It's not all about the gym, bro. Men may have been the first in line to take creatine, but the research suggests that it’s women who actually need it more. We have 70%-80% lower creatine stores than men, likely because we generally eat less meat, the main dietary source of creatine. The common myth that it makes women gain weight (it doesn’t, here’s the proof) has meant that until now, it’s mostly been creatine4boyz.com.
The reason this “most studied supplement on the planet” is hitting the big time is new research showing creatine also supports energy production in the brain. Yes, creatine has significant benefits for anyone building muscle or looking for definition (go get it). It's already proven to be an instant-access, gold-star credit card to your body's energy supply. But what makes creatine so appealing for women is emerging research connecting it to brain health and hormone imbalance, particularly during menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.
Your brain hogs around 20% of your total energy, and during hormonal shifts, those little grey cells get even greedier. So it’s no surprise that improving how efficiently your noggin accesses that energy is becoming the hot topic for scientists investigating ways to support women through their own energy crisis. It’s a no-brainer.
The national health claim only covers physical performance, so we won’t say it directly improves cognition, especially when most historical research has been done on men in sport. But newer studies suggest its benefits extend out well beyond the gym walls. Whether you’re investing in your body or your brain, creatine will make a High Flyer out of you.
WHAT IS CREATINE AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
Creatine is a compound made from three amino acids, glycine, arginine, and methionine. Your body naturally produces a small amount, and you can also get it from foods like red meat, seafood, and chicken. Inside your cells, creatine is converted into phosphocreatine (PCr). A super quick burst of regenerating power supply for ATP, which delivers energy to where you need it the most.
If you're doing a lot of exercise, up to your eyes in stress or have suffered an injury, your body uses creatine (and PCr) very fast. Taking on board more creatine gives the cells more PCr, a bit like giving your body its own fast-charging power pack.
Still foggy? To understand how, it helps to know what makes the body go. If you think of food as fuel, the energy from food is stored as ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule that holds energy (like a battery) ready for action. Creatine quickly recharges that battery, so your body can use energy exactly where it's needed, and pronto.
You've probably put two and two together: this means better muscle performance, making it easier to train harder (and grow stronger). Ahhh, so that's why it's popular in the gym. But then, again, remember that our brain uses around 20% of our body's total energy, and creatine helps here too.
So, in short, creatine helps get energy to where you need it, when you need it most. It's good for your muscles to build strength, and for the brain when it’s under stress.
If you know anything about nutrients and minerals, like magnesium, you know that creatine comes in different forms that affect the body in different ways. High Flyer uses creatine monohydrate. Not only is it the most extensively researched, but it is also the most effective and most cost-efficient form of creatine (win, win, win). Monohydrate is identical to the creatine your liver produces, meaning it has almost 100% bioavailability (your body absorbs it and uses it readily). Other forms, such as ethyl ester and buffered creatine, haven't shown any advantages in efficacy or safety over monohydrate. Creatine hydrochloride (HCL) shows some promise, but it's still in its infancy compared to monohydrate. So we sourced ours from the best producer we could find, the one trusted by researchers in clinical studies. High Flyer is made with Creatvitalis®, a micronised creatine monohydrate made with a water-based wash, which results in fewer impurities and likely fewer side effects. Especially compared to the acid-based washes used in other forms. It’s a classic Bare Biology supplement, best in class, and everything you’d expect from us by now (we hope).
The benefits of Creatine for women
Thousands of studies show creatine monohydrate gives your muscles quick access to fast energy when you need it most, improving performance and strength as we age. For women looking to eke the most out of their gym sessions, support their muscles as they get older, or take care of their bones, the evidence is compelling.
And with the authorised health claim, confirmed by the Great Britain Nutrition & Health Claims Register: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise (their words, not ours). It’s easy to see why creatine gets typecast as a gym-only supplement.
But what makes creatine even more interesting for women is that we’re learning it may help support energy production in the brain. Dear reader, it might be the bumper pack your brain needs to fight off brain fog, hormone skullduggery, and the midday malaise caused by countless sleep-deprived nights.
Women tend to have less creatine in their bodies (around 70%-80% lower) than men, yet our hormones demand a lot of energy.
There are plenty of studies that show how creatine will make a High Flyer out of you, body and brain.
Creatine for your body
Strength, muscles & bone:
- Improves strength and muscle size in women when combined with resistance training.
- Improves performance in high-intensity exercise.
- Increases lean body mass and may make you feel more toned.
- May help support bone health as we age, protecting against osteoporosis, post menopause
Metabolism & hormones:
- May help support metabolism through the energy shifts that contribute to weight fluctuation during peri-menopause and beyond (when combined with resistance training)
- May reduce fatigue in exercise during the hormone-dipping luteal phase of menstruation
Performance & recovery:
- Helps recovery between and after exercise, especially after high-endurance activities.
- Supports muscle maintenance as we age, and may help reduce inflammation after strenuous exercise
Creatine for your brain
Cognition, energy & mood:
- Early studies suggest that creatine may support cognition under stress and mood in people with depression.
