Creatine is one of the single most extensively researched sports nutrition-related nutraceuticals and is extraordinarily popular. Why? Simply put, creatine is a supplement that delivers on its promises—from energy production to building lean muscle and promoting athletic performance.
But there are other benefits as well, particularly for women. That’s what makes it especially unfortunate that, depending upon the survey, 40-50% of men reported using creatine compared to only 5-10% of women.1LaBotz M, Smith BW. Creatine supplement use in an NCAA Division I athletic program. Clin J Sport Med. 1999;9(3):167-169. doi:10.1097/00042752-199907000-00009 2Benton MJ, Spicher JM, McCormick S. Community-Based Survey Exploring Use of the Dietary Supplement Creatine by Adult Non-Athletes. Nutrients. 2021 Jul 24;13(8):2529. doi: 10.3390/nu13082529. PMID: 34444689; PMCID: PMC8401943. Consequently, there is a significant opportunity for brand owners to develop and bring women’s creatine supplements to the market.
In this article, we’ll discuss the health benefits of creatine supplements for women, the best type of creatine for women to take based on research, tips for formulating a high-quality product, and why you should choose Vitaquest as your creatine supplement manufacturer.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a non-protein compound composed of three amino acids. It is found in red meat and seafood, as well as our own muscles. Its primary function is to help regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), often referred to as the “energy currency” of the muscles. Without adequate creatine—and consequently, ATP—muscles can quickly fatigue, especially during intense exercise.
Creatine is widely used as a dietary supplement, primarily to enhance performance and support muscle growth. Research suggests that creatine in the muscles acts as an anabolic signal for muscle building, linking increased muscular activity with the production of new muscle tissue.3Fry D, Morales M. A reexamination of the effects of creatine on muscle protein synthesis in tissue culture. J Cell Biol. 1980; 84(2): 294-297. 4Ingwall JS, Weiner CD, Morales ED, Stockdale FE. Specificity of creatine in the control of muscle protein synthesis. J Cell Biol. 1974;62(1): 145-151.
What Does Creatine Do for Women? – Exploring the Health Benefits
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition5Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. JISSN. 2017;14:18., creatine supplementation has been shown to enhance high-intensity exercise performance, leading to greater training adaptations such as increased muscle mass and strength. Beyond athletic performance, research indicates that creatine supplementation may also support post-exercise recovery, injury prevention, thermoregulation, rehabilitation, and neuroprotection.
But are there specific creatine benefits for women? Absolutely! To begin with, women tend to have 70–80% lower muscle creatine stores compared to men, making creatine supplementation particularly beneficial. Additionally, hormonal changes throughout various stages in a woman’s life – such as menstruation, pregnancy, post-partum, during, and postmenopause can increase the importance of creatine supplementation.
For premenopausal women, creatine supplementation has been shown to improve strength and exercise performance. Postmenopausal women may benefit from increased skeletal muscle size and function when consuming higher doses of creatine, along with improved bone health when combined with resistance training.
Beyond physical benefits, research indicates that creatine supplementation can positively impact mood and cognition, likely by restoring brain energy levels and homeostasis. Creatine supplementation may be even more effective for females by supporting a pro-energetic environment in the brain.6Smith-Ryan AE, Cabre HE, Eckerson JM, Candow DG. Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 8;13(3):877. doi: 10.3390/nu13030877. PMID: 33800439; PMCID: PMC7998865.
What Kind of Creatine Should a Woman Take?
There are several types of creatine, each with claims of superiority over the others. These types include creatine monohydrate, creatine ethyl ester, creatine hydrochloride, creatine magnesium chelate, creatine nitrate, and creatine pyruvate to name a few. However, it can be argued that creatine monohydrate is the best choice.
Creatine Monohydrate: The Recommended Choice for Women
The most used supplemental form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. It is also the form of creatine used most often in human studies—and these studies have consistently shown that this popular ergogenic supplement increases muscular creatine concentrations7Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. JISSN. 2017;14:18..
Furthermore, research has likewise shown the beneficial effects and safety of creatine monohydrate use by women. For example, researchers have demonstrated that creatine monohydrate supplementation was effective for increasing lower-body strength and fat free mass beyond training alone in untrained females, and helped maintain strength during detraining without any significant effects on body weight or percent body fat8Vandenberghe K., Goris M., Van Hecke P., Van Leemputte M., Vangerven L., Hespel P. Long-term creatine intake is beneficial to muscle performance during resistance training. J. Appl. Physiol. 1997;83:2055–2063. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1997.83.6.2055..
Studies have also shown that creatine monohydrate is effective for increasing strength performance in trained females9Larson-Meyer D.E., Hunter G.R., Trowbridge C.A., Turk J.C., Ernest J.M., Torman S., Harbin P.A. The effect of creatine supplementation on muscle strength and body composition during off-season training in female soccer players. J. Strength Cond. Res. 2000;14:434–442. and increasing muscular power in females10Kambis K.W., Pizzedaz S.K. Short-term creatine supplementation improves maximum quadriceps contraction in women. Int. J. Sport Nutr. Exerc. Metab. 2003;13:87–96. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.13.1.87..
