Creatine Supplementation in Menopause: What Does the Science Say?

Must you take creatine for menopause signs? Let’s discuss it.

Creatine is the brand new large factor, particularly for girls in menopause. Touted as a miracle for the whole lot from mind fog to bone well being, creatine is exhibiting up extra steadily in dietary supplements marketed towards ladies over 40. However does creatine truly 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, rising the danger 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 scientific proof doesn’t assist 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 stop 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 powerful physiological mechanism or scientific proof for enhancing BMD in menopausal ladies.

In abstract, whereas creatine could contribute not directly to musculoskeletal operate, it doesn’t improve bone density and shouldn’t substitute confirmed osteoporosis prevention methods.

Declare #2: Creatine Helps with Cognition

Verdict: In all probability False

Many ladies going by means 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 idea 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 combined 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 situations should not consultant of the final menopause inhabitants.

There’s additionally restricted proof on creatine’s function in enhancing temper or melancholy. A 2024 pilot research (PMID: 39488067) discovered that creatine would possibly improve the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral remedy (CBT) in individuals with melancholy. Nonetheless, 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 lady experiencing menopause.

In conclusion, creatine isn’t a confirmed answer 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 capacity to improve muscle power 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 fee, and general high quality of life.

A number of meta-analyses assist creatine as a helpful ergogenic support 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 better 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, better 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 Ladies?

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. Widespread myths about kidney injury have been disproven repeatedly by scientific 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.

Ladies with kidney illness or different continual 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 value 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 take into account it for those who’re doing resistance coaching and desire a secure, efficient means to enhance power and restoration.

On this context, creatine is a device to boost efficiency, not a magic capsule. 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 means of menopause and past.

The right way to Use Creatine for Finest Outcomes

If you happen to resolve to attempt creatine, right here’s the way to use it safely and successfully:

• Dosage: 3–5 grams per day of creatine monohydrate (essentially the most researched type)
• Loading: Not vital. 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.

Remaining Ideas on Creatine for Menopause

Creatine isn’t a miracle treatment for menopause signs, but it surely is usually a useful device for girls targeted on power, mobility, and general 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 remedies, however extra analysis is required.
• It improves muscle power 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 could be 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 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 growing older: A essential 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 drugs. PMID: 33800439