- May improve cognitive performance in sleep-deprived women (so… women).
- Creatine has even been seen to protect the brain as it recovers from damage or injury.
- May support brain energy during hormonal shifts in menstruation and perimenopause.
- May support brain energy, mood and cognition through hormonal shifts in menstruation and perimenopause.
Common myths about creatine for women
You’ve probably heard the classic myths about creatine: It makes women gain weight, it’s only for athletes or it harms your kidneys. In short, none of these hold up. We don’t say that lightly. We would never consider making a supplement that even had any potential to have negative effects (it completely defeats the point).
Creatine isn’t for everyone, though. We don’t recommend creatine for children and teens under 18, or during pregnancy or breastfeeding, as there isn’t enough research to recommend creatine unless it's under clinical supervision or part of a research protocol. Outside of those groups, though, the research for its safety is solid.
Below are the most common myths, and a decade of empirical evidence that debunks those myths.
Myth 1: “Creatine makes you put on weight?” The research says no. A meta-analysis of 29 studies found no evidence of weight gain in women taking creatine. Any early shifts in body weight come from water retention (which is temporary), not fat. If you're resistance training while taking it, you might find an increase in lean muscle mass. So keep at it!
Myth 2: It’s only for (male) athletes. Nope. Firstly, creatine is safe for women, and most people will find it effective. It's one of the most researched nutrients in the world (over 1,000 papers since it was first officially deemed safe in the early 90s). Yes, it’s beneficial for people who are looking to build muscle, but it’s not specifically for the gym. Creatine increases muscle phosphocreatine (PCr) stores, the fuel your body uses to regenerate ATP, which keeps both your muscles and brain stocked with fuel.
For women who don’t eat much meat, and especially for vegans and vegetarians (diets that contain almost no creatine), supplementation can be particularly beneficial.
Myth 3: Creatine harms your kidneys. Extensive long-term research shows no harmful effects on kidney or liver function in healthy people, even at high doses (up to 20–30 grams/day over multiple years). Slight increases in creatinine during supplementation are benign and return to normal when you stop. For all these reasons, creatine is regarded as safe for long-term use.
So where did the myth come from?
Historically, creatine picked up a bad reputation for "affecting kidney function". This is because creatine temporarily raises creatinine levels in the body (creatinine is a normal breakdown product of creatine), which is one of the standard markers doctors use to assess kidney health.
Dr Peter Attia explains this really well in his podcast. He recommends that athletes and bodybuilders tell their GP they’re supplementing creatine, so their kidney function can be monitored using a different marker (cystatin C), which isn't affected by creatine intake.
If you’re in any doubt, we’d always recommend that if you are on medication or have an existing kidney or liver condition, you speak with your doctor before taking creatine.
How to take creatine
Taking Creatine is not as straightforward as blasting a Berocca because someone in the office had one on their desk. It does come with some ‘care instructions’. And if your social feeds are overwhelmed with “creatine for dummies” guides, let us be the tangle-tease to the creatine confusion.
There are two main approaches to reaching muscle saturation (read about that here).
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Gentle maintenance: Start slow and work your way up to the regular 5g daily dose. Taking 1-2 weeks to gradually saturate your muscles helps reduce the risk of bloating. You could also split your dose throughout the day. Our Izzy found that beginning around 2.5g a day kept nausea at bay while still seeing results.
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Performance loading: Not for everyone, as it can come with some side effects, but it’s the fastest route to muscle saturation and peak cognitive performance. The protocol involves a 7-day loading phase, up to 20g per day, split into four 5g doses before dropping back to a regular maintenance dose of 3-5g a day.
Listen to your body. It can take a little time to adjust to creatine. In the first couple of weeks, you might feel a bit bloated or even slightly nauseous. This is normal. Creatine draws water into your muscles, which, on the one hand, will give you the definition you came here for, but can feel uncomfortable for some at first.
We love Dr Rhonda Patrick, the scientist and health educator. If you want to learn more about creatine, you can visit her information pages on the topic, or for a quick burst of information, here’s a 5-minute YouTube clip featuring Rhonda and Dr. Stuart Phillips exploring creatine.
You’ll learn what works for you. Adjust to what suits your body and your goals.
It’s always good to check with your doctor before taking creatine if you:
- are on any medication, such as blood thinners
- are about to have surgery
- have health concerns or conditions
We can't take away the pressure or stress of being a modern woman. But we can share the solutions we've found, the ones that have made us strong enough to find our way through, and pass them on to you.
Creatine is one solution that might just be the thing to finally nix the sad sack energy, and get your spark back. It could be the reserve of firepower your body calls on to spark the next big idea, bring the right energy to solve a crisis, fuel the gym sessions that hit different, and keep all you incredible women casually changing the game every day.
Creatine isn’t like other nutrients. It’s not about balancing a deficiency. It’s the spark in your step. It’s the thing that might help you, every day, take flight.
We see you, High Flyer
