Key takeaways:
Creatine is the most popular sports supplement available. It offers noteworthy benefits when taken for menopause or perimenopause.
Creatine may help offset age-related muscle and bone loss. It may also boost mood and brain health.
Creatine supplements are generally safe and well tolerated. But they may cause nausea, diarrhea, muscle cramps or stiffness, and trouble tolerating heat.
You may know creatine as a favorite supplement among athletes and everyday gym-goers. Creatine can help you get more out of your training time. But it may also offer unique benefits for women during perimenopause and menopause.
Learn more about how creatine may counteract some of the physical changes of menopause. Plus, learn how much to take and note possible side effects.
What is creatine?
Creatine is one of the most popular sports supplements on the market. It’s also an amino acid made by your body and stored mainly in your skeletal muscles.
Creatine’s “claim to fame” is its role in creating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), your body’s main energy source. ATP is used to power quick bursts of movement, like sprints, jumps, and strength exercises. Having more creatine in your muscles may delay fatigue during your workouts. Over time, this can lead to greater training-related gains for muscle strength and bone health.
Small amounts of creatine are also found in your brain, where it may have a positive effect on mood and brain health. Research suggests that creatine may help reduce symptoms of depression and boost your brain’s ability to form new connections.
Should you take creatine for menopause?
Creatine levels decrease anytime estrogen levels drop. This suggests that women may benefit from taking creatine during menopause, a time when estrogen levels fall significantly.
Decreasing estrogen levels are a major contributor to age-related muscle and bone loss. Replenishing your natural creatine stores with a supplement may help counteract menopause-related muscle and bone loss.
But research shows that strength training is key to seeing these benefits. In one trial, women who paired creatine with strength training gained more muscle than those who took creatine alone.
Another study saw similar results for bone mass after 12 months.
Estrogen also plays a critical role in supporting brain health and mood. So, menopause often contributes to brain fog, memory issues, and mental health symptoms like low mood.
Creatine supplements may help offset these effects. A small study found that creatine supplementation reduced mood swings and boosted reaction time — an indicator of brain health — in women who had gone through menopause.
It’s important to keep in mind that much of the current research on creatine for menopause is new, and the studies are small. So, it’s too early to say that creatine offers clear and meaningful benefits for all women.
Before you decide if you want to start taking it, it’s also important to know its other side effects.
How do you take creatine for menopause?
Creatine monohydrate is the most studied form of creatine, making it your best choice.
Research supports the following approach to taking creatine:
Loading dose: Take 0.3 g of creatine monohydrate per kilogram of body weight each day (g/kg/day) for 5 to 7 days. Split the total daily amount into 4 doses throughout the day.
Maintenance dose: After the loading dose, take 3 g to 5 g per day for up to 5 years.
You can skip the loading phase and simply take 3 g to 5 g per day. But it’ll take longer to fill your creatine tank — around 3 to 4 weeks instead of less than 1 week.
Are there negative effects of creatine for menopause?
The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) notes that creatine supplements are safe and well-tolerated. Just be sure to stay within the typical doses range from 0.3 g/kg/day to 0.8 g/kg/day.
A few case studies and animal trials raised concerns that creatine supplements might harm the kidneys. But further research has found no compelling evidence to support this concern.
Some people report mild side effects from creatine supplements. The most common ones include:
Nausea
Diarrhea
Muscle cramps or stiffness
Trouble tolerating heat
Frequently asked questions
Yes, though any initial weight gain comes from water, not fat. Creatine draws water into your muscle cells, which causes temporary water retention. This effect typically goes away within the first week or so. Any weight gained after that point is more likely muscle, since creatine can indirectly support muscle growth.
No, but combining creatine with resistance training can lead to the best results for muscle and bone health. To maximize the benefits of your supplement, perform three full-body strength sessions per week.
Yes, though any initial weight gain comes from water, not fat. Creatine draws water into your muscle cells, which causes temporary water retention. This effect typically goes away within the first week or so. Any weight gained after that point is more likely muscle, since creatine can indirectly support muscle growth.
No, but combining creatine with resistance training can lead to the best results for muscle and bone health. To maximize the benefits of your supplement, perform three full-body strength sessions per week.
The bottom line
Creatine is an amino acid made by your body that provides energy for quick bursts of activity. Healthy creatine levels help support muscle, bone, and brain health. But the sharp decline in estrogen during menopause causes a drop in creatine, too. Supplementing with creatine can help counteract the muscle and bone loss that occurs after menopause. It may also help offset menopause-related mood and brain changes. These changes often contribute to brain fog, memory issues, and mental health struggles. Creatine supplements are generally safe and well-tolerated.
Why trust our experts?
References
Collins, B. C., et al. (2019). Aging of the musculoskeletal system: How the loss of estrogen impacts muscle strength. Bone.
Chilibeck, P. D., et al. (2015). Effects of creatine and resistance training on bone health in postmenopausal women. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
Cho, J. M., et al. (2025). Beyond hot flashes: The role of estrogen receptors in menopausal mental health and cognitive decline. Brain Sciences.
Gualano, B., et al. (2014). Creatine supplementation and resistance training in vulnerable older women: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Experimental Gerontology.
Juneja, K., et al. (2024). Creatine supplementation in depression: A review of mechanisms, efficacy, clinical outcomes, and future directions. Cureus.
Korovljev, D., et al. (2026). The effects of 8-week creatine hydrochloride and creatine ethyl ester supplementation on cognition, clinical outcomes, and brain creatine levels in perimenopausal and menopausal women (CONCRET-MENOPA): A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Nutrition Association.
Kreider, R. B., et al. (2017). International society of sports nutrition position stand: Safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
Kreider, R. B., et al. (2021). Creatine in health and disease. Nutrients.
National Institute of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (2024). Dietary supplements for exercise and athletic performance fact sheet for health professionals. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Poortmans, J. R., et al. (2012). Adverse effects of creatine supplementation. Sports Medicine.
Smith-Ryan, A. E., et al. (2021). Creatine supplementation in women's health: A lifespan perspective. Nutrients.
