I remember hearing about creatine monohydrate years ago. The research demonstrating its benefits for strength development, power output, muscular endurance, and recovery has been around for decades. Back then, I mentally filed it under “athletes only” and didn’t think much more of it.
But recently, more studies have emerged showing that creatine supplementation not only supports performance and recovery—it may also help delay cognitive decline, depression, bone loss, and sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss).
What’s even more surprising is that women naturally store only about 70–80% as much creatine as men, and we also store less in the brain—especially in regions responsible for mood, memory, and cognition. This becomes even more challenging during perimenopause and post-menopause when estrogen levels decline, since estrogen helps support glucose uptake in the brain.
As I began going through perimenopause a couple of years ago and noticed my estrogen and testosterone levels decreasing, I realized I needed extra support for my strength, recovery, and focus. I started supplementing daily with 5 grams of creatine, and over the past six months, I’ve noticed major improvements in my training performance. I’m hitting new PRs and seeing numbers I haven’t reached in over a decade. My muscle fatigue during and after workouts has decreased, and my energy levels throughout the day have improved.
I can’t say I’ve noticed a dramatic change in memory or mental sharpness just yet—but I recently started experimenting with 10 grams per day, as some studies have shown significant cognitive improvements in Alzheimer’s patients supplementing with 12 grams daily. I’ll keep you posted.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a non-essential amino acid produced naturally in the body and stored in skeletal muscle and brain cells. It increases your body’s ability to regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—your cells’ primary energy currency. During quick, high-intensity bursts of activity, creatine helps ATP replenish faster, improving strength, power, endurance, and cognitive performance.
We also get some creatine through food sources like meat, dairy, and fish, but that typically provides only 1–2 grams per day—well below the recommended 3–5 grams daily for optimal benefits. That’s where supplementation helps fill the gap.
Benefits of Daily Creatine Supplementation
Muscle Power and Strength: Creatine boosts your body’s quick energy supply (ATP), allowing you to lift heavier, perform more reps, and build lean muscle more effectively. It’s been shown to improve lean mass gains when combined with resistance training and reduce age-related muscle loss.
Recovery Support: Research suggests creatine reduces muscle damage markers and speeds up recovery after intense sessions—helping lower the risk of injury.
Cognitive Edge: Higher creatine levels have been linked to better memory, faster reaction time, and improved decision-making. One study even found that a single 20g dose improved cognition after sleep deprivation.
Mood Support: Creatine supports brain energy metabolism and neuroprotection, with early studies showing improvements in depressive symptoms after eight weeks of 5g daily supplementation.
Women’s Health: Emerging research indicates that creatine supplementation supports muscle integrity, bone health, cognitive function, and performance—especially during perimenopause and post-menopause.
How Much Creatine Should You Take?
For most people, 3–5 grams per day is ideal.
Performance athletes or those with higher training volumes may benefit from 5–10 grams daily, and adults 50+ may also see added support for muscle, bone, and cognitive health at that range.
If you prefer a more personalized approach, aim for roughly 0.1g per kilogram of body weight per day.
When Should You Take Creatine?
Take your creatine 30–60 minutes before your workout.
On rest days, take it first thing in the morning.
Is Creatine Safe?
Creatine is generally considered safe for healthy individuals. Some people experience mild water retention, which may temporarily affect body weight or blood pressure—though this is more common in men.
Because creatine breaks down into creatinine (a marker used to assess kidney function), supplementing can cause elevated creatinine levels on lab tests. This doesn’t mean there’s kidney damage—but it’s important to let your healthcare provider know if you’re supplementing so they can interpret your lab results accurately.
Want to Give Creatine a Try?
I have been personally using Thorne’s Creatine Monohydrate myself. I’ve used Thorne products for several years and love the quality, testing, and research that goes into their formulations.
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