Have you heard this about creatine?
The reel discusses creatine's potential benefits for women, particularly regarding menstrual cycle symptoms, but these claims are not well-supported by current evidence. While creatine is well-documented for muscle and some cognitive benefits, its effects on menstrual cycle symptoms and hormonal interactions are not established.
“Supplementing with creatine can help reduce symptoms like brain fog and irritability in the second half of the menstrual cycle.”
There is no strong evidence supporting the claim that creatine supplementation can alleviate menstrual cycle-related symptoms such as brain fog and irritability.
“Creatine is the most widely tested supplement for muscle health and brain function.”
Creatine is indeed one of the most researched supplements for improving muscle strength and some aspects of cognitive function.
Have you heard this about creatine? Most women have only heard creatine talked about as a gym supplement for muscle… or something men take. I also hear all the time that creatine just makes you bloated and puffs you up like a balloon. But creatine is a compound your body stores and uses to help make quick energy, especially in high-demand tissues like muscle and brain. And when it comes to creatine for women, this is where things could get more interesting. In women, estrogen appears to interact with parts of the creatine system, including creatine kinase activity, which helps convert creatine into usable energy. The paper by Smith-Ryan et al. (2021) suggests that as estrogen shifts or declines in the second half of the cycle, it may affect this energy system, which could be one reason some women feel more brain fog, irritability, or less resilience in the luteal phase. So no, I am not saying creatine is a magic fix for PMS or luteal phase symptoms. But I am saying women deserve a much more nuanced conversation about creatine, estrogen, hormones, and brain fog than the one we’ve been given. And honestly, this conversation gets even more interesting in perimenopause and menopause, when estrogen is declining and so many women start saying things like: “I just don’t feel like myself.” “My body feels less forgiving.” “Why am I so much more tired than I used to be?” That is why I think creatine in perimenopause and menopause deserves a much bigger place in the conversation. One important note: if you have endometriosis, I would not assume creatine is automatically helpful. The data there are still limited and more complicated, and more human research is needed before making strong recommendations. I’ll talk more in another video about creatine for women in perimenopause, because I think this is an area more women need to understand. And if you curious about the evidence-based dosing recommendations and how to take creatine, comment GUIDE and I’ll send you the synthesis I made from the paper. Source: Smith-Ryan et al., 2021 #creatineforwomen #perimenopausehealth #hormonehealth #lutealphase #womenshealthmatters