Creatine for Perimenopause: What to Know

Key Takeaways:

• Creatine supplements are used to boost athletic performance and may have benefits for women in perimenopause.

• Potential benefits of creatine for perimenopause include boosting muscle strength and mass, improving brain health, and lowering fatigue.

• Overall, creatine supplementation is safe. Side effects may include water retention, dehydration, and cramping.

• Consult your healthcare provider before starting creatine to discuss safety and dosing.
  

During perimenopause, the ovaries start making less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormonal changes can have various effects on the body, including loss of bone density and muscle mass, changes in cognitive function, and increased fatigue.

If you’re in the thick of perimenopause, you may be wondering if there’s anything you can do to mitigate these changes — like taking creatine.

Creatine, often used as a supplement by athletes, may have benefits for women in the perimenopausal stage. Keep reading to learn about creatine for perimenopause, including the potential benefits and drawbacks of this supplement.

Creatine is a compound made naturally in the body. It’s formed in the kidneys, liver, and pancreas from a series of reactions involving three amino acids. Most of your body’s creatine stores are found in your muscles.

Creatine is crucial for energy metabolism. Your body uses it to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule broken down to produce the energy your body needs for various essential processes.

The creatine your body makes only provides around half of what you need each day. You can get your remaining creatine by eating red meat and fish or through creatine supplementation.

What Does Creatine Do?

Since creatine is involved in energy production, it’s often used by athletes to help improve exercise performance during high-intensity activities or strength training. A common type of creatine used for supplements is creatine monohydrate.

There’s also a growing body of evidence that creatine supplementation can benefit women in midlife and beyond.

There are several potential benefits of creatine supplementation for women in the perimenopausal stage. These include:

• Improving body composition

• Boosting brain health

• Reducing fatigue

Let’s see what the research says about each of these benefits.

Creatine May Increase Muscle Mass and Strength

The hormonal changes that happen during perimenopause can increase the risk of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is a type of age-related muscle loss that causes decreases in muscle mass and strength.

A 2021 review notes that high doses of creatine may boost muscle size and function for women in menopause. Lower daily doses of creatine may be less effective for improving muscle mass and strength, according to a 2015 study.

Research from 2017 analyzed 22 studies involving creatine supplementation with resistance training in older adults. The researchers found that, compared to a placebo, creatine supplementation led to increases in:

• Lean tissue mass

• Chest press strength

• Leg press strength

The findings of this study are supported by new research. A small study involving 15 women in the perimenopausal or postmenopausal stage took creatine and did supervised strength training. After 14 weeks, the researchers found that creatine supplementation led to significant increases in lower-body strength.

While the findings of this study are promising, it only involved a small number of women using creatine over a short-term period. Larger and longer studies are needed into possible creatine benefits for perimenopause.

→ Get started: Strength Training for Beginners

Creatine Could Boost Bone Health

Decreases in bone mineral density start during perimenopause. Research has found that this bone loss speeds up significantly during late perimenopause and continues at an accelerated rate for the first years after menopause.

Loss of bone mineral density increases the risk of osteoporosis, a condition that impacts one in five women over age 50. People with osteoporosis have a higher risk of bone breaks due to injuries and falls.

Research on Creatine and Menopause Bone Density

Evidence of creatine supplementation improving bone mineral density isn’t as strong.

For instance, a 2018 analysis looked at five clinical trials involving older adults. It found that, compared to resistance training alone, there was no additional benefit to bone mineral density or bone mass from adding creatine to resistance training.

A 2023 randomized controlled trial also found that 2 years of creatine supplementation with exercise during the postmenopausal stage had no impact on bone mineral density.

That said, the researchers noted that, compared to a placebo, creatine supplementation improved some properties in the upper part of the thigh bone. They suggested that this could lead to improved bending strength and less risk of buckling under pressure.

Other research is more promising. A 2021 review suggests that creatine helps support bone health by boosting muscle strength and balance. And a 2019 review notes that creatine supplementation with resistance training appears to reduce risk factors for falling.

Creatine Might Improve Brain Health

Perimenopause is associated with changes in cognition and mood. Think brain fog, mental fatigue, trouble with memory, and mood changes.

Some people believe creatine supplementation benefits brain function by increasing levels of creatine in the brain, thereby boosting brain energy.

This is great news for the brain, as it uses 20 percent of the body’s energy — despite the fact that it only makes up about 2 percent of total body mass.

