Do you have to take creatine for menopause signs? Let’s discuss it.
Creatine is the brand new massive factor, particularly for ladies in menopause. Touted as a miracle for all the pieces from mind fog to bone well being, creatine is displaying up extra steadily 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 serious 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 isn’t any exception.
Some have hypothesized that creatine may assist with bone well being by enhancing muscle power, thereby enhancing mechanical loading on the bones. Nonetheless, the medical proof doesn’t help this concept.
A randomized managed trial (PMID: 25386713) involving postmenopausal ladies discovered that though creatine improved muscle perform, 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 — reminiscent of calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium — creatine lacks a powerful physiological mechanism or medical proof for enhancing BMD in menopausal ladies.
In abstract, whereas creatine could contribute not directly to musculoskeletal perform, it doesn’t enhance bone density and shouldn’t exchange confirmed osteoporosis prevention methods.
Declare #2: Creatine Helps with Cognition
Verdict: In all probability False
Many ladies going by 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 may impair mind perform, and supplementation may 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 confused people. These situations will not be consultant of the overall menopause inhabitants.
There may be additionally restricted proof on creatine’s position in enhancing temper or melancholy. A 2024 pilot research (PMID: 39488067) discovered that creatine may improve the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral remedy (CBT) in folks with melancholy. Nonetheless, extra sturdy trials are wanted to verify this potential profit.
Different analysis has examined creatine’s results in neurodegenerative illnesses, however findings are preliminary and never immediately relevant to the common girl experiencing menopause.
In conclusion, creatine shouldn’t be a confirmed answer for cognitive decline or melancholy in menopause, and any potential advantages are seemingly small and context-specific.
Declare #3: Creatine Helps with Muscle Energy
Verdict: True
Probably the most well-documented results of creatine is its potential 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 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 power in older adults.
- One other 2024 evaluation (PMID: 40292479) reported that creatine, paired with resistance coaching, led to larger enhancements in power 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 immediately construct muscle with out coaching, it does assist improve the advantages of weightlifting, making it a wonderful complement for bodily lively menopausal ladies.
Is Creatine Secure for Menopausal Ladies?
Verdict: Sure
Creatine is among the most extensively studied sports activities dietary supplements and has a robust 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 harm 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 short-term. Importantly, creatine doesn’t negatively have an effect on hydration standing, liver enzymes, or kidney perform in wholesome adults.
Ladies with kidney illness or different persistent situations 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 price 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 robust sufficient.
- Do think about it when you’re doing resistance coaching and need a protected, efficient manner to enhance power and restoration.
On this context, creatine is a instrument to boost efficiency, not a magic capsule. However for lively ladies in midlife, it may be a part of a complete technique to take care of muscle, enhance exercise capability, and keep robust by menopause and past.
The way to Use Creatine for Finest Outcomes
If you happen to determine 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 mandatory. Simply begin with the each day dose.
- Timing: Anytime of day is ok, although some proof suggests post-workout could supply slight advantages.
- Hydration: Keep nicely hydrated, as creatine attracts water into muscle cells.
- Consistency: Take it each day to take care of muscle saturation, even on relaxation days.
Ultimate Ideas on Creatine for Menopause
Creatine shouldn’t be a miracle treatment for menopause signs, but it surely generally is a priceless instrument for ladies centered on power, mobility, and general well being.
Right here’s the underside line:
- Creatine doesn’t enhance bone density or considerably increase cognitive perform.
- It could improve temper when paired with different remedies, 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.
If you happen to’re lifting weights, recovering from exercises, or managing age-related muscle loss, creatine could 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 evaluation and meta-analysis. PMID: 37144634
- Avgerinos KI, et al. (2018). Results of creatine supplementation on cognitive perform. PMID: 29704637
- Silva S, et al. (2024). Creatine in adjunct with CBT for melancholy: A pilot research. 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 important evaluation. 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 drugs. PMID: 33800439