When we hear the word creatine, many of us immediately think of bodybuilders and athletes.
But creatine is becoming increasingly relevant to a much wider audience, particularly as we learn more about its role in muscle health, healthy ageing, strength and physical performance.
So, let’s talk about what creatine is, what its benefits are, and if there are any precautions we should know about.
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound made from amino acids, primarily in the liver and kidneys.
It is also found in foods such as red meat and fish.
Around 95% of the body’s creatine is stored in skeletal muscle, with smaller amounts in other tissues, including the brain.
Its main role is to help regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the body’s immediate energy source.
ATP can be thought of as the body’s rechargeable energy currency. Creatine helps replenish this energy rapidly when muscles need short bursts of power, such as during weightlifting, sprinting or other high-intensity activities.
Although the body produces creatine naturally, supplementation can increase the amount stored in muscles, potentially improving performance and supporting other aspects of health.
Muscle strength and performance are benefits of creatine
Creatine can improve performance during repeated high-intensity exercise and help people gain strength and lean muscle when combined with resistance training.
Healthy ageing and muscle preservation – as we age, we naturally tend to lose muscle mass and strength. Creatine, particularly when combined with resistance exercise, may help older adults maintain muscle function and physical capacity. This is especially relevant to women over 40 and during and after menopause, when preserving muscle becomes increasingly important.
Brain energy and cognitive function – the brain also uses creatine to support energy metabolism.
Although creatine is generally well tolerated by health adults at recommended doses, it is still important to use it appropriately. Some side effects can include:
Water retention and weight gain – creatine can increase water stored within muscle cells, particularly when supplementation begins. This may cause a small increase in body weight, but it is not the same as gaining body fat. Some people also experience bloating or digestive discomfort.
Digestive discomfort – larger doses taken at once may cause nausea, diarrhoea or abdominal discomfort. Taking a smaller daily dose and mixing it well with fluid may improve tolerance.
Anyone with existing kidney disease or reduced kidney function should consult their healthcare practitioner before supplementing with creatine.
While using recommended doses of creatine doesn’t cause kidney damage in healthy adults, creatine can raise blood creatinine levels, which are commonly used to assess kidney function. This does not necessarily mean the kidneys are damaged, but it can complicate interpretation of results. Always tell your healthcare practitioner that you are taking creatine.
People with kidney problems, complex medical conditions or medicines that can affect kidney function should seek individual advice before starting creatine.
For most healthy adults who choose to supplement, creatine monohydrate is a good form.
3–5 grams daily is the standard recommended dose, but some people like to start with a loading dose to fill muscle stores faster before going on to a maintenance dose. In this case the dose can be doubled for a few days before dropping back down to the lower dose. More is not necessarily better; the standard dose will gradually increase muscle stores over several weeks.
If you do choose to supplement, choose a reputable product with independent quality testing, rather than a supplement containing numerous unnecessary ingredients.
It is also important to remember that creatine is not a replacement for adequate protein, a balanced diet, resistance training or sufficient sleep. These remain the foundations of maintaining muscle and supporting healthy ageing.
As women move through perimenopause and menopause, maintaining muscle mass, strength and physical function becomes increasingly important.
Creatine may be a useful addition to a broader healthy-ageing strategy, particularly for women who do resistance training or are trying to preserve muscle as they age. While creatine has its benefits, the strongest evidence relates to exercise performance and muscle strength when creatine is combined with resistance training.
Listen to my interview with Anton Brink from Radio Cape Pulpit on 15 October 2026 to learn more. Listen to my next interview on Thursday at 7.45am.