muscle mass and energy in older adults. PMID: 34836013
- Candow DG, et al. (2024). Creatine and resistance coaching in growing older: A important evaluation. PMID: 40292479
- Kreider RB, et al. (2021). Worldwide Society of Sports activities Vitamin place stand: Security and efficacy of creatine supplementation in train, sport, and medication. PMID: 33800439
