Not just for gym bunnies, creatine is now THE supplement to take for mood, energy, focus and bones – and it can even offset a bad night's sleep. No wonder mid-life women love it
If we told you of a supplement that could help reduce brain fog and low moods, increase muscle and bone mass, and offset sleep deprivation, you’d probably assume we were talking about one of the fancy new menopause supplements that are flooding the market.
But there is nothing fancy about creatine, an amino acid found in our own bodies and abundant in dietary sources such as red meat and seafood.
Creatine monohydrate powder has long been taken by fitness bunnies to boost their performance and muscle mass. But now it’s finding a new purpose as a brain and mood-enhancing supplement to mitigate some of the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause (although you don't need to be menopausal to benefit).
The nutrient is woefully underrated, says registered nutritionist and menopause specialist Emma Bardwell. “I don’t see enough women using it,” she says. But this may well change now that wellness and regenerative health gurus such as Bardwell, wellbeing maven Liz Earle, neuroscientist Tara Swart and menopause fitness coach Kate Rowe-Ham have started singing creatine’s praises in books and on their social media platforms. With so much media focus on menopause and finding ways to navigate it healthily, it’s about time creatine gets its moment in the sun.
Bardwell, for one, rates it as one of her few essential mid-life supplements (as any nutritionist will tell you, you should primarily get your nutrients from your diet), saying “it can be a game-changer in (peri)menopause. I take it daily and when I forget for a day or two, it has an effect on my stamina when I lift weights: I definitely struggle more with the last few reps.”
So what are the proven benefits of creatine both in mid-life and in general, and how can you make sure you get enough? Here are the facts.
The benefits of creatine
- It increases muscle strength
Creatine works by rapidly helping cells make more ATP, which is their energy source. It means muscle cells can fire on all cylinders, increasing stamina and performance and allowing you to work out harder – and that will positively affect muscle mass. Which is essential as you go through menopause and beyond, as you need to offset the natural muscle decline that comes with oestrogen depletion and age.
This does mean, says Bardwell, that just knocking back creatine will not keep you in strength-giving shape: it’s the combination of resistance exercise and creatine that will get you significantly enhanced results.
However, adds Earle, because creatine in and of itself improves cell hydration and helps stop the breakdown of some proteins in our muscles, supplementing it can in the long term counteract sarcopenia (muscle loss due to ageing). Any increase in muscle strength and flexibility helps improve stability and lowers the risk of nasty falls and fractures as you age.
Liz herself adds a teaspoon of creatine to her morning coffee every day, saying it’s “a cheap and easy health hack that helps me improve muscle tone and strength and gives and a little energy boost too.”
She may, however, want to re-think that coffee: see ‘what’s the best way to supplement creatine’, below, to find out why.
- It boosts brain power
Research from the University of Sydney proved that creatine improves “working memory and general intelligence” by maintaining energy levels in the brain. In tests, creatine supplementation gave a significant but short-term boost to brain power, indicating that it may be a good supp to take before an exam or an important presentation.
Darren Candow PhD, director of the ageing muscle and bone health laboratory at the University of Regina, Canada, says on The Genius Life podcast that creatine supplements only seem to work in times of metabolic stress, when the brain tops up the creatine it makes itself by supplies it takes from the blood. The additional creatine helps to fight off oxidative stress and inflammation, leaving the brain free to think clearly.
- It reduces fatigue
Neuroscientist Tara Swart on Instagram quotes a new study that found that “a single high dose of creatine improves cognitive performance and changes in brain energy availability during periods of sleep deprivation.”
There is no suggestion that creatine supplementation will have you sleep better, she says, but it might combat the negative effects of short-term sleep deprivation, making you feel less fatigued and improving memory, attention and language.
- It energises your system
Not only can a dose of creatine turn you into the energiser bunny if taken before exercise, it could give you a boost of overall energy anytime during the day. “If you suffer from a mid-morning energy dip, for example, a creatine-spiked smoothie could wake you up better than a coffee, without any caffeine side effects,” says Bardwell.
