Creatine monohydrate has long been a 'gym bro' favourite, thanks to its ability to improve how you build muscle, recover from injury, and the stamina boost it offers. But in the last year this supplement has also become the new 'must-have' for women, with everyone from A-lister Gwyneth Paltrow, to our favourite functional medicine expert, Dr. Rhonda Patrick raving about the benefits it can provide.
But why? Well, alongside the stronger muscles you'd expect, creatine offers all kinds of other gains, from protection from osteoporosis (if you're worried about this, take a deep dive into how to combat it here: 6 Supplements you should try to Prevent Osteoporosis), to brain boosting properties. With some studies suggesting it could help to improve your memory, mental health, and cognitive function.
And it's especially important for women to top up their creatine, because not only do women have lower blood creatine stores than men, by as much as 70%. The hormonal changes women go through can also put increased demand on your creatine stores. So women in mid-life experiencing perimenopause/menopause should definitely consider adding a supplement like our Creatine Monohydrate patch to their wellness routine.
But what exactly IS creatine? Can you really expect all those benefits? How should you take it? And are there any side effects (spoiler alert – it WON'T turn you into the Incredible Hulk)?
What is creatine monohydrate and why should you take this form of creatine?
Creatine monohydrate is a naturally occurring compound of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen. 90% of your creatine is stored in your muscles and used as a quick energy source during high-intensity activities. It was first discovered in 1832, in muscle, and is made from the amino acids glycine, methionine, and arginine. Your body can produce creatine, but research has shown that supplementation can dramatically increase your levels by up to 50 times!
Our Creatine patches contain creatine monohydrate, because it's the safest and most well-researched form of creatine for supplements. With over a thousand studies undertaken into its effects. It is well tolerated, with limited side effects for most people. There's a lot of evidence showing it can support your muscle, bone strength, and general health, and an increasing amount of studies looking into the positive effect it can have on the brain.
How should you top up your creatine levels?
Creatine is found in some foods, but only in animal products, with the highest levels found in milk, steak, and some fish. Herring contains the most creatine at 3 to 4.5 grams per 500g. So, if you're vegan or veggie, or following a diet with less meat, you can see supplementation with creatine monohydrate is essential.
Even if you do eat meat, regularly eating adequate quantities of creatine-rich foods isn't always realistic. And that's assuming you don't have any kind of absorption issues, not a given, considering 1 in 5 people in the UK have IBS and other gut issues which mean you don't take in all the nutrients you should from your food.
Taking a creatine supplement gives you the peace of mind you're keeping your creatine at the optimum levels for your body and brain to function at their best. Our Creatine Monohydrate patches are incredibly easy to use and deliver a steady stream of nutrients throughout the 8 hours you wear the patch. This drip feed effect makes the creatine much easier for your body to use, less is lost via the gut, and you don't need to worry about the stomach upsets that oral creatine supplements can trigger – hurrah!
What physical benefits can you expect from taking creatine monohydrate?
The perfect partner when exercising, creatine monohydrate can help boost your stamina by enhancing your muscle strength and power, making it easier to lift more weights or run that extra mile. Studies have shown that supplementing every day with creatine will help you maintain higher-intensity training, and increase your fat-free muscle mass, and endurance.
It also improves your recovery by reducing muscle damage and inflammation. Looking for other ways to boost your workout performance? Read: 6 Need-to-know Warm-Down Techniques, Supplements, and Meals here.
Declining muscle mass is common as you get older, especially in women post-menopause. However, taking creatine monohydrate alongside resistance training can help reduce this and improve both lower and upper body strength. Stronger muscles can also help to support your bones, a particular concern for women during and after menopause when declining oestrogen levels can affect bone density.
And don't worry, creatine specifically supports the development of 'lean' muscle, rather than the bulky, big muscles you'd associate with bodybuilders. It won't turn you into Dwayne Johnson, promise!
How can it help with preventing osteoporosis and osteopenia?
One of the most important ways to target bone loss as you get older is by regularly exercising. You should ideally be doing some weight-bearing workouts and resistance training a couple of times a week to stimulate the osteoblasts in your bones, which will improve your bone density over time.
By promoting stronger muscles and helping you stay active for longer, creatine monohydrate facilitates this and enables you to become stronger and keep your joints and bones more stable. Creatine has also been shown to reduce inflammation in the body, which is linked to accelerated bone loss.
Want to find out other ways you can help protect your bones? Read 3 Easy Lifestyle Tweaks to Target Osteopenia here.
What are the brain health benefits creatine monohydrate can provide?
There's a lot of ongoing research into how creatine monohydrate can support your brain right now, and so far the results are pretty exciting! Not only is it thought that creatine could boost cognitive function (bye-bye brain fog!), but there's also evidence to suggest it could also improve your mood and help combat depression. Both issues that can become more pronounced for some women during menopause.
And that's not all: some research has also shown that creatine could also combat poor sleep – yet another pesky symptom that often plagues many women in mid-life. Studies showed that women who took creatine on workout days, found their sleep duration increased by 50 minutes! An extra hour of shut-eye – yet another good reason to take creatine monohydrate.