Creatine and Menopause - Should You Take It?
Creatine and menopause - should you take it?
Creatine is having a moment in the women's health conversation - and for good reason. Research is increasingly showing that creatine is one of the most relevant supplements for women navigating menopause, addressing several of the most significant changes of this life stage simultaneously. Here is why menopause specifically makes creatine more important, not less.
What happens during menopause that makes creatine relevant?
Three major changes during menopause directly intersect with what creatine does:
Muscle mass decline accelerates
Oestrogen has anabolic properties - it supports the maintenance of muscle mass. As oestrogen declines during menopause, muscle loss accelerates. This is clinically significant because muscle mass is strongly linked to metabolic health, mobility, bone density and long-term independence. Research has consistently shown that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training significantly attenuates muscle loss and improves strength in post-menopausal women.
Cognitive changes emerge
The brain fog, memory lapses and concentration difficulties of perimenopause are well documented. The brain uses substantial amounts of creatine for energy-intensive cognitive processes. Studies have shown that creatine supplementation improves cognitive performance - particularly working memory and processing speed - in women, with effects that may be particularly meaningful during the cognitive transition of menopause.
Bone density begins to decline
Oestrogen supports calcium absorption and bone maintenance. As it declines, bone density falls - particularly rapidly in the first years post-menopause. Emerging research suggests creatine supplementation combined with resistance exercise has positive effects on bone mineral density markers in post-menopausal women, adding a bone health dimension to creatine's benefits at this life stage.
The research on creatine and menopause
A study of post-menopausal women found that those who combined creatine supplementation with resistance training had significantly greater improvements in lean muscle mass, strength and physical performance compared to training with placebo. Another study examining cognitive outcomes found that creatine supplementation improved memory task performance in older women.
Research published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that creatine supplementation significantly improved upper and lower body strength in post-menopausal women undergoing resistance training over 12 weeks compared to placebo.
How to take creatine during menopause
- 5g of creatine monohydrate daily - consistent timing matters more than the time of day
- Combine with resistance training for maximum muscle and bone benefits
- No loading phase necessary - full saturation achieved within 3 to 4 weeks of daily 5g dosing
- Safe alongside HRT - no hormonal activity, no known interactions
- Use pure creatine monohydrate for Informed Choice certified for purity, quality and banned and illegal substances purity
Creatine alongside collagen and Balance+ during menopause
The most effective menopause supplement routine combines complementary products that address different aspects of the transition:
- Kollo Pure Creatine - 5g pure creatine monohydrate daily for muscle, cognition and bone support
- Kollo Premium Liquid Marine Collagen - 10,000mg Naticol daily for skin, hair, joints and connective tissue
- Kollo Balance+ - lion's mane, ashwagandha, sage and magnesium for hormonal symptoms, brain fog and sleep
Read our complete guide to supplements for women over 40 for the full daily routine.
Kollo Health was co-founded by Jenni Falconer - TV presenter, Smooth Radio breakfast host, ten-time London Marathon runner and host of the RunPod podcast. Read her story and why she created Kollo.
