Creatine has been popular in the strength training world for decades. It’s one of the most thoroughly researched supplements available, with thousands of studies supporting its effectiveness.
Creatine isn’t just for men. Women can gain equal benefits from creatine supplementation for muscle growth, body composition, and performance.
Let’s look closer at:
- How creatine works
- The specific benefits of creatine for women
- What form of creatine is best
- How much to take and how often
- Potential side effects and why you don’t need to stress about them
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in high concentrations in muscle tissues. Its primary function is to help produce energy when muscles are working hard.
While 95% of the body’s creatine is stored in muscle, it is also present in the brain, heart, and, in men, the testes.
The body makes a certain amount of creatine on its own. Foods such as red meat, seafood, and cow's milk, also provide creatine, though you’d have to eat a lot of them to get a significant dose (more than a dozen servings!).
Creatine is neither an amino acid nor a steroid. It shares some features similar to those of an amino acid, but it is not a component of muscle structure. Instead, its role is high-demand energy production.
How Creatine Works
The compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the energy currency of the body. Every function requires a steady supply of ATP, whether it involves daily life or intense exercise.
Muscles store a certain amount of ATP; however, these stores are quickly depleted during exercise. Enter creatine.
Muscles naturally store creatine in the form of phosphocreatine. During exercise, muscles can draw on phosphocreatine to quickly produce more ATP. This provides additional energy to fuel strength and performance.
The brain is another tissue in the body that has high ATP needs. Every neuron requires the flow of ATP to fuel its actions. Emerging evidence suggests that creatine supplementation can benefit the brain by enhancing its phosphocreatine supply and improving energy production.[1]
A certain amount of creatine is naturally degraded on a daily basis, and the amount stored varies from individual to individual. Supplementation is a proven way to replenish and boost creatine stores, particularly for individuals who tend to have lower levels to begin with.[2]
Benefits of Creatine for Women
Creatine isn’t just for men looking to gain strength and performance in the gym.
Women stand to gain just as much, if not more, benefit from supplementing. You don’t need to be bulking up or chasing athletic goals to use creatine. Anyone doing resistance training can benefit.
Compared to men, women have 70-80% lower creatine stores.[3] This creates a prime opportunity for creatine supplementation to produce noticeable effects.
Here’s why creatine is so good for women:
Improvements in strength and muscle mass
The evidence that strength training is critical for women continues to accumulate.[4][5][6][7]
- Increased strength
- Balanced body composition
- Lower body fat
- Better body image
- Improved energy
- Better mental health
- Better sleep
- Improved metabolic health
- Lower risk of chronic disease
- Improvements in hormone balance
Creatine taken as a complement to resistance training supports better strength and body composition, without adding bulk or weight.[8] Women often worry that lifting heavy weights or taking supplements traditionally seen as used by men to bulk up will lead to unwanted weight. However, research has shown no link between creatine supplementation and weight gain.[9]
Creatine is a safe supplement for women to use to build strength and maintain a lean physique.[10]
Athletic Performance
Many women have athletic goals such as increased speed, endurance, or power.
Creatine supplementation can boost anaerobic working capacity, a marker of the ability to produce power quickly.[11] It’s also been shown to reduce neuromuscular fatigue, allowing for better endurance.[12]
Even if you’re not looking to compete or engage in sports, the boost in performance can help improve your resistance training sessions. Endurance and power are useful any time you’re exercising.
Bone and Muscle Health
Maintaining bone health is a critical consideration for women at every stage of life, especially as they transition through middle age and into menopause. Muscle and bone health are intertwined, as strong muscles and regular resistance training stimulate bones to prevent weakening as you age.
Creatine has many benefits to boost muscle health, as we talked about above, and all those benefits may also boost bone health.
Studies are mixed on the effect, if any, that creatine has on bone structure; however, some studies have shown a reduction in bone loss in women who supplement with creatine.[13]
Brain Health
The effect of creatine supplementation on brain health is an advancing area of research.
The brain has high demands for ATP, and brain activity can quickly deplete stored creatine in brain tissue.[14] Women often multitask, which can be taxing to the brain, and women also go through stages when they may be more sleep deprived due to pregnancy, parenting, or hormones. Sleep deprivation significantly impacts cognition.
Creatine supplementation may enhance cognitive function, particularly in situations where sleep is limited.[14][15]
The Form of Creatine That is Best For Women
Creatine monohydrate is the most well-researched form of creatine.[16] While there are many different forms available, they tend to be more expensive and lack any supporting data showing they are superior to creatine monohydrate.
There’s no need to get fancy. Most studies on creatine use in women have been conducted with creatine monohydrate, which is the form we recommend. It’s safe, effective, and inexpensive.
How Much Creatine Should Women Take?
Women benefit from taking 5 grams of creatine per day, either every day or a minimum of 5 days per week. Less than that is unlikely to fully saturate your tissues with creatine.[3]
This amount is sufficient for the majority of women; however, having either a very high or very low body weight could mean you need a little more or can get by with a little less.
There are two key factors to consider when beginning a creatine supplement.
