Creatine sales jumped 120 percent in the 52 weeks ending March 2023, according to SPINS data , and the new wave of customers driving that growth isn’t the male gym crowd that built the supplement’s reputation. For women, many of them in their 30s, 40s and 50s, they have noticed research suggesting that creatine can do more than support strength training.
It may also support brain function, sleep and the muscle and bone changes that come with perimenopause and menopause. Halle Berry she has publicly praised it for helping her manage menopause fog, and the science behind that claim has been years in the making.
What Creatine Actually Is and Why Women May Respond Differently
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound produced by the body in the liver, kidneys and pancreas. About 95 percent is stored in skeletal muscle and 5 percent in the brain and heart, according to the May 2025 review Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. It is not a steroid or a hormone. Both men and women do it naturally and consume it in food, mainly red meat and fish.
Women often start from a low base. The JISSN review reports about 20-30 percent lower food intake in women than men, as well as lower levels of natural integration, which may make women particularly responsive to supplementation. Postmenopausal women also experience decreased estrogen, rapid muscle loss, reduced bone density and changes in brain function, all areas where creatine has shown measurable benefit.
Does Creatine Make Women Bulky? Legend vs. Science
This is a question that prevents many women from trying. Women have about 15 to 20 times lower testosterone than men, which makes the bulk of muscle mass from creatine invisible.
What creatine does is actually support ATP energy production during high effort, allowing for intense training sessions that over time support lean muscle growth. Initial water retention occurs within muscle cells as part of a mechanism that stimulates muscle protein synthesis. It’s not a cosmetic hangover.
What New Research Shows About Creatine, Perimenopause and Menopause
The CONCRET-MENOPA randomized controlled trial, published in Journal of the American Nutrition Associationwas the first double-blind RCT to specifically evaluate creatine in perimenopausal and menopausal women. Across 36 participants over eight weeks, an average dose of 1,500mg per day of creatine HCl improved reaction time by 6.6 percent compared to 1.2 percent with placebo and increased baseline brain creatine levels by 16.4 percent.
A separate July 2025 study from St. Olaf College of 15 pre- and post-menopausal women found a significant increase in lower body strength and a positive improvement in the quality of sleep in pre-menopausal women, a benefit usually not associated with the supplement.
Why Creatine and Brain Health Are Now Being Talked Together
Since estrogen decreases during menopause, creatine stores in the brain can fall precisely when the brain needs it most. A study reported by ScienceDaily in May 2026 about new findings by Taylor & Francis noted that creatine may support memory, mood and cognitive speed, especially in people with low baseline levels. The CONCRET-MENOPA trial of a 16.4 percent increase in forebrain creatine is the first human evidence of its kind in postmenopausal women.
It’s the same approach that Halle Berry pointed out, telling her podcast audience that she thought she would “never” take creatine, which she attributed to bulking up, but now she takes it every day and credits it with helping her think clearly during menopause.
Is Creatine Safe for Women to Take Long-Term?
A comprehensive 2025 analysis of 685 clinical trials found no significant differences in the rates of side effects between placebo groups and creatine groups, according to the JISSN review. The CONCRET-MENOPA trial reported no serious side effects in perimenopausal and menopausal women. Students with kidney problems or taking other medications should consult a doctor before starting.
How Much Creatine Should Women Actually Take?
The general recommendation is 3 to 5 grams per day of creatine monohydrate, with no loading phase required. Creatine HCl shows definite promise for cognitive benefits in menopausal women at low doses of 750 to 1,500mg per day with CONCRET-MENOPA results. Timing is more important than consistency, according to the JISSN review. Eating every day for weeks and months is when muscle, strength and cognitive results tend to show.
