February 10, 2025 • 9 mins
In this episode of Daily Value, we look at the emerging research on creatine supplementation in women’s health—beyond its well-established role in exercise performance. With evidence mounting on creatine’s impact across menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and menopause, we discuss how it supports cognition, mood stabilization, and bone health throughout a woman’s lifespan.
Discussion Points:
- Creatine & Hormonal Fluctuations: How estrogen and progesterone influence creatine uptake and metabolism.
- Cognitive & Mood Benefits: The role of creatine in reducing brain fog, fatigue, and potentially postpartum depression.
- Pregnancy & Fetal Development: How maternal creatine status may impact fetal neurodevelopment and birth outcomes.
- Menopause & Bone Health: The effect of creatine on osteoblast activity, muscle preservation, and sarcopenia prevention.
- Dosing Guidelines for Women
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7998865/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39796530/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 0 (00:00):
Creatine, one of the most popular and well-studied
supplements in the world.
To date, most studies on thistopic have been conducted in men
, but more and more research thelast few years has stressed the
importance of and looked at theimpact of creatine,
specifically in women's health.
Today we're going to cover someof that literature.
Hello everyone, and welcomeback to Daily Value.
(00:20):
I'm William Wallace and todaywe're going to be looking at the
health impacts and implicationsof creatine use in women's
health, specifically how it canimpact health and function over
one's lifespan.
But first some background andbrushing up on the basics.
Creatine is naturally producedin the body in two steps using
the amino acids glycine andarginine.
(00:42):
Those two amino acids are firstconverted into guanidino
acetate and then, oncemethylated, converted into
creatine Endogenously.
Creatine is synthesizedprimarily in the liver, kidneys
and pancreas at an approximaterate of one gram per day.
We know that creatine's primaryrole is to recycle ATP by
(01:03):
helping to donate phosphategroups to adenosine diphosphate.
Because of this, it comes as nosurprise that most creatine in
the body can be found in tissueswith high energy demand, like
neurons, cardiomyocytes.
Those are cells of the heart,along with liver cells.
But most of creatine 95% of itis stored in skeletal muscle.
Now, creatine characteristicsdiffer between males and females
(01:26):
.
In fact, females produce 20-30%less whole body creatine than
males, leaving them withcreatine stores that are 70-80%
lower compared to males.
Additionally, females alsoreport significantly lower
consumption of creatine comparedto males.
This suggests that creatinesupplementation may be
particularly beneficial forwomen across different life
(01:48):
stages, as endogenous creatineproduction may not be sufficient
to meet physiological demands,particularly during hormonally
dynamic phases.
More recently, there has been acall to look more deeply into
creatine fluctuations throughouta female's different life
stages and its importance duringmenstruation, pregnancy,
postpartum, as well as duringmenopause and post-menopause, as
(02:12):
the rate-limiting enzyme increatine synthesis, that being
arginine, glycine andaminotransferase, is influenced
by hormones like estrogen andprogesterone.
Now what we do have is a gooddeal of evidence showing that
creatine is effective forpromoting strength and power in
exercising females, butespecially in premenopausal
(02:33):
females.
There is a fear or reluctance ofthe dreaded water weight gain
that has been seen whensupplementing with creatine.
This is the most commonperceived adverse effect of
creatine that is transient,meaning only lasting for a short
period of time, and seen in theearly phases of creatine
supplementation.
This water retention occursbecause creatine is a
(02:54):
hygroscopic molecule leading toincreased intracellular water
content.
This can actually enhancecellular hydration and
potentially improve musclerecovery.
This increase in waterretention is observed in women
with no significant differencesacross the menstrual cycle.
However, these changes are notobserved in long-term studies
(03:15):
that run four to six weeks inlength, suggesting that the
increase in body fluid is againtransient.
As for other adverse effects ofcreatine related to kidney
function, liver function orcardiovascular function, a 2020
review paper concluded that,barring pre-existing conditions
in women, creatinesupplementation does not
(03:37):
negatively impact these organsystems.
As it pertains to the menstrualcycle, fluctuations in estrogen
and progesterone influencecreatine homeostasis,
particularly during the lutealphase, when higher estrogen
levels enhance creatine kinaseactivity.
Women experience greatercognitive fatigue during the
luteal phase, suggesting thatcreatine supplementation may
(03:59):
improve cognitive function bystabilizing ATP turnover and
supporting mitochondrialfunction.