Research on Creatine and Menopause Brain Health

New research is promising. A 2024 analysis of 16 clinical trials in adults found that creatine may improve cognitive function, specifically memory, attention, and information processing speed.

A 2025 randomized controlled trial of 36 women in perimenopause or postmenopause found that eight weeks of creatine supplementation improved reaction time and reduced mood swing severity.

This is a small, short-term clinical trial, though. Additional, longer-term studies with more people need to be done to support its findings.

According to a 2022 review, it’s possible that creatine may boost cognitive performance following sleep deprivation. This could be important during perimenopause — research shows that up to 47 percent of women in this life stage experience sleep disturbances.

→ Learn more: What Is Sleep Debt? How to Catch Up If You’re Behind

Creatine May Lower Fatigue

There’s currently no research into creatine for fatigue in women after menopause. But a 2023 clinical trial found that taking creatine for 3 months reduced fatigue in participants with fatigue due to long COVID.

Overall, taking creatine is safe. The side effects of creatine supplementation may include:

• Water retention, which can cause bloating and mild weight gain

• Dehydration

• Muscle cramping

• Nausea

• Diarrhea

 A 2020 analysis of studies of creatine supplementation in women concluded that creatine wasn’t associated with an increased risk of significant weight gain, liver or kidney complications, serious side effects, or death.

If you have concerns about creatine and side effects, discuss them with your healthcare provider before starting creatine.

Creatine supplements are taken by mouth. You can buy them over the counter in a variety of forms. You’ll often see creatine supplements available as a powder, but capsules, tablets, and gummies are also available.

However, be cautious when purchasing. Studies have found that some “creatine supplements” contain little to no creatine. Make sure you look for ones that come with lab testing results available.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends a loading phase of at least 3 days. A loading phase helps to quickly boost your creatine stores.

The ISSN suggests taking 0.3 grams of creatine per kilogram of body weight daily during the loading phase. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, this comes out to a daily dose of roughly 20 grams of creatine.

After the loading phase, the ISSN recommends taking 3 to 5 grams of creatine daily to maintain high creatine stores.

If you’re interested in taking creatine, talk to your healthcare provider to chat about it. They can make more personalized recommendations on dosing.

The hormonal fluctuations that happen during perimenopause can have several impacts on the body. This includes mood swings, weight gain, and loss of muscle mass.

Some people believe supplementing with creatine might help with these symptoms. Here’s what to remember about creatine for perimenopause:

• Creatine is a supplement often used to boost exercise performance. But it can have potential benefits for perimenopausal women as well.

• The potential benefits of creatine for perimenopause include increasing muscle mass and strength, supporting bone health, boosting brain function, and reducing fatigue.

• As such, creatine supplementation may be an option to support well-being and quality of life for women during perimenopause.

• Taking creatine as a supplement is safe overall, but consult a healthcare professional first.

Talk with your healthcare provider before starting creatine for perimenopause. They can give you information on potential side effects and offer recommendations on dosing. Your provider can also suggest other treatments that may help.

See answers to common questions about creatine for perimenopause below.

Is creatine for women over 40 okay? What about creatine for women over 50?

Yes, creatine for women over 40 and 50 is safe overall. Still, it’s important to meet with your healthcare provider before starting creatine supplements. They can go over appropriate dosing and discuss any safety concerns.

How much creatine should you take for perimenopause?

The International Society of Sport Nutrition recommends starting creatine with a loading phase of at least 3 days, where you take 0.3 grams of creatine per kilogram of body weight daily. After the loading phase, you can take 3 to 5 grams daily. Your healthcare provider can give you more personalized recommendations.

What are the potential benefits of creatine for perimenopause?

The possible benefits of creatine for perimenopausal women include:

• Increasing muscle mass and muscle strength

• Supporting bone health

• Boosting brain health and cognition

• Lowering fatigue

→ Read next: Clinical Psychologist-Approved Ways to Fight Fatigue

Are there risks with taking creatine supplements?

Some side effects of creatine supplements include water retention, dehydration, cramping, and nausea. Creatine isn’t associated with an increased risk of serious side effects.

Can creatine supplements help balance hormone levels?

No. While creatine has a variety of potential benefits for perimenopause, it doesn’t address fluctuations in hormones like estrogen and progesterone.

Talk to your healthcare provider about treatment options, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), to help balance hormone levels.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards.