Creatine and Healthy Aging: Muscle, Brain, Menopause & Longevity

Healthy aging has become one of the most talked-about topics in wellness — and for good reason. As we age, our bodies naturally experience changes such as loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia), reduced bone density, cognitive fatigue, and hormonal shifts, particularly during menopause.

While aging itself is inevitable, how we age is influenced by the choices we make today. Nutrition, movement, sleep, and targeted supplementation can all play a role in supporting strength, vitality, and independence later in life.

One supplement now gaining attention beyond athletic performance is creatine monohydrate. A staple of strength-training circles, Creatine is increasing being studied for its role in healthy aging and longevity. Here's what the science currently says.

^{What Is Creatine and Why Does It Matter for Aging?1,2}

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound formed from amino acids and is found (stored) primarily in your muscles and brain. Its main role is to help rapidly regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate) — the primary energy source for cells — during periods of high demand, such as exercise or intense cognitive work.¹,²

As we age, our energy production starts to lag, muscle mass declines, and fatigue happens more quickly and more often. Creatine can provide that boost we need, supporting strength and physical performance, and is being explored for its potential role in overall vitality as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The Link Between Creatine and Healthy Aging

Research suggests creatine may help address several age-related challenges:

• Muscle strength and function: A review of randomized controlled trials found that older adults who combined creatine supplementation with resistance training experienced greater gains in strength, lean muscle mass, and functional capacity than those who trained without creatine.³

• Biological aging markers: Another study with a large sample size of people showed that higher dietary creatine intake was linked with lower biological ageing scores.⁴ 

Together, these findings suggest creatine may be a valuable tool for adults looking to preserve muscle, energy, and functional independence with age.

How Creatine Supports Longevity and Healthspan

Creatine’s benefits impact almost every system involved in healthy aging:

Muscle Maintenance

Creatine helps support muscle mass and strength, which are critical for reducing age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia). Maintaining muscle is associated with better balance, reduced fall risk, and greater independence later in life.⁵,⁶

Brain Power and Cognitive Function

The brain is an energy hog but getting older can slow down energy production.  In older adults, creatine supplementation has been shown to support cognitive performance – sharper memory, better focus and less mental fatigue.⁷

Bone Strength

Because muscle and bone health are closely linked, improvements in muscle strength from resistance training may indirectly support bone health. Some studies show that creatine combined with resistance training can improve bone geometry, potentially making bones more resilient.⁸

Cellular Aging and Energy Metabolism

By improving ATP recycling and reducing oxidative stress, creatine supports cellular housekeeping — a foundation of healthy aging. ⁹

Can Creatine Help During Menopause?

Menopause is a significant hormonal transition marked by declining estrogen levels. This shift is often accompanied by loss of muscle mass, reduced bone density, metabolic changes, fatigue, and “brain fog.”

This is an especially tumultuous time, but evidence is showing that creatine can help:

• Women have lower natural creatine stores (around 70-80 % less than men) and this drops further as estrogen declines.¹⁰
• In post-menopausal women, some studies show that taking 5g/day of creatine combined while resistance training improved lean mass and functional strength than those who didn’t supplement.¹⁰
• Bone geometry improvements (like a stronger femoral shaft) have been observed in similar studies — not a cure for osteoporosis, but a helpful addition*.¹¹
• Because creatine supports brain energy metabolism, it may help soften cognitive fatigue and mental fog sometimes experienced during menopause, although evidence in this area is still emerging.

In short: the menopausal transition accelerates some of the same signs of ageing that creatine seems to mitigate — making midlife an opportune time to consider it (in conjunction with exercise, nutrition and medical guidance).

