Rethinking Creatine: A Game-Changer for Women's Health at Every Age

Creatine is mostly associated with bodybuilders, gym bros and muscle building. Which makes sense, because creatine is the single most effective supplement for increasing muscle mass. Due to this, it’s not often talked about in the context of women's health, and it should be! Independent of exercise, creatine has big, positive impacts on female physiology throughout the lifespan. It helps to improve body composition, it can support reproductive health and the transition into menopause while increasing overall cognitive function and boosting mood. Incorporating creatine daily could be an essential and low effort piece to female longevity. 

What is Creatine? 

Creatine is an important nutrient that is both made in the body and obtained through the diet. It has a long history of enhancing sports performance, and thus has gained popularity in the body building and fitness world. But, the beneficial effects of creatine go well beyond supporting athleticism.

Its primary function is to generate quick bursts of energy in the two most metabolically active tissues in the body: the muscles and the brain. Due to this, it has implications in overall muscle health, maintaining a healthy body composition, cognitive function, reproductive health and mood. 

Research shows that on average, women have up to 80% less creatine stores than men, largely due to underconsumption. This statistic is concerning due to the correlation between quality of life and amount of creatine stores in the body.

Creatine for Women  

There are many factors explaining why creatine stores in women are lower than men, some are: 

• Low red meat consumption: which is the primary dietary source of creatine 

• Lower muscle volume and quality compared to male counterparts: Muscle is the primary storage site of creatine, therefore higher fat mass and low muscle mass = less available space for creatine to reside

• Lower overall protein intake: creatine is synthesized by three amino acids which are arginine, glycine and methionine 

• Hormonal profile: Women's sex hormones influence the metabolism of creatine 

Health improvements in women after optimizing creatine stores have been well-documented in the research. Creatine levels can be optimized by incorporating strength training, eating red meat or supplementing with creatine monohydrate. 

Creatine supplementation offsets risk factors for low creatine and has been clinically shown to increase creatine stores by up to 20%- allowing women to thrive throughout the lifespan. 

Due to the many benefits of creatine, often supplementation alone or in conjunction with diet and exercise is recommended for women. 

Creatine helps counter many of the physiological changes that are thought to be associated with aging- making creatine a valuable longevity supplement that helps women to maintain a higher quality of life into their later years. 

Below we’ll explore how creatine protects the brain, reduces inflammation, preserves both muscle and bone mass in the menopausal years, promotes a healthy body composition and its role in female reproductive health! 

Creatine for Weight Loss 

Creatine is an important component of body recomposition- meaning it's going to help build lean muscle mass and reduce overall fat mass, creating a healthy and toned physique. 

Ensuring adequate creatine intake, is the closest thing to a shortcut when working to lose fat mass and gain muscle. It works in conjunction with and independent of exercise. 

It has been researched in a variety of female populations, from those who are relatively sedentary to elite athletes. In terms of exercising women, creatine fast tracks adaptation and results. In sedentary women it increases muscle quality. 

An increase in strength and muscle mass along with better muscle quality improves metabolism, supporting short term weight loss while laying the foundation for lasting results. 

Creatine may be the most under-utilized supplement when it comes to shifting body composition in women. 

Creatine for Reproductive Health 

Higher stores of creatine in females have been linked to less reproductive issues such as mood swings that accompany PMS, pelvic pain and painful periods. 

Research shows that taking creatine in the second half of the menstrual cycle, known as the luteal phase, is able to offset the fatigue and low energy that is often experienced by women before their period starts. This improves overall well-being and allows for more productive and enjoyable days leading up to cycle day 1. It has also been shown to mitigate mood swings that tend to surface during the luteal phase by regulating neurotransmitters.

Aside from this, researchers have also found that creatine stores get depleted in pregnancy, and need to be consistently replenished as there is a correlation between lower creatinine levels preterm births along with low birth weight. 

The moral of the story? Creatine is vitally important for women in their reproductive years.

Creatine for Menopause 

Menopausal women should consider taking creatine as the two primary concerns accompanying the transition are muscle loss and bone loss- both of which creatine can offset. 

Sarcopenia is a medical condition, characterized by a drastic reduction in muscle mass. Sarcopenia is more prevalent in a post-menopausal population compared to any other group, due to the hormonal shifts that are seen. Creatine has been shown to preserve muscle mass in postmenopausal women and make it  easier to build muscle - both essential processes to avoid sarcopenia, which can eventually lead to impaired mobility and loss of independence. 

In an aging population, paying attention to muscle mass helps reduce the risk of falls and helps ensure activities of daily living such as putting away groceries can be continued.

Research demonstrates the creatine not only has positive impacts on muscle health, but It acts as a countermeasure to the menopause induced decline in bone mass- making it a great addition to an osteoporosis prevention program. 

Beyond this, evidence suggests it  can also mitigate mood swings that many post-menopausal women experience making it a no brainer for women entering this phase of life.

Creatine and the Brain

The brain makes creatine and uses the energy generated from it to power cognitive processes. 

There is a good body of evidence that it can improve mood in women and may even be beneficial in women who suffer from depression as well as improve overall cognition. 

The effects of creatine supplementation are seen quicker and are more pronounced  in muscle and reproductive health than in brain health, and there may be some limitations when it comes to supporting the brain. Supplementation is often more effective in those with a history of mTBIs such as concussions, those who are chronically stressed or who have intense exercise regimes than it is the average person. 

In these populations supplementation overtime can improve overall cognitive function, short term memory as we age and increase the ability to reason. There is evidence to support the average person, it is just not as clear at this point in time. 

With that said, muscle health is directly related to better cognitive outcomes throughout the lifespan such as a reduced risk of dementia. Lower muscle mass is correlated to faster acceleration of age related neurodegeneration- so whether it is for the direct benefit or indirect via muscle, creatine could be a viable strategy for neuroprotection. 

From a longevity lens…

The relationship between creatine and muscle is undeniable and far more significant than simply looking good. 

Muscle mass and quality is an important indicator of how well we age. 

Healthy muscle creates a potent pharmacy of anti-inflammatory molecules called myokines that support whole body health. 

These anti-inflammatory molecules get released through muscle contraction and enter circulation where they travel to tissues that need them the most such as the brain, eyes and joints. 

By maintaining quality muscle as we age, an anti-inflammatory environment is created in the body. Since inflammation plays a role in virtually every chronic illness- putting muscle health at the forefront of a preventative health care plan is of the highest importance. Creatine is the easiest way to do this. 

To wrap it up, creatine is an overlooked supplement when it comes to female health that has the potential to improve quality of life for women of all ages. It is a tasteless powder that can be mixed into coffee, tea, soup, yogurt, oatmeal and smoothies. How much creatine should a women take? The recommendation is 5g of creatine monohydrate per day, with a potential loading phase to increase baseline levels quickly. 

We love PVL Pure Creatine, check it out here and set yourself up for success- now and in the future! 

Questions? Shoot us an email at info@livlong.ca

Author: Lisa Kowalyk, CNP, b.Kin