From menopause to weight gain: Fact and fiction about creatine intake

Curious about creatine? Here’s everything you need to know about this supplement that has taken the wellness world by storm.

Washing down your multivitamin with a glass of Berocca was once a powerful supplement ritual.

Not so in 2026.

Diet method today
The supplement industry is worth more than US$109 billion ($185 billion), according to . Fortune Insightand the market is full of all kinds of tinctures, powders, and potions that tout benefits for everything from helping hair growth to boosting energy levels.

The latest buzzword in the supplement glossary? Creatine.

It has been making waves in the fitness world for at least 30 years ( Sports Science and Medicine Journal Creatine is thought to have been widely used during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta), but the supplement has now gone mainstream with claims that it can help with more than just exercise.

Proponents claim that creatine clears brain fog, increases energy levels, supports DNA repair, and aids longevity.

Despite creatine’s growing popularity, its rapid popularity was quickly followed by a flurry of counterclaims about what the supplement is all about. actually (and who is it best for).

Viva We asked three experts to help us separate fact from fiction behind the internet’s most talked-about supplements.

“Creatine is a natural compound made in the body and found in foods such as red meat and fish, stored in muscles and tightly regulated to support energy production,” says performance nutritionist Dane Baker.

“Its key role is to replenish the body’s direct energy source, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), through the phosphocreatine system, facilitating short, high-intensity exercise such as strength training and sprinting.”

Brittany McNab, a personal trainer, psychotherapist, and lifestyle coach, says creatine remains one of the most studied supplements in sports science, but also one of the most misunderstood.

“This is not a steroid. It’s a compound that your body already makes from amino acids that helps your muscles and brain now produce ATP, which is the energy that cells use to run,” she says.

“Every time you think, elevate, focus, or regulate your stress, you are expending stress. 5g [of creatine] Helps you recycle your daily energy faster. So more information is available to you more often. ”

Baker, who has been working with the nation’s top athletes and sports organizations for the past decade, says creatine supplements, when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise, can lead to “small but meaningful improvements” in strength, power and performance.

“Recently, research has gone beyond muscle to explore potential benefits for brain metabolism, cognitive function, and bone. These areas are promising but still evolving,” Baker says.

Our experts agree that the gold standard is creatine monohydrate. Creatine monohydrate is a highly bioavailable form of creatine used in nearly all research.

“Don’t be drawn in by fancy blends with apple flavors and 10 other ingredients you can’t pronounce. Monohydrate is a form with decades of research behind it,” she says, adding that she buys it at Costco, where she spends $40 for 1kg of creatine monohydrate powder.

Baker says gummies are the least effective way to take creatine.

“Many ‘wellness’ formats, such as gummies, lack dosage or use less effective formats, so you’re unlikely to get the same results,” he says.

In July 2025, an independent test found that creatine gummies made by popular supplement brand Push contained very little active creatine, despite the label saying they contained 5g.

This sparked an outcry from fans of the brand, sales were halted, and a formal investigation was conducted by the New Zealand Business Commission. The brand has since switched production of its line of creatine gummies to a U.S.-based manufacturer.

For Shelly Empson, a Pilates instructor and founder of new supplement brand Creatonic, the transition from creatine being an athlete-only supplement to being promoted as something everyone can use is especially exciting.

“Creatine is one of the most research-backed supplements in the world, with decades of evidence behind it, but many people still think it’s not for them,” she says.

“That’s probably because most creatine supplements have been marketed for physical performance. Now, new research is uncovering creatine’s role in cognitive function and mood. It’s great that creatine is finally getting the recognition it deserves.”

McNab says the “old” assumption that creatine is only for bodybuilders is doing more harm than good. That’s because it prevents women who believe they would benefit from creatine from trying it.

“Creatine was cast as the ‘big brother’ supplement because the research was always done on men. Women were left out of the conversation.” [as per]” she says.

“Women naturally have lower creatine stores than men and tend to get less creatine through their diet, so when women start taking supplements, they often see more noticeable benefits than their male neighbors.”

“I think this would mean more to the average sleep-deprived 35-year-old mom with a packed running schedule than to your gym buddy who eats 300g of red meat a day.”

It’s now something she regularly recommends to her female clients.

“I explain to the women I coach that this is more of a basic energy nutrient than a fitness supplement,” says McNab.