*Should not be a replacement for proven bone-health strategies (calcium/Vit D/anti-resorptive therapies)

How to use Creatine for Healthy Aging

If you’re considering creatine monohydrate for longevity, aging, or menopause support, here are practical guidelines:

• Dosage: Most people see benefit from 3–5 grams per day of creatine monohydrate. A “loading phase” (20 g/day for 5 days) can work faster, but it’s optional.
• Timing: Anytime works — morning smoothie, coffee, or post-workout, just be consistent.
• Exercise Matters: Creatine works best when paired with resistance training. Think of it as the sidekick that amplifies your workout’s benefits.
• Safety: Decades of studies show creatine is safe for healthy adults. If you begin supplementation, ensure good hydration, pair with safe resistance training, and ideally check in with a healthcare provider (especially if you have pre-existing conditions or if you have kidney issues or take medications that affect kidney function). Consult a health care practitioner before use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Expectations: It’s not a “magic pill.” Gains may be modest but meaningful for daily function, strength, and metabolic health. Cognitive and menopausal benefits are promising but still under investigation.
• Dietary Note: Vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower baseline creatine levels — meaning supplementation might benefit them even more. 

The Bottom Line on Creatine and Healthy Aging

If the goal is not just to live longer, but to live better — with stronger muscles, a sharper brain, resilient bones, and sustained energy — creatine monohydrate stands out as one of the more evidence-supported nutritional tools in the longevity conversation.

For women navigating menopause and post-menopause, creatine may help support muscle mass, functional strength, and brain energy during a period of accelerated change. However, research is ongoing, particularly in areas such as cognition and bone health.

Creatine should always be viewed as one piece of a broader healthy aging strategy, alongside balanced nutrition, regular movement, quality sleep, stress management, and medical guidance.

Make the choices now to not only live longer but live stronger too.

References

1. Kreider, R. B., et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
2. Kreider RB, Stout JR. Creatine in Health and Disease. Nutrients. 2021 Jan 29;13(2):447. doi: 10.3390/nu13020447. PMID: 33572884; PMCID: PMC7910963.
3. Stares A, Bains M. The Additive Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Exercise Training in an Aging Population: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2020 Apr/Jun;43(2):99-112. doi: 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000222. PMID: 30762623.
4. Ostojic SM, Stea TH, Ellery SJ, Smith-Ryan AE. Association between dietary intake of creatine and female reproductive health: Evidence from NHANES 2017-2020. Food Sci Nutr. 2024;12(7):4893-4898. PMC
5. Rawson ES, Candow DG, Chilibeck PD et al. The Additive Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Exercise Training in an Aging Population: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Nutr Health Aging. 2019;23(4):1-9. PubMed
6. Dalbo, V.J., Roberts, M.D., Lockwood, C.M. et al. The effects of age on skeletal muscle and the phosphocreatine energy system: can creatine supplementation help older adults. Dyn Med 8, 6 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-5918-8-6
7. Marshall S, Kitzan A, Wright J, Bocicariu L, Nagamatsu LS. Creatine and Cognition in Aging: A Systematic Review of Evidence in Older Adults. Nutr Rev. 2025 Sep 13:nuaf135. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaf135. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40971619.
8. Gualano B, Rawson ES, Candow DG, Chilibeck PD. Creatine supplementation in the aging population: effects on skeletal muscle, bone and brain. Amino Acids. 2016 Aug;48(8):1793-805. doi: 10.1007/s00726-016-2239-7. Epub 2016 Apr 23. PMID: 27108136.
9. Sergej M. Ostojic, Ivana Kavecan; Linking Dietary Creatine to DNA Methylation-Based Predictors of Mortality in Individuals Aged 50 and above. Lifestyle Genomics 1 January 2025; 18 (1): 131–136. https://doi.org/10.1159/000547260
10. Smith-Ryan AE, Cabre HE, Eckerson JM, Candow DG. Creatine Supplementation in Women's Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 8;13(3):877. doi: 10.3390/nu13030877. PMID: 33800439; PMCID: PMC7998865.
11. Chilibeck PD, Candow DG, Gordon JJ, Duff WRD, Mason R, Shaw K, Taylor-Gjevre R, Nair B, Zello GA. A 2-yr Randomized Controlled Trial on Creatine Supplementation during Exercise for Postmenopausal Bone Health. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2023 Oct 1;55(10):1750-1760. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003202. Epub 2023 May 5. PMID: 37144634; PMCID: PMC10487398.