Why I'm Team Creatine
What Creatine Actually Does for Women’s Muscles, Mood, and Metabolism
For a long time, creatine lived in the same category as pre-workout powders, bodybuilding, and giant shaker bottles in my mind.
Not my world. Not my aisle.
But then I kept seeing it show up in places that are my world: women’s brain health, perimenopause, energy, muscle, aging well.
So I finally did the thing I always do: dove into the research, tried it myself, watched what happened with real people.
Short version:
I am now firmly team creatine…with nuance.
Let’s keep this really simple and non-science-y.
Think of creatine as backup power for your cells.
Your body needs quick energy for things like climbing stairs, picking up a kid, doing a workout, focusing on an email…
Remembering that one word that’s right there on the tip of your tongue…
To do all of this, it uses a little system called phosphocreatine (you don’t have to remember that word).
Creatine is what helps refill that system so your muscles and brain don’t tap out so fast.
You make some creatine on your own.
You get some from food (mostly meat + fish).
And some people add a small scoop as a supplement to top things off.
Why I care about creatine for women (especially tired ones)
Here’s where it got interesting for me:
Women use a ton of energy in the brain…not just in the gym.
Our creatine needs likely go up around the luteal phase, in perimenopause + menopause, and if we don’t eat a lot of animal protein.
We’re also trying to, keep or build muscle, protect our bones, and stay strong and clear-headed as hormones shift.
So when you zoom out, creatine support seems to help with:
strength + muscle maintenance
better tolerance for lifting weights (or just…life)
brain energy and word-finding 😉
aging well in a very practical “I want to stay strong and sharp” way
Does it fix everything? Nope.
But it’s a very low-drama, high-upside “brick” in the foundation.
Important, because the internet loves extremes.
Creatine is NOT: a steroid, a “you’ll bulk up overnight” powder, a replacement for protein, sleep, or blood sugar basics, or a way to cure what we may think of as “burnout”.
But it is wonderful support for cells that are already trying their best.
The form that’s been studied the most is creatine monohydrate.
A common daily dose in the research world is 3–5 grams.
Most people just stir it daily into water, a smoothie, or have it with breakfast.
If you have kidney issues or a more complex medical history, this is where you check in with your doctor/provider first. Always.
“But will it make me puffy or bulky?”
This is the question I hear the most.
Creatine can pull a little extra water into the muscle cell (key detail: inside the muscle, not under the skin).
For most women, it looks more like “My muscles feel fuller/stronger”. Not “I woke up looking like a different person”.
If you try it and you feel off, too puffy, or just not like yourself, you can always lower the dose, take it every other day, or even decide it’s not for you right now.
You’re still doing health “right.” Listening to your body always wins.
This is how I mentally stack it:
First, the basics:
light + circadian rhythm (morning light, gentler evenings)
protein (especially at breakfast)
blood sugar basics
nervous system downshifts (tiny nervous system breaks, not 1-hour meditations)
Then, once those are somewhat in place:
Creatine becomes a really nice add-on for:
lifting weights/resistance training
aging muscles + bones
perimenopause/menopause brain + energy support
days when you want a little more “oomph” without going the caffeine route
It’s not the first foundation.
But it is a very helpful one once you have some kind of base.
I guess what I’m saying is that I’m team creatine because it’s simple, well-studied, and helps muscles and brains that are doing a lot for us. Especially in the hormone-shifty seasons where we want to stay strong, sharp, and able to do our real lives.
Friendly reminder: none of this is medical advice.
I just share science + real-life patterns so you can make calmer, clearer decisions for your own body.
xx,
Dinah