WORDS : Alyce Cimino | Naturopath
When most people hear “creatine,” they think of gym supplements and big bulky male bodybuilders. But emerging research shows creatine may be one of the most useful, under-recognised nutrients for women in perimenopause and menopause, not just to support muscle strength, but also mood, cognition and overall cellular energy.
WHAT IS CREATINE?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound made in the liver, kidneys and pancreas. It is also found in animal foods such as red meat and fish (and high sources is found in the organ meats!)
Its main role is to help your cells rapidly produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – the body’s primary energy molecule. While creatine is stored mainly in muscle, it is also highly active in the brain, where energy demand is significant and this is where we are excited to see new applications in women!
CREATINE + WOMEN
As women our hormones shift day to day and month to month, as we transition through to perimenopause, we will see naturally fluctuations (and a gradual) decline in our oestrogen levels. The thing is, that oestrogen plays some very crucial roles in more than just our period – its responsible for mitochondrial energy production, muscle maintenance, brain metabolism, mood regulation and bone turnover. As we move into perimeopause and menopause its not uncommon for women to also notice a decline in strength, a slower recovery, lower mood, brain fod and a rise in fatigue… this is where creatine is coming into play!
Creatine may help to buffer some of these changes by supporting cellular energy!
BRAIN FOG
The female brain is a brilliant thing (if I don’t say so myself!). in all its magic it is a high energy organ and the hormonal shifts of perimenopause can reduce the glucose metabolism in the brain tissue. The addition of creatine is through to act as a rapid energy source, supporting neurons and supporting energy production (ATP) during periods of high cognitive demand.
The research is suggesting the supplementation of creatine may:
+ improve short term memory
+ improve processing time (aka get the brain to action things faster)
+ reduce mental fatigue
+ improve cognitive performance during times of stress. This one is espeically imporant since during perimenopause/menopause its common for women to experience mood and sleep disturbances and tolerance to stress decreases.
THE SIDE EFFECTS
With all supplements, there can be side effects, its not uncommon for creatine to hold water weight so some women note an increase in fluid retention. There can also be mild bloating (though this is usually temporary) and when using a higher dose it can upset the digestive system.
DOSAGES:
Research suggests between 3-5g daily, though higher doses are becoming more researched. Not all creatine supplements are the same! If you find them on the supermarket shelf and they are a dose of 4 gummies… leave them right there on the shelf. Like all things supplements, we want the best quality with minimal excipients and high quality – Because creatine is currently on trend, a HUGH number of companies are jumping on the trend and when that happens, quality is usually compromised. In the clinic we use a clean powder, that has minimal taste and can go into hot and cold beverages – avoid everything with added sweetners and a great tip is if its a gummy, generally the dose is so low its not worth buying.