The Benefits of Creatine Supplements For Women

Find out how creatine can help women build lean muscle mass and improve athletic performance.

Author:
Pete Nastasi, certified sports nutrition coach
Updated:
Dec 21, 2023

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When it comes to achieving optimal strength and performance gains, creatine powder has been a go-to supplement choice among both men and women. While traditionally associated with male athletes, women can also benefit significantly from incorporating creatine into their daily supplement routine.

In fact, creatine supplementation may be even more important for women than men, since women typically exhibit 70 to 80 percent lower levels of endogenous creatine stores. Due to specific hormone-related changes in the body, creatine supplementation may also be particularly important during pregnancy, post-partum, plus during and post-menopause.

Regardless of if you want to take advantage of the potential performance-enhancing benefits, there is also clinical evidence indicating the positive effects of creatine supplementation on mood and cognitive function. In this article, we will explore all of the potential benefits of creatine for women and how this powerful supplement can help you achieve your health and wellness goals. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or a gym newbie, this guide will help you navigate six of the best creatine supplements on the market, helping you make an informed decision about which creatine supplement may be right for you.

Related Post: The Best Creatine Supplements for Women

This content is meant to be informative, but should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention or treatment of health problems. Always speak with your doctor before starting any new supplement or exercise regimen.

Benefits of Creatine for Women

Creatine is one of the most popular and widely used dietary supplements among female bodybuilders and athletes due to its performance-enhancing benefits such as increased strength, improved endurance and enhanced post-exercise recovery. Furthermore, research suggests that using creatine products may even have potential cognitive benefits, including improved brain function and memory.

Increased Strength and Power

Creatine supplementation has been shown to increase muscular strength and power output, which can benefit for women who engage in weightlifting or high-intensity training. Increased strength can also improve athletic performance in sports and other fitness-related activities.

Muscle growth and improved body composition

Creatine has the potential to support muscle gain and aid in achieving a leaner body composition by promoting the synthesis of protein within muscle cells. Creatine may also support increased muscular endurance, allowing longer workout sessions and stimulating greater muscle growth.

Enhanced post-workout recovery

Creatine supplementation is shown to aid post-workout recovery in several ways. The first is that creatine has anti-inflammatory properties that may help to reduce muscle damage following intense exercise. Research also show that creatine can promote both muscle glycogen and protein synthesis which aid in enhancing muscle recovery.

Potential cognitive benefits

Some studies have found that creatine may have some potential cognitive enhancing benefits, including improved short-term memory, intelligence and reasoning in healthy individuals. However, for other aspects of cognition, such as attention, reaction time and mental fatigue the current results were inconclusive.

Side Effects of Creatine for Women

Numerous studies have investigated the safety of creatine supplementation and no significant adverse side effects have been reported. While individual responses to creatine may vary, and some individuals may experience mild side effects such as digestive discomfort or water retention, these effects are generally temporary and subside as the body adjusts to the supplement.

One of the most common adverse effects of creatine supplementation is water retention, which can result in bloating. However, this only occurs in the early stages (first several days) of supplementation and will quickly subside.

Creatine Dosage for Women

Research suggests that women should supplement with approximately three to five grams of creatine per day to experience the performance-enhancing benefits. This is why most creatine supplements on the market suggest a five-gram serving size. It’s also important to note that despite what your creatine supplement label may say, a “loading phase” in which you consume high doses (20 to 25 grams) of creatine throughout the first five to seven days is not necessary to saturate intramuscular creatine stores.

Our Favorite Creatine Products for Women:

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is one of the best creatine supplements on the market because it contains three powerful ingredients, creatine monohydrate, HMB and BioPerine, which work together to support your fitness goals. Both creatine and HMB have been shown to help increase lean body mass and improve strength when combined with a resistance training program and the BioPerine black pepper extract assists in the absorption of these compounds.

Research also suggests that combining creatine and HMB may increase both strength and anaerobic performance more effectively than when using either ingredient alone.

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB comes in 11 different flavor options, including unflavored, and is sweetened with stevia leaf extract. As with all Transparent Labs supplements, they are entirely artificial ingredient free and third-party testing data is available on their official website.

XWerks Lift Creatine

XWerks Lift is one of the primary components of the XWerks supplement stack that includes Grow (protein shake powder), Ignite (pre-workout) and Motion (hydration). Lift is a single-ingredient formula designed to improve athletic performance, providing users with 5 grams of unflavored micronized creatine per serving.