This makes creatineparticularly relevant for
reducing brain fall or fatigueand cognitive performance
declines associated withhormonal shifts, and indeed,
research does indicate thatcreatine supplementation during
this phase may supportneuromuscular function and
(04:20):
reduce performance decrements inwomen.
What I should also add here isthat adjusting intake protocols
throughout different phases ofthe menstrual cycle seem
unnecessary, in that creatinesupplementation appears to
provide benefits across theentire menstrual cycle, with no
evidence that varying timing ofintake or dosages changes or
(04:41):
enhances the effects in relationto hormone fluctuation.
So it may benefit women moreduring the alluvial phase, but
that doesn't mean dosing andtiming of dosing should change
throughout the month Moving intopregnancy.
Interestingly, maternal creatinestatus may influence fetal
neurodevelopment and energymetabolism.
Not surprisingly, increasedmetabolic demands brought on by
(05:03):
fetal growth and development areassociated with a reduced
maternal creatine pool.
In fact, data in Humanspublished in 2014 and 2016 found
an association between reducedcreatine stores during pregnancy
and low birth weight andpreterm births.
The placenta activelytransports creatine to the fetus
(05:23):
and insufficient maternalcreatine stores may compromise
fetal growth and increase therisk of neurological deficits.
Now, following pregnancy,creatine supplementation may be
relevant during the postpartumperiod, as creatine may support
mood stabilization, offering apotential nutritional
intervention for something likepostpartum depression.
(05:43):
In fact, there is strongevidence for creatine improving
mood and depression, especiallyin women.
Now I would like to dedicate anentire episode in the future to
creatine and its effects ondepression, because I feel
that's important enough to getits own episode.
But early research on thistopic did find a positive
relationship between creatinefound in cerebral spinal fluid
(06:04):
and the levels of dopamine andserotonin metabolites.
Neuron energetic metabolism istied to depression, and clinical
and preclinical evidence hasreported positive effects of
creatine supplementation on moodby restoring brain energy
levels and homeostasis.
The data in humans suggestscreatine may be more
advantageous to females here.
(06:24):
Several studies published inthe early and mid-2000s showed
that females supplementing with4-5 grams of creatine daily saw
significant improvements indepression compared to
non-supplemented females.
This supplementation was givenin conjunction with
antidepressant medication, witheffects seen typically at the
2-week mark, which suggestedthat creatine accelerates the
(06:45):
effects of antidepressantmedication.
Which suggested that creatineaccelerates the effects of
antidepressant medication, whichtypically takes four to five
weeks to experience noticeableeffects.
During menopause, womenexperience accelerated losses in
muscle mass, known assarcopenia, and bone mineral
density, which leads toosteoporosis as estrogen levels
drop.
While resistance trainingremains essential, creatine
(07:09):
supplementation does seem toprovide an additional anabolic
stimulus helping to preservelean muscle mass and
musculoskeletal integrity.
Mechanistically, creatine'sbone protective effects involve
an enhanced muscle-boneinteraction, increased muscle
mass, again with exercise andresistance training leads to
greater mechanical loading onbones, promoting osteogenesis.
(07:29):
There is also a directosteoblast stimulation.
Creatine kinase supports ATPresynthesis in bone-forming
cells, facilitating osteoblastdifferentiating and function and
, lastly, reduced boneresorption.
Creatine supplementation hasbeen shown to lower bone.
Given these findings, creatinemay serve as a valuable
(07:55):
intervention alongsideresistance training and hormone
replacement therapy forpost-menopausal women.
For brain saturation, 15-20grams per day for 3-7 days in
divided doses, then followed by5-10 grams daily for maintenance
.
A routine daily dose with noloading phase looks like 3-5
grams per day for general healthbenefits.
(08:17):
Now as for optimizingabsorption, creatine uptake may
be enhanced by insulin-mediatedtransport.
So consuming it with 50 gramsof carbohydrates and 50 grams of
protein can increase totalmuscle creatine concentrations.
However, given the lowercarbohydrate oxidation rates in
women, added macronutrients maynot always be necessary.
(08:38):
Creatine monohydrate does, afterall, have high bioavailability.
As it is, a practical strategymay be to take creatine with a
meal or add it to a proteinshake.
Peak absorption occurs whencreatine is consumed as a
solution rather than capsules orfrom solid food sources.
In conclusion, creatinesupplementation is emerging as a
(09:00):
powerful tool for women'shealth beyond athletic
performance.
From hormonal modulation andneuroprotection to bone
preservation and metabolichealth, creatine supports
functional longevity acrossdifferent life stages.
