Should I Be Taking Creatine?
What Is Creatine, Anyway?
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One morning last weekend, Tim and I were discussing a film he’s working on. Among a slew of other projects he has in the works (that he typically tells me nothing about), he’s working on a romantic comedy set in the Olympic Village. The female lead is supposedly athletic and charming – a cinematic heart throb. As he scribbled notes in the margins of the script, he wondered out loud: “Is it weird that she is taking creatine?” I almost spat out the coffee I was drinking. Haven’t you seen Sara Foster’s billboard on La Cienega? The girls have started taking creatine!
This got me thinking. A creatine issue for The Lacey List? Fitting! In Tim’s defense, he was thinking of it as something along the lines of a steroid. Many people still consider creatine to be “a common workout supplement once gatekept by biohackers and body builders,” as Andrea Hernández of
so eloquently put it. That is all changing, as evidenced by the onslaught of splashy pink bottles promising a “better booty,” “toned arms,” and “lean muscle + fat loss.” I’ll be honest, I want all of those things. So, I guess their target market is me (and probably every other female I know, 30 and up).For context, I do not currently take creatine. This deep dive was, in part, to figure out whether I should start. So, if any of you find yourself in a similar boat, this one is for you.
As I dove into it, one of the first things I noticed was that “creatine” is an exploding topic. The global Google search volume for the term “creatine gummies” is hovering at 74K searches a month as of last month, up +9600% over the past five years. Woah. Turns out, there is a clear reason why.
So, what is creatine, you ask? Let’s get into it.
Despite all the splashy marketing, creatine is actually something our body already knows and loves. It's an amino acid compound that exists naturally in our muscles and brain. Our bodies make roughly half the creatine we need (thank you liver, kidneys, and pancreas!). The other half we get from the food we eat — primarily animal proteins (red meat, fish, and poultry offer the highest amount). But, unsurprisingly, most of us don’t consume nearly enough to hit the optimal levels our bodies need to fully reap its benefits. Thus, making supplementation important.
Once in our body, about 95% of our creatine sets up camp in our muscles, with just a small percentage going to our brain. Once in our muscles, it transforms into phosphocreatine – essentially our body's backup energy generator.
So, when we’re doing something intense (sprinting, lifting, burpees), our muscles burn through their primary energy source (ATP) pretty quickly. Enter: creatine! It steps in and helps regenerate that energy, giving us a boost to push harder and go longer. So, when we supplement with creatine, we’re basically expanding our natural energy tank. Unlike caffeine (a stimulant), creatine is like plugging an external charger into our muscles after our original battery has completely petered out. This is why so many people, from Olympic athletes to Brentwood moms, are starting to pay attention.
The benefits are plenty, and, according to Jason Muirbrook, an incredible trainer I’ve had the pleasure of working out with the past few years: “It’s one of the safest, most proven supplements for serious results.” It is one of the most studied and science-backed supplements on the market today. Here are the core benefits:
Muscle Strength & Performance
Studies consistently show that creatine supplementation can increase strength by 5-15% and performance in high-intensity exercise by 10-20%. This applies to way more than just bodybuilding. Whether it’s pilates, HIIT, tennis, or running after a surprisingly fast toddler, creatine helps your muscles perform at their peak during short bursts of intense activity. I also personally love knowing that it helps us maintain muscle mass as we age. This is especially important for women, because we need to keep an eye on bone density and metabolism with every year that passes.
Brain Health & Cognition
This benefit surprised me the most! Our brain, like our muscles, requires a lot of energy to function optimally. Research suggests that creatine may help improve memory, reduce mental fatigue, and even potentially support mood. It also improves cognitive performance, especially during sleep deprivation or when undergoing mentally demanding tasks.
Even though it takes up roughly 2% of our body mass, our brain uses about 20% of our body's energy. So, it makes sense that having that extra energy store translates to increased focus and mental stamina. This might explain why some women report feeling more mentally sharp when supplementing with creatine. Ladies, it's not just for biceps! It's for brainpower too.
