Should You Take Creatine in Perimenopause?

Creatine can be a helpful, optional add-on for women who are already strength training and eating enough protein. It's one of the supplements we get asked about most. It never replaces your training, your food, your protein or your sleep. And talk to your doctor first, especially if you have kidney concerns, are pregnant or take medications.

So yes, maybe.

But it's the last layer.

And the layers underneath matter a lot more.

First, when should you talk to your doctor?

Before anything else.

We coach training and food. We don't diagnose, prescribe or treat, and supplements can be a medical conversation for some women.

Please check with your doctor before you start creatine if:

You have any kidney concerns. Past or present, big or small.
You're pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to get pregnant.
You take any medications. Including ones you've been on for years.
You have an ongoing health condition your doctor is keeping an eye on.

Your doctor knows your health history. Your coach will build around whatever they tell you.

What is creatine, in plain words?

In simple terms, creatine is a compound your muscles use for short bursts of effort. Think of a heavy lift or a quick sprint up the stairs.

You already get some from food, mostly meat and fish.

As a supplement, it usually comes as a powder you stir into water.

That's about as far as I'll go here. Some women find their workouts feel a bit stronger once they've been taking it for a while. Others don't notice much at all.

Why is every woman over 40 suddenly asking about it?

Hey ladies, listen up.

It's in your feed. It's in your group chat. It's in your friend's gym bag.

I get why it's tempting. You're busy, you're tired, and something you can stir into a glass of water feels a lot easier than changing how you train and eat.

But can we please stop pretending a scoop of anything is going to fix what years of under-eating and random workouts built?

Here's the thing.

When the basics aren't in place, an extra on top of them has nothing to stand on.

Where does creatine fit in our coaching?

At the very end of the list.

Chris says it simply: "Muscle is metabolism."

Everything we do is about building and keeping muscle, and that starts with four things:

Strength training that progresses. Workouts that get a little harder as you get stronger. New to lifting? Start with how to strength train at home as a beginner.
Protein at every meal. Real food first, starting at breakfast. Here's how much protein you actually need.
Eating enough. A lot of the women we coach have been eating too little for years. Muscle needs fuel.
Sleep and recovery. Training only pays off if you recover from it.

When you join, there's an optional supplements section, and creatine is one of the options in it.

Optional means optional. We don't force anything on anyone.

Your coach can talk it through with you, look at where you are with the basics, and help you decide whether it's worth a conversation with your doctor.

What do some women notice when they start?

It varies a lot from woman to woman.

A few things we hear:

Workouts feel a bit stronger. For some women, after a few weeks.
Nothing much. Plenty of women don't notice a difference.
The scale ticks up a little. In our experience, that's usually water, and it tends to settle.

That last one trips a lot of women up.

You start something new, the number goes up, and suddenly you're convinced it's working against you.

This is exactly why the scale can't be your only measure. Watch how your clothes fit, whether the weights you're lifting are going up, and how strong you feel day to day.

If the number on the scale is messing with your head, read what it means when the scale won't move but your clothes fit better.

Do I need creatine to get results?

No.

Plenty of women get great results without it.

Most women come to us wanting to lose weight. What they actually want to lose is fat.

And fat loss comes from the foundation. Strength training, enough food and protein, sleep, and showing up week after week.

We've helped 1,000+ women lose 10 to 20 lbs of fat in 8 weeks. Those results came from training, real food and coaching.

So if you're not taking creatine, you're not missing the secret.

And if you are, it's one small piece of a much bigger plan.

Marianne talks about the basics

I sat down with Marianne, a mom of three, to talk about why so many women over 40 feel drained, and three simple fixes: strength training, more protein and staying hydrated.

Ready to get the foundation right first?

You don't have to sort through the supplement aisle on your own.

Start with the short video on our homepage at fortyfwd.com. It walks through why your body stopped responding after 40 and the method we use to change that.

If it sounds like you, apply for a call with Chris.

He reads every application himself. On the call, he'll look at how you're training and eating right now and tell you straight whether the program is the right fit. If it is, he walks you through the investment then, once you both know it's a fit.

Foundation first.

Extras later, if ever.

And someone in your corner to help you tell the difference.

Frequently asked questions

Will creatine help me lose weight?

Creatine isn't a fat loss supplement. In our experience, fat loss comes from strength training, eating enough food and protein, sleep and consistency. Some women see the scale tick up a little when they start, which is usually water.

Is creatine safe for women over 40?

That's a question for your doctor, who knows your health history, your medications and any kidney concerns. We coach training and food, and we don't give medical advice on supplements.

How much creatine should I take?

That's a conversation for your doctor and your coach, based on your health, your training and your goals. We don't give a one-size-fits-all amount here.

Do I need creatine to build muscle after 40?

No. Strength training that gets progressively harder, protein at every meal and eating enough come first, and plenty of women build muscle without ever taking it.

Should I start creatine before I start strength training?

We'd start with the training. If you use creatine at all, it's an optional add-on once you're training consistently and eating enough protein.

Should I take creatine in perimenopause?