Baker has spent much of his career encouraging athletes to use creatine, but now he’s seeing people from all walks of life interested in taking creatine.

“This is a positive change, but we need context. While early studies focused on performance, new research is investigating areas such as brain health, bones and menopause, which is promising but not yet conclusive,” he says.

“Creatine can be used outside of sports. Creatine is a fundamental compound involved in energy metabolism across multiple tissues, and with over 40 years of research, it remains one of the most studied and safest supplements for healthy adults.”

“Yes and no,” McNabb said.

“Creatine draws water into your muscle cells, which is part of what it does. But this is intracellular hydration, not bloating. You won’t look bloated, and you won’t gain ‘false’ weight.” The scales are likely to increase by a kilo in the first few weeks as your muscles retain more water. That’s literally what supplements do. It’s not fat. ”

Professor Baker was also quick to dismiss this theory, stating: “Creatine is osmotically active, meaning it draws water into your muscles. This can increase your body’s water content by approximately 0.5 to 2 kg. This is highly individual depending on your baseline intake.

“However, this is intracellular fluid (within the muscles) and is not ‘bloated’ and often supports rather than hinders the quality of your training.”

According to a study published in , by boosting ATP regeneration, you can push harder, complete more reps, recover faster between sets, and ultimately improve strength and muscle mass over time. National Library of Medicine.

Baker said other concerns that creatine could cause cramps and dehydration were also unfounded, “unsupported” and the result of “poor quality data.”

“Well-controlled studies have not consistently shown an increased risk.”

McNab added that it’s a myth that you have to take large amounts of creatine to build up stores in your body.

“There is no need for a loading phase. [Previous advice about taking] “For general health benefits, consuming 20g a day for a week is outdated,” she says.

“If you take 5 grams every day, you’ll get to the same place. Timing isn’t really important. What’s important is consistency.”

The amount you consume is just as important as the type of creatine you take, Baker says, explaining that consuming about 3 to 5 grams per day will increase muscle stores and start seeing health benefits.

As for timing and what to take, Baker says you can take creatine with a meal if you feel like it, but you don’t need to add carbohydrates to it to be effective.

Ideally taken on exercise days, just before or after your session.

McNab says he mixes 5g of creatine powder into water, coffee, or smoothies rather than “stacking” it with another supplement, but says the biggest difference is that he combines creatine with resistance training and plenty of protein.

“It’s not because creatine itself is weak, but because it amplifies the signals that are already being sent out by training. If you’re not training and you’re not getting enough protein, you’re paying for a supplement that doesn’t amplify anything,” she says.

Some people experience stomach upset when taking creatine, but this is rare at low doses.

McNab depicts what happens to the body through menopause.

“Starting in your mid-30s, women begin to lose lean muscle mass, and that loss accelerates as estrogen begins to change through perimenopause. At the same time, bone density declines, mood and cognition become unstable, and recovery is slow,” she says.

Evidence shows that creatine, taken in conjunction with resistance training, supports muscle tone and strength and protects bones, and more research is emerging about creatine’s role in cognition and mood, McNab says.

“Creatine buffers both.” [muscle tissue and cellular energy]. Creatine is one of the few interventions that affects muscles, brain, and bones all at once, but it’s not a magic pill. It’s a scaffold. And it works best when you’re already lifted and getting enough protein. ”

Professor Baker said that while early research suggests that creatine may help maintain aspects of training quality, lean body mass and bone geometry (bone size and shape) in postmenopausal women, he agreed that creatine was not a miracle cure for menopause.

“These results primarily come from consistent, progressive resistance training, along with adequate protein and overall nutrition,” he says.

“In reality, creatine is most often seen as a safe, low-cost addition that can give your training and recovery a bit of an advantage, rather than being a solution in itself.”

Baker says you shouldn’t believe everything you see about creatine splashed around social platforms.

“Social media can make it sound like creatine is a panacea, but many of the new health claims are still in their infancy and developing,” he says, adding that it doesn’t replace the basics: consistent strength training, proper nutrition, sleep and broader lifestyle factors that help maintain muscle mass and bone density.

“That said, creatine, especially in its monohydrate form, is a well-researched, safe and affordable supplement that can provide small, meaningful additional benefits when these foundations are in place,” says Baker.

“The key is to understand that it supports, rather than replaces, core elements of health such as training, nutrition and lifestyle.”

All of these creatine powders contain: Creatine monohydrate.

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