Skip to content
AlternativeMed

Creatine for Women: Menstrual Cycle, Pregnancy and Menopause - What Is Known

What research says about creatine in women across life stages: menstrual cycle, pregnancy and breastfeeding, perimenopause and after menopause, with the strength of evidence and cautions.

Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.

Quick answer
A 2021 review described evidence for creatine use in females as understudied, and a 2025 overview said research has only recently begun to account for hormone changes. [1] [2] The best-studied female group is postmenopausal women, where reviews report small gains in lean mass and strength when creatine is combined with resistance training. For pregnancy and breastfeeding, we did not find human safety trials. This page describes studies. It is not advice, and a clinician or pharmacist is the right person to ask about your own situation.

Evidence labels used: promising but limited, mixed, insufficient evidence, preclinical (animal or lab work only) and Proper evidence not found. The main guide is Creatine.

Do women store creatine differently?

Sources disagree. A 2021 review said females have 70 to 80% lower endogenous creatine stores than males. [1] A 2021 position paper said females may have higher intramuscular creatine concentrations, possibly because of lower skeletal muscle mass. [3] The sources do not explain the difference, so treat both as unsettled. A 2024 narrative review (not a trial) argued that women may benefit from supplementation during parts of the menstrual cycle, and that review is not evidence of an effect. [4]

Menstrual cycle

  • A 2025 narrative overview said early studies in women often overlooked menstrual cycle variability, and that newer studies have begun to account for it. [2]
  • That overview described a placebo-controlled study (20 g a day for 5 days, a study amount) in which the creatine group had a higher "phase angle" during the follicular phase and after loading in the luteal phase. [5] The review describes phase angle, measured by bioelectrical impedance, as a measure of cellular health and hydration status, and the authors link the result to cellular integrity. [5] This is a lab measure, not a symptom score.
  • The same overview described a trial in which fluid volumes were greater with creatine in the luteal phase regardless of hormonal contraceptive use and without changes in body weight. [5]
  • A narrative review said supplementation may help alleviate fatigue-related symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle, particularly during the early follicular and luteal phases. [4] We did not find a trial of symptoms that we could read, so this remains a suggestion.
  • Creatine kinase, an enzyme linked to creatine, is influenced by estrogen and progesterone and is elevated during menstruation. [3] That is biology, not a benefit of supplements.

Label: insufficient evidence. Proper evidence not found for creatine supplements changing sex hormone levels. We searched PubMed for creatine plus menstrual cycle and creatine plus oral contraceptives in women and found only the reviews cited here and no trial on that question; the sources we read describe hormones changing creatine handling, not the other way round.

Strength, performance and body composition before menopause

A 2021 review said creatine in pre-menopausal females appears effective for strength and exercise performance. [1] Larger pooled analyses are less clear. A review of 35 studies found a lean-mass gain of 1.46 kg for males on creatine compared with a non-significant 0.29 kg for females. [6] A 2025 review found males benefited most consistently, while females showed smaller or non-significant changes in several outcomes. [7] A review of ergogenic aids in female athletes found no conclusive effects of creatine on aerobic performance and said studies were scarce. [8] Label: mixed. More on the lift-by-lift results is on Creatine for strength, power and muscle growth.

Perimenopause

A 2025 overview said data on perimenopausal women remain limited. [2] One small trial of 36 perimenopausal and menopausal women (average age about 50) tested creatine hydrochloride at 750 or 1,500 mg a day, or creatine hydrochloride plus creatine ethyl ester at 800 mg a day, for 8 weeks. [12] The medium creatine hydrochloride group beat placebo on reaction time, and all interventions were well tolerated with no severe adverse effects reported. [12] These forms are different from creatine monohydrate, so the results should not be transferred to monohydrate, and 36 people is a small sample. Label: insufficient evidence. For general information, see Perimenopause and menopause.

After menopause

A 2026 meta-analysis of 7 trials (608 women, average age about 62) found a lean-mass difference of +0.37 kg and a leg-press difference of +7.5 kg. [13] Benefits were evident where 5 g a day or more was combined with resistance training, while trials using 3 g a day or less without training showed no measurable effect. [13] Bone density was unchanged overall and effects on bone remain unclear. [13]

Individual trials of bone are mixed: a 12-month trial in 47 women found femoral neck bone density was preserved with creatine and training, while 2-year trials found no effect on bone density. [14] [15] [16] Details are on Creatine for older adults: sarcopenia, falls and bone. A meta-analysis in older females found upper-body strength increased with creatine and training, with no effect on lower-body strength or muscle mass overall. [17] Label: promising but limited for strength and lean mass; mixed for bone.

Frequently asked questions

Is creatine safe in pregnancy?

We did not find human safety trials. A Cochrane review found no randomized trials, and a 2025 paper said there is no direct evidence from well-designed trials. [9] [10] Ask a clinician.

Does creatine help with menopause?