1) Time: Creatine takes time to accumulate in muscle and brain tissues, so the effects of supplementation won’t be immediate. For this reason, some people recommend a loading phase where you take a high dose daily for a week and then settle into a standard daily dose. This is an option, but it is not necessary unless you have a specific need. Some people experience stomach upset with creatine, so this is another reason to skip the loading phase and simply take a normal daily dose of creatine.
2) Consistency: To reap the benefits of creatine, it is essential to take it consistently to maintain high levels in the muscle and brain. It is safe to take daily, and is often easier to remember; however, you can get by with 5 days a week if you prefer.
Does Creatine Make Women Bloated?
As creatine is stored in the muscle, a certain amount of water is pulled in along with it. But this is not the same as “bloating,” i.e., water retention under the skin or "puffiness". The water retention actually occurs inside the muscle cell. Remember, our muscle cells are primarily composed of water!
Creatine does not cause bloating. Some people can experience digestive discomfort when taking creatine, which they may refer to as "bloating".
Here are some ways to avoid any GI issues:
- Take creatine with food or after a meal
- Split the 5 gram dose into two, 2.5 gram doses spaced throughout the day
When you first start taking a creatine supplement like our Recovery formula, we recommend starting with a half dose to assess how it makes you feel and then increasing as you’re ready.
Conclusion
Women should lift weights, and they should take creatine to optimize outcomes.
Creatine helps build strength and increase your effectiveness in the gym. You’ll have more power, feel less fatigued, and recover faster. Creatine also boosts cognitive function, so you feel mentally sharp.
We designed our Recovery formula with 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per scoop. While we refer to it as a recovery formula, you don’t have to take it immediately after a workout. Take it at the time of day that works for you, and as your creatine stores increase, you’ll quickly feel the benefits.
Creatine is incredibly well-studied, safe, and has a long history of positive effects for women. It’s one supplement women shouldn’t miss.
References
1. Forbes, Scott C et al. “Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Brain Function and Health.” Nutrients vol. 14,5 921. 22 Feb. 2022, doi:10.3390/nu14050921
2. Kreider, Richard B, and Jeffery R Stout. “Creatine in Health and Disease.” Nutrients vol. 13,2 447. 29 Jan. 2021, doi:10.3390/nu13020447
3. Smith-Ryan, Abbie E et al. “Creatine Supplementation in Women's Health: A Lifespan Perspective.” Nutrients vol. 13,3 877. 8 Mar. 2021, doi:10.3390/nu13030877
4. Burrup, Rachelle et al. “Strength training and body composition in middle-age women.” The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness vol. 58,1-2 (2018): 82-91. doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.17.06706-8
5. Cunha, Paolo M et al. “Resistance training reduces depressive and anxiety symptoms in older women: a pilot study.” Aging & mental health vol. 26,6 (2022): 1136-1142. doi:10.1080/13607863.2021.1922603
6. Seguin, Rebecca A et al. “Strength Training Improves Body Image and Physical Activity Behaviors Among Midlife and Older Rural Women.” Journal of extension vol. 51,4 (2013): 4FEA2.
7. Capel-Alcaraz, Ana María et al. “The Efficacy of Strength Exercises for Reducing the Symptoms of Menopause: A Systematic Review.” Journal of clinical medicine vol. 12,2 548. 9 Jan. 2023, doi:10.3390/jcm12020548
8. Smith-Ryan, Abbie E et al. “Creatine in women's health: bridging the gap from menstruation through pregnancy to menopause.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition vol. 22,1 (2025): 2502094. doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2502094
9. Eckerson, Joan M. PhD, FNSCA. Creatine as an Ergogenic Aid for Female Athletes. Strength and Conditioning Journal 38(2):p 14-23, April 2016. | DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000208
10. de Guingand, Deborah L et al. “Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Females Taking Oral Creatine Monohydrate: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Nutrients vol. 12,6 1780. 15 Jun. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12061780
11. Eckerson, Joan M et al. “Effect of two and five days of creatine loading on anaerobic working capacity in women.” Journal of strength and conditioning research vol. 18,1 (2004): 168-73. doi:10.1519/1533-4287(2004)018<0168:eotafd>2.0.co;2
12. Smith, Abbie E et al. “Effects of creatine loading on electromyographic fatigue threshold during cycle ergometry in college-aged women.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition vol. 4 20. 26 Nov. 2007, doi:10.1186/1550-2783-4-20
13. Candow, Darren G et al. “Effectiveness of Creatine Supplementation on Aging Muscle and Bone: Focus on Falls Prevention and Inflammation.” Journal of clinical medicine vol. 8,4 488. 11 Apr. 2019, doi:10.3390/jcm8040488
14. Roschel, Hamilton et al. “Creatine Supplementation and Brain Health.” Nutrients vol. 13,2 586. 10 Feb. 2021, doi:10.3390/nu13020586
15. McMorris, T et al. “Effect of creatine supplementation and sleep deprivation, with mild exercise, on cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood state, and plasma concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol.” Psychopharmacology vol. 185,1 (2006): 93-103. doi:10.1007/s00213-005-0269-z
16. Cooper, Robert et al. “Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition vol. 9,1 33. 20 Jul. 2012, doi:10.1186/1550-2783-9-33