With its potential applicationsin cognition, mood, pregnancy
and menopause-related concerns,creatine represents an
underutilized yet highlyeffective supplement for
(09:22):
enhancing female healthspan.
Future research should continueto explore sex-specific dosing
strategies and the full spectrumof creatine's benefits across
the lifespan.
Thank you for tuning in to thisepisode of Daily Value.
As always, stay educated andstay healthy.
Creatine, one of the most popular and well-studied
supplements in the world.
To date, most studies on thistopic have been conducted in men
, but more and more research thelast few years has stressed the
importance of and looked at theimpact of creatine,
specifically in women's health.
Today we're going to cover someof that literature.
Hello everyone, and welcomeback to Daily Value.
(00:20):
I'm William Wallace and todaywe're going to be looking at the
health impacts and implicationsof creatine use in women's
health, specifically how it canimpact health and function over
one's lifespan.
But first some background andbrushing up on the basics.
Creatine is naturally producedin the body in two steps using
the amino acids glycine andarginine.
(00:42):
Those two amino acids are firstconverted into guanidino
acetate and then, oncemethylated, converted into
creatine Endogenously.
Creatine is synthesizedprimarily in the liver, kidneys
and pancreas at an approximaterate of one gram per day.
We know that creatine's primaryrole is to recycle ATP by
(01:03):
helping to donate phosphategroups to adenosine diphosphate.
Because of this, it comes as nosurprise that most creatine in
the body can be found in tissueswith high energy demand, like
neurons, cardiomyocytes.
Those are cells of the heart,along with liver cells.
But most of creatine 95% of itis stored in skeletal muscle.
Now, creatine characteristicsdiffer between males and females
(01:26):
.
In fact, females produce 20-30%less whole body creatine than
males, leaving them withcreatine stores that are 70-80%
lower compared to males.
Additionally, females alsoreport significantly lower
consumption of creatine comparedto males.
This suggests that creatinesupplementation may be
particularly beneficial forwomen across different life
(01:48):
stages, as endogenous creatineproduction may not be sufficient
to meet physiological demands,particularly during hormonally
dynamic phases.
More recently, there has been acall to look more deeply into
creatine fluctuations throughouta female's different life
stages and its importance duringmenstruation, pregnancy,
postpartum, as well as duringmenopause and post-menopause, as
(02:12):
the rate-limiting enzyme increatine synthesis, that being
arginine, glycine andaminotransferase, is influenced
by hormones like estrogen andprogesterone.
Now what we do have is a gooddeal of evidence showing that
creatine is effective forpromoting strength and power in
exercising females, butespecially in premenopausal
(02:33):
females.
There is a fear or reluctance ofthe dreaded water weight gain
that has been seen whensupplementing with creatine.
This is the most commonperceived adverse effect of
creatine that is transient,meaning only lasting for a short
period of time, and seen in theearly phases of creatine
supplementation.
This water retention occursbecause creatine is a
(02:54):
hygroscopic molecule leading toincreased intracellular water
content.
This can actually enhancecellular hydration and
potentially improve musclerecovery.
This increase in waterretention is observed in women
with no significant differencesacross the menstrual cycle.
However, these changes are notobserved in long-term studies
(03:15):
that run four to six weeks inlength, suggesting that the
increase in body fluid is againtransient.
As for other adverse effects ofcreatine related to kidney
function, liver function orcardiovascular function, a 2020
review paper concluded that,barring pre-existing conditions
in women, creatinesupplementation does not
(03:37):
negatively impact these organsystems.
As it pertains to the menstrualcycle, fluctuations in estrogen
and progesterone influencecreatine homeostasis,
particularly during the lutealphase, when higher estrogen
levels enhance creatine kinaseactivity.
Women experience greatercognitive fatigue during the
luteal phase, suggesting thatcreatine supplementation may
(03:59):
improve cognitive function bystabilizing ATP turnover and
supporting mitochondrialfunction.
This makes creatineparticularly relevant for
reducing brain fall or fatigueand cognitive performance
declines associated withhormonal shifts, and indeed,
research does indicate thatcreatine supplementation during
this phase may supportneuromuscular function and
(04:20):
reduce performance decrements inwomen.
What I should also add here isthat adjusting intake protocols
throughout different phases ofthe menstrual cycle seem
unnecessary, in that creatinesupplementation appears to
provide benefits across theentire menstrual cycle, with no
evidence that varying timing ofintake or dosages changes or
(04:41):
enhances the effects in relationto hormone fluctuation.