In short, there is substantial evidence to suggest that creatine monohydrate supplementation is effective for increasing strength and power in both trained and untrained females11Smith-Ryan AE, Cabre HE, Eckerson JM, Candow DG. Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 8;13(3):877. doi: 10.3390/nu13030877. PMID: 33800439; PMCID: PMC7998865..
Dosage Considerations for Women
So, how much creatine should a woman take? There are two dosing strategies for supplementing with creatine monohydrate, both resulting in similar increases in intramuscular creatine levels12Kreider R.B., Kalman D.S., Antonio J., Ziegenfuss T.N., Wildman R., Collins R., Candow D.G., Kleiner S.M., Almada A.L., Lopez H.L. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J. Int. Soc. Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. doi: 10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z. .
A loading phase of 5g 4 × daily (20 g/day) for 5 days in females results in a 19% increase in total muscle creatine concentrations13Harris R.C., Soderlund K., Hultman E. Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation. Clin. Sci. (Lond) 1992;83:367–374. doi: 10.1042/cs0830367. 14McKenna M.J., Morton J., Selig S.E., Snow R.J. Creatine supplementation increases muscle total creatine but not maximal intermittent exercise performance. J. Appl. Physiol. 1999;87:2244–2252. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1999.87.6.2244.. A daily dose of 5g is also equally effective for increasing muscle creatine stores but requires about 3-4 weeks rather than 5 days with a loading dose.
Based on available evidence, it appears that females can follow the same dosing strategy that is recommended for males.
Does Creatine Have Side Effects for Women?
Is creatine safe for women? The short answer is “yes.” However, a quick internet search for “creatine side effects women” reveals that some women have concerns about potential side effects. Common questions revolve around creatine’s impact on weight gain, hormones, and hair loss.
Does Creatine Cause Weight Gain in Females?
A considerable amount of evidence indicates that creatine supplementation does not result in weight gain in women15Smith-Ryan AE, Cabre HE, Eckerson JM, Candow DG. Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 8;13(3):877. doi: 10.3390/nu13030877. PMID: 33800439; PMCID: PMC7998865.. Consequently, this fear is largely unfounded.
This concern likely stems from the fact that men sometimes experience a temporary increase in weight during the loading phase, which is due to increased cellular hydration (i.e., water weight).16Sobolewski E.J., Thompson B.J., Smith A.E., Ryan E.D. The physiological effects of creatine supplementation on hydration: A review. Am. J. Lifestyle Med. 2011;5:320–327. doi: 10.1177/1559827611406071. This is actually a positive effect, as it helps improve hydration levels.
Additionally, this type of water weight gain typically occurs when creatine is taken at very high doses along with carbohydrates, which is not the most effective supplementation strategy for women. Regardless, the water weight gained is temporary.
Does Creatine Affect Women’s Hormones?
Some women have expressed concerns that creatine supplementation may affect their hormones. However, animal research has not found any creatine interaction with hormones in females17Allen PJ, DeBold JF, Rios M, Kanarek RB. Chronic high-dose creatine has opposing effects on depression-related gene expression and behavior in intact and sex hormone-treated gonadectomized male and female rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2015 Mar;130:22-33. doi: 10.1016/j.pbb.2014.12.014. Epub 2015 Jan 3. PMID: 25560941; PMCID: PMC4330125.. In fact, women who consumed food-derived creatine had a significantly lower risk of irregular menstrual periods, obstetric conditions, and pelvic issues, suggesting that creatine intake may relate to better female reproductive system health18Ostojic SM, Stea TH, Ellery SJ, Smith-Ryan AE. Association between dietary intake of creatine and female reproductive health: Evidence from NHANES 2017–2020. Food Sci Nutr. 2024;12:4893–4898..
Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss?
There is no evidence that creatine contributes to hair loss in women. This concern was based on a 2009 study which found that creatine supplementation increased DHT, a compound that can impact hair loss. However, the results of this study have not been replicated, so researchers have tended to dismiss this concern19Seladi-Schulman J. Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss? We Review the Evidence. Healthline. Updated January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2025 from https://www.healthline.com/health/creatine-hair-loss#:~:text=Research%20hasn’t%20shown%20that,re%20predisposed%20to%20hair%20loss..
Global Market Size and Trends for Women’s Creatine
The global size of the creatine supplements market was estimated at $1 billion in 2024 and is expected reach $2.8 billion by 2030, growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.9%.20Creatine Supplements Market Size & Trends. Grand View Research. Retrieved January 14, 2025 from https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/creatine-supplements-market-report. In 2023, the creatine supplement market in North America (predominately the United States) was $342.5 million, and is expected to reach $1.14 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 18.8%. The creatine supplement marketing is enjoying significant growth.