In postmenopausal women, a meta-analysis found small gains in lean mass and leg-press strength, mostly with resistance training. [13] Evidence for perimenopause is limited. [2]

Does creatine affect the menstrual cycle or hormones?

We did not find readable trials showing that. Sources describe hormones affecting creatine handling. [3]

Does creatine work as well in women as in men?

Pooled results were smaller or non-significant for females in several outcomes, but fewer trials include women. [6] [7]

Can I use creatine while breastfeeding?

Proper evidence not found in the sources we read. Ask a clinician.

More details: evidence, limits and cautions

The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding
  • Human trials. A 2014 Cochrane review found no randomized trials of creatine in pregnant women for fetal protection. [9] A 2021 position paper said there were no human studies of creatine during pregnancy. [3] A 2025 follow-up said there is currently no direct evidence from well-designed randomized trials on safety and tolerability in human pregnancy. [10]
  • Animal work. Pregnancy research is largely in pre-clinical in vitro and small animal models, and a 2021 review said there is still no consensus on whether creatine is essential for successful reproduction. [11] The 2025 follow-up said preliminary animal research suggests creatine in pregnancy does not negatively affect the mother or offspring, but it also said direct human evidence is missing. [10]
  • Women of reproductive age in general. The 2025 follow-up also described a review of 29 studies with 951 females aged 16 to 67 who received creatine in study amounts from 1 to 30 g a day for 4 to 365 days, with no deaths or serious adverse events and no significant differences in minor adverse events between creatine and control groups. [10] The summary we read did not say any participants were pregnant, so it does not answer the pregnancy question.
  • Breastfeeding. Proper evidence not found in the sources we read for supplemental creatine during breastfeeding. The reviews and position papers on creatine and women's health that we read did not report human data on this.

Label: preclinical for pregnancy benefit; Proper evidence not found for human pregnancy and breastfeeding safety. Ask a clinician before using creatine if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding. See Pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Safety and who should ask first
References
  1. Smith-Ryan AE, et al. Creatine Supplementation in Women's Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients 2021 (narrative review, not a trial). Read 2026-10-23.
  2. Smith-Ryan AE, et al. Creatine in women's health: bridging the gap from menstruation through pregnancy to menopause. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2025 (abstract read; narrative overview, not a trial). Read 2026-10-23.
  3. Antonio J, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2021 (full text read via PMC7871530; position paper by creatine researchers, several authors declare ties to companies that sell creatine). Read 2026-10-23.
  4. Gutiérrez-Hellín J, et al. Creatine Supplementation Beyond Athletics: Benefits of Different Types of Creatine for Women, Vegans, and Clinical Populations-A Narrative Review. Nutrients 2024 (narrative review, not a trial). Read 2026-10-23.
  5. Smith-Ryan AE, et al. Creatine in women's health: bridging the gap from menstruation through pregnancy to menopause. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2025 (full text read via PMC12086928; narrative overview, not a trial). Read 2026-10-23.
  6. Delpino FM, et al. Influence of age, sex, and type of exercise on the efficacy of creatine supplementation on lean body mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Nutrition 2022 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
  7. Kazeminasab F, et al. The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Upper- and Lower-Body Strength and Power: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2025 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
  8. López-Torres O, et al. Ergogenic Aids to Improve Physical Performance in Female Athletes: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2022 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
  9. Dickinson H, et al. Creatine for women in pregnancy for neuroprotection of the fetus. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014 (Cochrane review, abstract read; no trials found). Read 2026-10-23.
  10. Antonio J, et al. Part II. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2025 (full text read via PMC11703406; narrative review by creatine researchers, authors declare ties to creatine-related companies). Read 2026-10-23.
  11. Muccini AM, et al. Creatine Metabolism in Female Reproduction, Pregnancy and Newborn Health. Nutrients 2021 (narrative review). Read 2026-10-23.
  12. Korovljev D, et al. The Effects of 8-Week Creatine Hydrochloride and Creatine Ethyl Ester Supplementation on Cognition, Clinical Outcomes, and Brain Creatine Levels in Perimenopausal and Menopausal Women (CONCRET-MENOPA): A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Am Nutr Assoc 2026 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
  13. Naddafha S, et al. Creatine monohydrate for lean mass, strength, and bone density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2026 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
  14. Chilibeck PD, et al. Effects of Creatine and Resistance Training on Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2015 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
  15. Chilibeck PD, et al. A 2-yr Randomized Controlled Trial on Creatine Supplementation during Exercise for Postmenopausal Bone Health. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2023 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
  16. Sales LP, et al. Creatine Supplementation (3 g/d) and Bone Health in Older Women: A 2-Year, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2020 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
  17. Dos Santos EEP, et al. Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Muscle Mass in Older Females: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2021 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
  18. Kreider RB, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2017 (full text read via PMC5469049; prepared at the request of the Council for Responsible Nutrition and the ISSN; several authors declare industry ties). Read 2026-10-23.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.