The Ultimate Guide To Creatine For Women In Every Decade

In partnership with Healthspan

There is one supplement that has been popping up here, there and everywhere in conversation, from podcasts and TikTok to family and friends: Creatine. And with claims such as increasing the benefits of strength training, tackling brain fog (please!), aiding recovery from exercise, and combatting feeling weaker, older or heavier, it seems like it’s the holy grail - but before we channel our inner Bieber and declare Everything, Hallelujah, let’s educate ourselves a bit, because, honestly, we’ve all got a lot of questions. 

Do we actually know what it is, why we should be taking it, what it does, how to take it, how much to take…? Time to unpack, starting with the basics.

Long considered a bodybuilding and gym supplement for building muscle and strength and for increased performance during high intensity exercise, the wider benefits of creatine are consistently being investigated through various trials and studies. This is because it is more and more being considered to be a beneficial supplement for many areas of life.

What Creatine is: a naturally occurring compound in your body. However, women tend to have lower natural creatine stores than men (up to 70-80%), which is why there is so much increased interest in supplementation for women.

What Creatine isn't: a steroid or bodybuilder supplement that increases body weight for the average person or ‘bulkiness’ in women. 

What Creatine does: In its simplest form, creatine helps your cells produce energy. And as a result of that, the reported benefits are huge: from strength gains and recovery to healthier aging and cognitive support - no matter the stage of life that you are in. This is why there is now more and more research being undertaken to back up what many people are experiencing.

How much should we take? For most healthy adults, 3-5g of creatine per day is enough to maintain muscle creatine stores. People who train hard, have higher body weight, or want the simplest daily approach often use the upper end of this range. (you can see Healthspan’s Creatine Dosage Guide for more information.)

 

How Creatine Can Support You By Decade

In your 30s

You may be dealing with changing hormones due to being pre or postpartum, and could even be experiencing early symptoms of perimenopause. You may also have a busy lifestyle, balancing home, work and a social life and are likely aware of a need to fit better exercise habits into your week, as well as build and maintain strength for the future.

How creatine could support you: 

• Creatine can support the results of strength training and building muscle as part of a consistent routine, which in turn can help maintain healthy habits and energy levels.
• Many women have anecdotally reported an improvement to mental clarity and a decrease in ‘brain fog’ and feel more focused after consistently taking creatine for a prolonged period. (Although we have to say that this is still being studied in order to be scientifically proven!)
  

In your 40s

You may be dealing with symptoms of perimenopause, such as brain fog and changes in body composition. You may also have lower energy & may struggle to recover as quickly as before after exerting yourself, either through activity or exercise. 

How creatine can support you: 

• As hormones and aging can affect body composition, creatine supplementation can complement both cardio and resistance training, which in turn can increase energy levels.
• Once again, women have anecdotally credited creatine as one of the things that has supported their bodies and minds through perimenopause with increased energy and mental clarity.

In your 50s

You may be coping with varying symptoms before, during and after menopause. This could be manifesting as a loss of muscle, strength and possibly a dip in confidence when it comes to fitness and health.

How creatine could support you:

• By increasing the benefits of your workouts, by supporting muscle growth and preservation of strength, which can in turn increase confidence and energy levels.
• Women have reported lesser physical and mental symptoms of menopause when regularly taking creatine, such as fewer issues with brain fog, decreased mobility and energy levels.

In your 60s and beyond

You are likely post-menopausal, experiencing increased physically and cognitive symptoms of aging and would like to focus on building and maintaining strength and mobility in terms of longevity. You may also be looking to increase or maintain mental sharpness and clarity.

How creatine can support you: 

• By improving the benefits of exercise, making your efforts more effective by supporting and maintaining muscle, strength & mobility.
• When it comes to supporting the cognitive signs of aging, more and more research is being undertaken to catch up with personal stories and experiences when it comes to maintaining cognitive abilities or slowing cognitive decline. 

 

A couple of things to note:

• We have proven results of creatine when it comes to supporting strength training and muscle growth, particularly in the over 55s.
• Research studied here refers to the creatine monohydrate form.
• Consistency is what matters - results come from taking it regularly as part of a healthy routine.
• Any cognitive effects are becoming more and more widely reported by those trying creatine when looking for support through perimenopause and menopause, as well as into other symptoms of cognitive decline due to aging. Science is still catching up with personal experience, meaning research is still ongoing.
  

Healthspan’s first Creatine Monohydrate supplement was developed alongside the All Blacks, but can be used by anyone - despite being in a part of their athletic Healthspan Elite range. Shop it here.

But, rather excitingly, Healthspan have now made creatine more accessible to all with small flavoured daily sachets designed to support brain and body, with added Zinc & Iodine for increased cognitive benefits. Find out more here.

 

You can take a look at both products, and ask any questions you may have, in store (in Church Square here in St Peter Port), or shop online at Healthspan.co.uk.