It's taking over TikTok and has likely been flooding your social feeds, but is it really worth the hype?Creatine has become all of the rave lately both fitness enthusiasts and health professionals alike, and the verdict is out: this isn't just another fleeting wellness trend. Creatine has decades of scientific research backing its benefits, making it one of the most studied and proven supplements available.
While traditionally marketed to men, recent research has revealed creatine is equally - if not more - beneficial for women. Scientists are now highlighting that women have been overlooked in creatine studies despite evidence showing they may actually respond better to its benefits, especially during hormonal transitions and ageing.
What Exactly Is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in small amounts in certain foods (particularly red meat and seafood) and is also produced by your body in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. It has been most well known for playing a vital role in rapidly producing energy during high-intensity, short-duration exercises like weight lifting, sprinting, or high-intensity interval training.
Physical Performance Benefits That Matter
When you supplement with creatine, you're essentially increasing your body's capacity to produce energy quickly. This translates to:
- Increased strength and power output during workouts
- Enhanced muscle recovery between sets
- Improved high-intensity exercise performance
- Greater muscle growth when combined with resistance training
- Reduced muscle fatigue during intense activity
But its benefits far exceed just to exercise and performance… There is so much more to the creatine story!
Beyond Muscles: Supporting Menopause, Perimenopause & Healthy Ageing
If you're navigating perimenopause, menopause, or simply the natural ageing process, creatine offers remarkable benefits beyond the gym. During these transitions, declining estrogen can lead to accelerated muscle loss, decreased bone density, reduced energy levels, and unwanted changes in body composition.
Creatine directly addresses these menopausal challenges by:
- Preserving lean muscle mass when hormonal changes work against you
- Supporting bone density maintenance when osteoporosis risk increases
- Boosting energy levels when fatigue becomes more common
- Helping maintain metabolism during a time when it naturally slows
- Improving strength for everyday activities and independence
Here's what women, especially, need to know:
Creatine won't suddenly make you bulky. What creatine actually does is help you maintain the muscle you have, enhance your strength for daily activities, and support your metabolism. Rather than creating a bodybuilder physique, it helps preserve the lean muscle that naturally decreases during menopause and ageing. While beneficial at any age, creatine becomes especially valuable during hormonal transitions when your body needs extra support. This preservation of muscle tissue is crucial for maintaining your energy, strength and overall physical wellbeing when estrogen levels fluctuate and decline.
Cognitive Benefits: Fueling Your Brain
One of creatine's most overlooked benefits is its impact on brain health. Your brain uses a significant amount of energy, and creatine helps ensure those energy demands are met efficiently.
Studies suggest creatine supplementation can help:
- Improve memory and cognitive processing
- Reduce mental fatigue during challenging tasks
- Support brain energy during stressful or demanding activities
- Provide neuroprotection as we age
- Enhance cognitive performance during sleep deprivation (hello, night sweats!)
Is Creatine Right for You?
Creatine isn't just for bodybuilders or elite athletes. You might benefit from creatine if:
- You want to improve your performance during high-intensity exercise
- You're looking to build lean muscle more efficiently
- You're experiencing age-related muscle loss
- You notice mental fatigue or brain fog
- You follow a vegetarian or vegan diet (which naturally contains little creatine)
- You're going through perimenopause or menopause
Creatine is extremely safe to supplement which has been established through a multitude of studies.
Our Top Creatine Picks
So which creatine supplement can you trust and is right for you? Each of these are available in store and can be trusted for optimal purity and quality.
Switch Nutrition Creatine
This pharmaceutical-grade creatine monohydrate provides exceptional purity and absorption. We love Switch for their rigorous testing protocols and their commitment to creating products with zero fillers or unnecessary additive, just pure creatine that dissolves easily.
PranaOn Creatine Monohydrate
Australian-owned and manufactured, PranaOn offers a micronised creatine that dissolves completely with no gritty texture. Their emphasis on sustainable practices and plant-based focus makes this an excellent choice for those seeking an eco conscious option without compromising on quality.
Protein Supplies Creatine
With their 100% pure creatine monohydrate sourced from Creapure® (the gold standard in creatine quality from Germany), this one is highly sought after for its unmatched purity. We appreciate their transparent manufacturing process and their commitment to creating a product that mixes effortlessly into any beverage.
Visit us in store for a personalised recommendation from one of our in-store nutritionists!