Do you have to take creatine for menopause signs? Let’s speak about it.
Creatine is the brand new huge factor, particularly for ladies in menopause. Touted as a miracle for all the pieces from mind fog to bone well being, creatine is exhibiting up extra continuously 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 towards 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 chance of osteoporosis. Due to this, many dietary supplements declare to enhance bone power or density — and creatine is not any exception.
Some have hypothesized that creatine might assist with bone well being by bettering muscle power, thereby enhancing mechanical loading on the bones. Nevertheless, the medical proof doesn’t help this principle.
A randomized managed trial (PMID: 25386713) involving postmenopausal ladies discovered that though creatine improved muscle operate, it had no vital 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 — equivalent to calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium — creatine lacks a robust physiological mechanism or medical proof for bettering BMD in menopausal ladies.
In abstract, whereas creatine could 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: In all probability False
Many ladies going via 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 position in mobile vitality manufacturing, together with in mind cells. The idea is that declining endogenous creatine ranges with age might impair mind operate, and supplementation may assist replenish these shops.
A 2018 assessment (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 targeted on sleep-deprived or cognitively careworn people. These circumstances aren’t consultant of the overall menopause inhabitants.
There may be additionally restricted proof on creatine’s position in bettering temper or melancholy. A 2024 pilot examine (PMID: 39488067) discovered that creatine may improve the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral remedy (CBT) in individuals with melancholy. Nevertheless, extra strong trials are wanted to verify this potential profit.
Different analysis has examined creatine’s results in neurodegenerative illnesses, however findings are preliminary and never instantly relevant to the typical lady experiencing menopause.
In conclusion, creatine just isn’t 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 crucial well-documented results of creatine is its capability to improve muscle power and energy, particularly when mixed with resistance coaching.
Menopause typically accelerates sarcopenia, the age-related lack of muscle mass and performance. This contributes to a decline in mobility, metabolic charge, and total high quality of life.
A number of meta-analyses help creatine as a helpful ergogenic assist for older adults:
- A 2021 assessment (PMID: 34836013) confirmed that creatine supplementation improved upper-body power in older adults.
- One other 2024 evaluation (PMID: 40292479) reported that creatine, paired with resistance coaching, led to higher enhancements in power and lean physique mass than train alone.
Creatine will increase intramuscular phosphocreatine shops, which in flip helps produce extra ATP throughout brief bursts of high-intensity train. This results in higher coaching efficiency, higher workload capability, and sooner restoration.
Though creatine doesn’t instantly construct muscle with out coaching, it does assist improve the advantages of weightlifting, making it a superb complement for bodily energetic menopausal ladies.
Is Creatine Secure for Menopausal Girls?
Verdict: Sure
Creatine is likely 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 Diet (PMID: 33800439) concluded that long-term creatine supplementation (3–5g/day) is protected for wholesome people. Widespread myths about kidney injury have been disproven repeatedly by medical trials.
Creatine is usually well-tolerated. Some customers could expertise gentle 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?
In the event you’re questioning whether or not creatine is price including to your complement routine throughout menopause, right here’s the brief reply:
- Don’t take it for bone well being or cognitive efficiency — the proof simply isn’t sturdy sufficient.
- Do think about it should you’re doing resistance coaching and desire a protected, efficient method to enhance power and restoration.
On this context, creatine is a instrument to boost efficiency, not a magic tablet. However for energetic ladies in midlife, it may be a part of a complete technique to keep up muscle, enhance exercise capability, and keep sturdy via menopause and past.
The best way to Use Creatine for Finest Outcomes
In the event you resolve to attempt creatine, right here’s easy methods to use it safely and successfully:
- Dosage: 3–5 grams per day of creatine monohydrate (probably the most researched kind)
- Loading: Not obligatory. Simply begin with the every day dose.
- Timing: Anytime of day is okay, although some proof suggests post-workout could supply slight advantages.
- Hydration: Keep effectively hydrated, as creatine attracts water into muscle cells.
- Consistency: Take it every day to keep up muscle saturation, even on relaxation days.
Ultimate Ideas on Creatine for Menopause
Creatine just isn’t a miracle remedy for menopause signs, nevertheless it is usually a helpful instrument for ladies targeted on power, mobility, and total well being.
Right here’s the underside line:
- Creatine doesn’t enhance bone density or considerably enhance cognitive operate.
- It could improve temper when paired with different therapies, however extra analysis is required.
- It improves muscle power and efficiency, particularly with resistance coaching.
- It’s protected and well-tolerated in most wholesome people.
In the event you’re lifting weights, recovering from exercises, or managing age-related muscle loss, creatine may be price 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 assessment 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 power in older adults. PMID: 34836013
- Candow DG, et al. (2024). Creatine and resistance coaching in ageing: A crucial assessment. PMID: 40292479
- Kreider RB, et al. (2021). Worldwide Society of Sports activities Diet place stand: Security and efficacy of creatine supplementation in train, sport, and medication. PMID: 33800439