So it may benefit women moreduring the alluvial phase, but
that doesn't mean dosing andtiming of dosing should change
throughout the month Moving intopregnancy.
Interestingly, maternal creatinestatus may influence fetal
neurodevelopment and energymetabolism.
Not surprisingly, increasedmetabolic demands brought on by
(05:03):
fetal growth and development areassociated with a reduced
maternal creatine pool.
In fact, data in Humanspublished in 2014 and 2016 found
an association between reducedcreatine stores during pregnancy
and low birth weight andpreterm births.
The placenta activelytransports creatine to the fetus
(05:23):
and insufficient maternalcreatine stores may compromise
fetal growth and increase therisk of neurological deficits.
Now, following pregnancy,creatine supplementation may be
relevant during the postpartumperiod, as creatine may support
mood stabilization, offering apotential nutritional
intervention for something likepostpartum depression.
(05:43):
In fact, there is strongevidence for creatine improving
mood and depression, especiallyin women.
Now I would like to dedicate anentire episode in the future to
creatine and its effects ondepression, because I feel
that's important enough to getits own episode.
But early research on thistopic did find a positive
relationship between creatinefound in cerebral spinal fluid
(06:04):
and the levels of dopamine andserotonin metabolites.
Neuron energetic metabolism istied to depression, and clinical
and preclinical evidence hasreported positive effects of
creatine supplementation on moodby restoring brain energy
levels and homeostasis.
The data in humans suggestscreatine may be more
advantageous to females here.
(06:24):
Several studies published inthe early and mid-2000s showed
that females supplementing with4-5 grams of creatine daily saw
significant improvements indepression compared to
non-supplemented females.
This supplementation was givenin conjunction with
antidepressant medication, witheffects seen typically at the
2-week mark, which suggestedthat creatine accelerates the
(06:45):
effects of antidepressantmedication.
Which suggested that creatineaccelerates the effects of
antidepressant medication, whichtypically takes four to five
weeks to experience noticeableeffects.
During menopause, womenexperience accelerated losses in
muscle mass, known assarcopenia, and bone mineral
density, which leads toosteoporosis as estrogen levels
drop.
While resistance trainingremains essential, creatine
(07:09):
supplementation does seem toprovide an additional anabolic
stimulus helping to preservelean muscle mass and
musculoskeletal integrity.
Mechanistically, creatine'sbone protective effects involve
an enhanced muscle-boneinteraction, increased muscle
mass, again with exercise andresistance training leads to
greater mechanical loading onbones, promoting osteogenesis.
(07:29):
There is also a directosteoblast stimulation.
Creatine kinase supports ATPresynthesis in bone-forming
cells, facilitating osteoblastdifferentiating and function and
, lastly, reduced boneresorption.
Creatine supplementation hasbeen shown to lower bone.
Given these findings, creatinemay serve as a valuable
(07:55):
intervention alongsideresistance training and hormone
replacement therapy forpost-menopausal women.
For brain saturation, 15-20grams per day for 3-7 days in
divided doses, then followed by5-10 grams daily for maintenance
.
A routine daily dose with noloading phase looks like 3-5
grams per day for general healthbenefits.
(08:17):
Now as for optimizingabsorption, creatine uptake may
be enhanced by insulin-mediatedtransport.
So consuming it with 50 gramsof carbohydrates and 50 grams of
protein can increase totalmuscle creatine concentrations.
However, given the lowercarbohydrate oxidation rates in
women, added macronutrients maynot always be necessary.
(08:38):
Creatine monohydrate does, afterall, have high bioavailability.
As it is, a practical strategymay be to take creatine with a
meal or add it to a proteinshake.
Peak absorption occurs whencreatine is consumed as a
solution rather than capsules orfrom solid food sources.
In conclusion, creatinesupplementation is emerging as a
(09:00):
powerful tool for women'shealth beyond athletic
performance.
From hormonal modulation andneuroprotection to bone
preservation and metabolichealth, creatine supports
functional longevity acrossdifferent life stages.
With its potential applicationsin cognition, mood, pregnancy
and menopause-related concerns,creatine represents an
underutilized yet highlyeffective supplement for
(09:22):
enhancing female healthspan.
Future research should continueto explore sex-specific dosing
strategies and the full spectrumof creatine's benefits across
the lifespan.
Thank you for tuning in to thisepisode of Daily Value.
As always, stay educated andstay healthy.
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