Creatine in Menopause

Creatine in Menopause: A Match Made for Mood and Muscles

Ozone therapy is emerging as a promising ally in the fight against HPV‑related cervical disease, with early clinical and translational research suggesting it may help reduce viral persistence, support local immunity, and potentially lower the risk of progression to cervical cancer when used as part of a comprehensive care plan.

Picture the frame holding your house together – the joists, beams, and nails all work together in tandem to keep the walls standing upright. The joints, muscles, and ligaments in your body parallel the housing frame for your skeleton – and in menopausal transitions, the frame begins to weaken, the nails begin to rust, and the resilience of your body begins to decrease.

A whopping 71% of women in perimenopause experience musculoskeletal pain. Researchers believe this change is due to the declining estrogen levels, specifically estradiol, which is the biologically active form of estrogen found in nearly all types of structural tissue in your body including bone, tendon, muscle, and cartilage. As these estradiol levels decline many women feel alien in their own body. Your body is less responsive, less agile, and feeling less strong all while the demands of life keep increasing. You’re no longer just tired from juggling school sports, a work deadline and remembering what birthday is next – you’re doing all of this in a body that doesn’t feel like it belongs to you anymore.

Now – let’s talk about creatine, the unexpected hero in the world of perimenopause. You may have heard this supplement discussed before in the world of fitness and bodybuilding but creatine is not just for gym-bros and extreme athletes -in fact, if you have muscles (which I’m willing to put money on that you do) – creatine will likely be beneficial to you in some form.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound stored in our muscles and brain that helps fuel short bursts of energy (think running back inside the house for your keys, lifting your toddler for the umpteenth time… You get the idea). As we age, our body’s creatine levels naturally begin to decline and women already have about 20% less creatine in our body than our male counterparts. If you combine the loss of quick-fuel-creatine with the reduction in our natural hormone levels through perimenopause – you can imagine why it feels as if women are running out of steam during this transition period. It’s because you physiologically are.

Studies show that creatine supplementation can improve lean muscle mass, strength, and even boost cognitive performance. In fact, one study concluded that creatine supplementation can reduce the cognitive effects of sleep deprivation after just one dose!

But why supplement creatine if we already have it in our body? 50% of the creatine on our body is stuff we synthesize ourselves, the other 50% comes from eating meat products. There are currently no reliable sources of creatine in vegan or vegetarian diets. Overall, creatine is a very well researched supplement that is easily accessible and backed by decades of research. In a world where women are taught to prepare for weakness and accept a new normal of pain and fatigue – creatine is available to forge a new path in women’s musculoskeletal and mental health and rewrite the narrative that women need to slow down during this life stage transition.

Dr. Katherine Townsley, ND