Why menopausal women should be taking creatine

Women hit their peak muscle mass in their mid-30s. Then, as we approach and go through menopause, muscle mass gradually declines and unless we take steps to prevent it, will continue to decline for the rest of our lives.

One supplement that is especially valuable to us at this stage of our lives is creatine.

Creatine is a naturally occurring substance that is stored in muscles for use during exercise, and it’s well known for its ability to support muscle growth. We produce about half of what we need naturally, the rest we get from our diet, specifically from animal protein. So if you don’t eat much meat or fish, or eat a plant-based diet you may have lower levels than you need.

Much of the research into creatine has been done on men, however we are now getting a better understanding of the benefits of this substance for women. According to a 2021literature review,  creatine improves strength, power, exercise capacity and sports performance in women.

Depending on the type of exercise we are doing, our bodies burn either fat or glucose. Creatine is used when you need to generate extra force, like pushing those last few tough reps before you fail, or during a high intensity burst in HIIT, sprint or plyometric training, and it helps reduce muscular fatigue and can also help form proteins to build muscle.

Getting better results from your workouts

Being able to push workouts that little bit harder makes a difference when you are training to increase muscle mass. Because we have lower levels of muscle-building hormones, we need to put additional stress on the body to force it to adapt. This is why you might find exercise stops working for you at this age. If your workouts are middle-of-the road strenuous (say 6 or 7 out of 10 for effort) their effectiveness is going to reduce.

So we need to switch up our exercise so it feels much more challenging . For example, lifting heavy weights almost to failure and adding HIIT and plyometric training. The heavy weights build muscle volume and strength, the HIIT & plyo help us retain power, which is the ability to move force at speed. This type of training is also known to improve the way cells utilise glucose for fuel and increase the metabolic rate for hours after exercise.

The combined effect of focussing your training on these types of workouts is known to improve body composition, which means more muscle and less body fat.

Better mood & memory

In addition to these impressive benefits, creatine supplementation may also benefit women’s brains, improving mood, mental health and memory, all of which can suffer with menopause.

It may also help with postmenopausal bone mineral density especially when it’s combined with strength training, another concern for mid-life women.

How to take creatine

Creatine is sold in powder or tablet form as creatine monohydrate. The recommendation is to take 3g per day. This can be taken just before exercise if you are training that day, otherwise take it at a regular time.

You may have heard about creatine loading, where larger volumes are taken for a shorter period of time to help saturate the body’s creatine stores. Some people notice this leads to bloating, although this is usually temporary, whereas taking a smaller does avoids this.

If you would like a recommendation for a brand, this is the one I use. (Please note I have no affiliation with this company I just like what they do and their values.)

When to check with your doctor

Creatine can interact with arthritis medications, chemotherapy drugs and antiviral medications, so speak to your doctor before taking if you are on any medication.