- It may help reduce bone loss
Creatine supplementation in combination with resistance training hasn’t just been shown to counterbalance muscle loss, it helps fight bone loss as well, says Bardwell, by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress and even increasing bone formation.
This was shown in a study, Candow says, where older women were given 11g of creatine daily for two years, and their bone density improved significantly. This is of course important because (peri)menopausal oestrogen decline leads to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
- It counteracts depression and anxiety
The body calls heavily upon your natural creatine levels during times of depression and anxiety, so it makes sense that supplementation at these times is useful. According to Candow, it’s a fact that dietary creatine reduces the severity of these conditions. As with brain power and fatigue, though, supplementation only works when you’re actively suffering with brittle mental health and need to off-set the depletion of your natural creatine reserves.
What are the best sources of creatine?
As mentioned, creatine is most abundant in seafood and meat – with red meat being richer in creatine than chicken or pork. Parmesan cheese is also often cited as a good source, but overall, meat is a better bet than dairy.
Like collagen, creatine does not exist in the plant world, but certain plant foods do provide the building blocks of creatine to help your body make its own. Try seeds, white beans, nuts (particularly walnuts and almonds) and watercress.
Eating a diet rich in the above should provide you with enough of the nutrients under normal circumstances, but at times of mental of physical stress, you may want to consider topping up with a supp.
What’s the best way to supplement creatine?
The good news for vegans and vegetarians is that creatine supplements, which come in the form of creatine monohydrate powders and capsules, almost all provide a form of creatine that is synthesised in a lab from chemical precursors, so contains no animal matter whatsoever (unless your caps contain gelatine).
According to Bardwell, a number of large studies show that 3-5g of creatine monohydrate a day can improve stamina and strength when combined with resistance training, and the same dose appears to be helpful for cognitive and mental support when you feel sub-par.
You can take it any time of the day (Candow suggests taking two half doses, one in the morning and one at night). Powders are usually recommended (unfortunately, they’re somewhat gritty); they can be mixed into a drink or a yoghurt. Earle notes that creatine is “more efficient when insulin levels are raised, so you might blend it with a small amount of fruit juice”.
Candow says it’s best to avoid hot drinks. Coffee, he says, is definitely not a good idea as caffeine and creatine don’t work well together.
Does creatine cause weight gain?
Because creatine makes muscles hold on to water, you may notice a small increase in weight, and some people may feel bloated as well. But this should dissipate as the body gets used to it. Any long-term weight increase, if you stick to your resistance training efforts, will likely be due to the increase in muscle mass: muscle is heavier than fat!
Who should not take creatine?
Don’t give it to children and don’t take it if you have kidney disease. Otherwise, it is seen as a very safe supplement, with side effects such as cramping and dehydration not fully established as being caused by (large doses of) creatine. Some people also report that creatine gives them nasty body odour, but this appears to be relatively rare, with the reason not understood.
As for rumours about creatine causing cancer: one study theorised (but did not prove) that creatine supplementation may lead to the formation of carcinogenic compounds in the body. But other studies seem to show it may decrease the risk of certain cancers, and there are no epidemiological studies showing creatine is unsafe at the recommended doses.
Creatine powders to try
A pretty straightforward supplement, these are much of a muchness. Not seized upon as a fashionable nutrient yet, creatine is still good value and easily available.
Myprotein Impact Creatine, £8.86 for 85 servings
This is recommended by Bardwell as it’s easy to drink and comes in three refreshing fruity flavours (plus an unflavoured option). It also looks a bit less ‘He-Man’ than most creatine supplements.
Bettervits Creatine Monohydrate, £30 for 60 servings
Packaged in a handy tub, this unflavoured, UK-made powder is micronised which means it dissolves relatively easily, without grittiness.
Proteinworks Creatine Monohydrate, £15.49 for 100 servings
Available in good-value, large kilo and half-kilo bags, you can choose from an unflavoured powder or a berry or citrus flavour.
Strong Nutrients Pure Fine Creatine Powder, £22.50 for 40 servings
A pharmaceutical-grade powder formulated by personal trainer and nutritional specialist Zana Morris to supercharge stamina and recovery.