Recovery & Injury Prevention
Not only does it help us work harder, but creatine helps our bodies recover faster too. It helps our muscles bounce back by reducing inflammation and mitigating post-workout recovery time. It's like giving our body’s repair crew an efficiency boost. In fact, people taking creatine have less muscle damage after intense exercise compared to those who don't. Creatine is also showing promising results for rehab situations by helping those with injuries regain strength more quickly after being sidelined.
Women-Specific Benefits
Despite creatine’s male-dominated, bodybuilder reputation, data shows that women might actually benefit from creatine even more than men. To begin with, women have 70-80% less creatine than men. And it doesn’t just work for one age demographic. Creatine has varying benefits for women across all different stages of life. According to studies, creatine supplementation may be particularly important for women during menstruation, pregnancy, and postpartum, as well as during and post-menopause. Supplementing with creatine helps us maintain consistent energy and strength throughout our cycle, particularly during the luteal phase when hormone fluctuations can affect workouts.
For women concerned about bone density (especially post-menopause), creatine combined with resistance training shows promising benefits. This combination may support better bone health outcomes than resistance training alone.
If you’re still not sold, here is a quote from Jason Muirbrook himself, who I trust implicitly on all things fitness and strength training optimization:
Case and point. Thank you, Jason!
What are the nay sayers saying?
It’s a placebo. — Myth.
"It will make me bulky.” — Myth.
"It causes water retention and bloating." — Partial truth. Avoid this by taking only 3-5 grams a day
"It's not safe for long-term use.” — Myth for healthy individuals.
"There's not enough research on women.” — Partial truth. While it is true that more research is needed to understand creatine’s full impact on women, the existing findings, so far, are promising.
I am a sucker for pretty packaging, but, when it comes to supplements, we shouldn’t take the creatine by the cover. There are two things to look for in a creatine product:
NSF certification
third party tested
“I think if you’re buying supplements, it’s really important that they are (1) NSF certified and (2) third-party tested. I’m currently using Bulk Supplements — it’s super cost-effective and they do third-party testing, which is why I trust them.” — Jason Muirbrook
Then there is the question: capsule, gummy, or powder? The advice I’ve gleaned from my research is this – take something that you enjoy taking, and whatever is most convenient for you. If you enjoy taking it, you’re going to be more consistent with it, and, therefore, see the results.
Many of these are more recent players. According to WWD, "Brands like Lemme, Arrae and Perelel are betting big on ingredients like creatine, collagen, and protein that support muscle mass, particularly targeting women concerned about muscle loss related to weight management.” (Code for GLP1s).
Dosage:
Take 3-5 grams daily
Consistency matters more than timing. Though, it is best to take it during training for optimal results
Mixing suggestions (if opting for powder):
Mix with water, electrolytes, in a smoothie, or a protein shake
Warm liquid helps it dissolve better than cold
Taking with carbs may improve absorption
Take daily, even on non-workout days
If taking a gummy or capsule, take the recommended dose
Ok, whew! That was a marathon. My personal conclusion? In case you couldn’t tell, I’m beyond sold. I’m just noodling now on which brand to get, whether I want a gummy, capsule, or powder, and how quickly I can have it delivered to me. I think I’m leaning towards Thorne Stick Packs, because I love a stick pack to stay consistent (esp if traveling). I also know and trust Thorne and take several of their other supplements. They are NSF Contents Certified and third party tested. I know I’ll enjoy mixing it with water and electrolytes (Ultima Replenisher or Magna) since it’s tasteless.
So, what about you? Are you already taking creatine? Are you considering it? I’d love to know what’s working for you. Tell me (preferably in the comments, but replying to this email works too)!
At its core, creatine is really just energy, and couldn’t we all use a little more of that?
Please note: the information shared in this newsletter is designed to entertain and inform, not provide medical advice. You are responsible for your own health decisions, and you should always consult a medical professional before making any changes. Any reliance upon any information provided in this website is at your sole risk.
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My post to be published on Sunday is about why I, a 77 year old pescatarian, have been taking creatine for four months. Yours is a much deeper dive than mine, but I think we both come to the same conclusion.
LOVE this article. Thank you for your service of deep diving into creatine for all of us haha. I've been soooo curious about the creatine craze happening