Considering that female consumers are a growing market segment in the sports nutrition category, projected to contribute over $9 billion in revenue21Sports Nutrition Market to Hit Valuation of US$ 25.80 Billion By 2032. Astute Analytica. November 11, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2025 from https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/11/11/2978301/0/en/Sports-Nutrition-Market-to-Hit-Valuation-of-US-25-80-Billion-By-2032-Astute-Analytica.html#:~:text=The%20evolving%20consumer%20outlook%20is,is%20a%20significant%20consumer%20group., these statistics highlight a significant opportunity for creatine products tailored specifically for women.
Tips for Formulating a Creatine Product for Women
So, based on all the aforementioned data, does it make sense to develop creatine supplements for women? It absolutely does make sense. In doing so, it is worth considering relevant trends in women’s supplement preferences. These include the following:
- Natural ingredients – If you want to offer appealing flavors, make sure they are natural flavors. The same can be said for natural sweeteners. Women tend to prefer natural rather than artificial ingredients. This will give you an edge over some of the creatine products for men that use artificial sweeteners.
- Complementary nutraceuticals – If you want your creatine product to stand out from the crowd, you may want to blend it with one or more other complementary nutraceuticals that provide additional benefits. This may include nutraceuticals that promote energy, muscle health, or even hydration for performance and/or skin health.
- Specific dosage forms – Since creatine is used in higher doses (e.g., 5g), creatine powder is often the preferred dosage form. However, Vitaquest can granulate micronized creatine and successfully manufacture it into chewable tablets. Consequently, this novel delivery form for creatine is also an option.
- Convenient packaging – While creatine powder is often sold in jars or canisters, consider a more convenient supplement packaging design, such as stick packs. These provide a pre-measured dose of the product and are ideal for on-the-go consumers who want to easily mix their creatine with water or their beverage of choice.
Partnering with Vitaquest for Your Women’s Creatine Brand
Vitaquest is a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) that has provided supplement brands with exceptional supplement research and development, manufacturing, packaging design, powder and particle engineering services using fluid bed, oscillation, and roller compaction technologies, and fulfilment solutions for over 45 years.
Whether you’re a newcomer to the industry or aiming to diversify your product range, Vitaquest possesses the expertise, cutting-edge facilities, and solutions needed to swiftly and effectively turn your women’s creatine supplement concept into reality.
Vitaquest offers a variety of dosage forms, including capsules, tablets, chewable tablets, oral disintegrating tablets (OTD), effervescents and powders. Furthermore, you’ll receive an exceptional level of customer support.
Vitaquest also has expertise in domestic and international regulatory standards, as well as sustainability practices. Sourcing sustainable ingredients and using eco-friendly manufacturing processes can enhance brand appeal. Our FDA cGMP compliance – as well as third-party GMP certification from NSF, USP, and others – provides assurance to both brand owners and consumers that we meet industry regulations and standards. Likewise, our ability to offer Kosher, Halal, and certified organic products, and FSSC 22000 certification for food safety are relevant certifications for manufacturing excellence.
Are you ready to capitalize on the creatine for women trends covered in this blog article? If so, call 800-526-9095 to speak with one of our knowledgeable sales executives or request a nutraceutical manufacturing price quote if you’ve already finalized your project requirements!
Frequently Asked Questions About Formulating Effective Creatine Supplements for Women
Q: Should females take creatine?
Absolutely! Creatine has many benefits to offer for women. Research has found that creatine supplementation in women may help improve strength and exercise performance, favorable effects on bone when combined with resistance training, positive effects on mood and cognition, and even promote a pro-energetic environment in the brain.
Q: What kind of creatine should a woman take?
The most commonly used and extensively studied form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. This form has consistently been shown to provide ergogenic benefits. Additionally, research has demonstrated both the beneficial effects, and the safety of creatine monohydrate use in women.
Q: What does creatine do for women?
Studies have shown that creatine supplementation in women leads to improvements in muscle size, strength, and exercise performance. Research also indicates that combining creatine with resistance training can benefit bone health in women. Additionally, creatine supplementation has been linked to positive effects on mood, cognition, and energy levels.
Q: Should women over 40 take creatine?
Yes. When premenopausal women supplement with creatine, it has been shown to improve strength and exercise performance. When creatine has been supplemented by postmenopausal women, it has been shown to help improve muscle size, and promote bone health when combined with resistance training.
Q: What does creatine do to hormones?
Despite concerns by some women that creatine may affect their hormones, research has not demonstrated this to be the case. Rather, food-derived creatine consumption by women reduced the risk of irregular menstrual periods, obstetric conditions, and pelvic issues, suggesting that creatine intake may relate to better female reproductive system health.
Q: Should I take creatine while trying to lose belly fat?
There is no reason why you shouldn’t. In fact, since creatine may help promote muscle size, and since fat is burned in muscles, there is an argument to be made that using creatine might help support your belly fat loss goals.
Q: How much creatine is too much for a woman?
Research supports a daily dose of 5g of creatine monohydrate for women. Some women choose to use a loading dose of creatine which is 5g 4 × daily (20 g/day) for 5 days, which is acceptable. After that, however, it is best to keep the dose at 5g/day.
Q: Does creatine affect mood?
Creatine supplementation in women has been shown to have positive effects on mood and cognition. It has even been shown to promote a pro-energetic environment in the brain.