Lift is one of our top picks for women because it is vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free and free from artificial sweeteners and ingredients. It also mixes easily in water or any of your favorite beverages and is sold at a budget-friendly price point. The 80-serving size bag is also incredibly convenient, lasting users around two and a half months before needing to restock.

Huge Supplements Creatine Monohydrate Pills

Huge Supplements Creatine Monohydrate Pills are the only non-powder creatine supplement on our list. We included this product because it still allows women to use the recommended five-gram serving size, while also allowing flexibility to adjust the dose based on their specific needs.

Since a maintenance dose of creatine is around 0.03 grams per kilogram of body weight, a three-pill serving size will likely be effective for most women and will extend the life of the supplement. In addition, some individuals may simply prefer to use a convenient capsule form of creatine rather than a powder. Just note that some consumer reviews on the Huge Supplements official website mention that the creatine capsules are pretty large and some individuals needed to take them one at a time.

Jacked Factory: Creatine Monohydrate

Jacked Factory Creatine Monohydrate is the way to go if you’re looking for a budget-friendly and effective creatine monohydrate supplement. This unflavored powder contains five grams of pure creatine monohydrate per scoop, and each container holds a whopping 85 servings. Like the other creatine supplements on our list, Jacked Factory sets the same standards and remains free from artificial ingredients, fillers or preservatives.

Perfect for female athletes, bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts alike, Jacked Factory’s creatine supplement will help you increase muscle strength, power and endurance when paired with an effective workout routine. You really can't go wrong with this high-quality creatine that’s essentially a must-have sports supplement for almost every active individual.

Legion Recharge Post-Workout with Creatine

Legion Athletics Recharge is a post-workout recovery supplement designed to help you train harder, recover faster and build muscle. Formulated with five grams of creatine, Recharge also contains two additional ingredients, L-carnitine L-tartrate and corosolic acid.

Recharge contains L-carnitine L-tartrate in every 2.1 grams per serving, and research suggests supplementation with carnitine helps to reduce exercise-induced muscle cramping and damage and may improve muscle repair.

The other ingredient, corosolic acid, comes from the leaves of the banaba plant. Corosolic acid is known to improve blood glucose control and increase insulin signaling, which may help enhance post-workout nutrient absorption. This particular ingredient may be especially beneficial for athletes who need to absorb carbohydrates and proteins as quickly as possible after training to promote muscle recovery and replenish muscle glycogen stores. Legion’s supplements are also certified banned substance free by Labdoor, making this an ideal post-workout for athletes who compete in sanctioned organizations.

If you're interested in trying Recharge, it’s 100 percent natural, available in four different flavors and is a great way to get your daily dose of creatine along with other recovery-boosting ingredients.

Creatine for Women FAQs

Is creatine good for weight loss for women?

While creatine supplementation is not directly associated with weight loss, it can indirectly support women with weight loss goals by influencing body composition and enhancing exercise performance. For example, creatine supplementation can promote muscle growth and help to preserve existing muscle mass while in a caloric deficit. Having more muscle mass can lead to an increase in basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of calories your body burns on a daily basis. This increased muscle can aid in creating a daily caloric deficit, an essential aspect of a successful weight loss program.

How fast does creatine work?

The time it takes for creatine to start working can vary from person to person, but normally, a person who is taking three to five grams per day (without a loading phase) should start seeing an increase within strength and performance within the first two weeks. Over the course of weeks, users often report increased strength, power, and muscle gains, especially when combined with proper training

Should women over 40 take creatine?

Creatine is generally considered safe for women over 40. However, as with any dietary supplement, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting creatine supplementation.

Can creatine affect your mood?

While creatine is primarily known for its effects on physical performance and muscle growth, there is some emerging research suggesting that it might have potential effects on mood and cognitive function as well. However, research in this area is still evolving, and more studies are needed to fully understand the relationship between creatine and mood.

Final Thoughts

After considering the safety, efficacy and relatively inexpensive price point of creatine monohydrate, I believe the majority of women would benefit from using it daily. As with all supplements, you should check with your primary healthcare provider before adding a new dietary supplement to your daily routine. We hope our article provided some valuable insights on the potential benefits of creatine supplementation and helped you find a creatine supplement to support your personal health and fitness goals.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.