Creatine is the most researched supplement in the world. What is often known as a gym and athlete supplement can be beneficial to everyone, particularly women. I will be discussing creatine’s function in the body and what the literature has to say about creatine’s role in brain health, especially in relation to women.
What is Creatine?
Creatine acts as an immediate energy reserve, enabling the rapid resynthesis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s main energy source, during brief, high-intensity exercise and cognitively demanding tasks. Creatine is a compound made from amino acids in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas, obtained from foods like meat and fish. Approximately 95% of the body’s creatine is stored in skeletal muscle, with the remaining 5% stored in the brain and testes. People who supplement creatine are increasing their intramuscular and brain phosphocreatine stores, providing a larger on-demand energy reserve for both muscular contractions and neuronal firing.
Women, Hormones and Creatine
Women appear to start at an energetic disadvantage. Research shows that we have lower creatine stores than men, likely due to muscle mass and sex hormones. However, this lower baseline means women may be more responsive to supplementation, especially during metabolically and hormonally demanding phases such as the luteal phase, peri and post menopause.
During the luteal phase, the body tends to break down more protein, rely less on carbohydrate storage, and experience shifts in fluid balance that can increase the risk of dehydration. Together, these changes can contribute to feelings of fatigue, reduced performance and the overall luteal feeling of lethargy. In this context, creatine may be beneficial by increasing phosphocreatine availability and drawing water into muscle cells, helping to support energy levels, hydration, and recovery. Creatine is increasingly marketed not only for athletic performance but also as a preventative, longevity-focused health supplement.
However, supplementing is not the answer to everything. Naturally increasing your meat (chicken and beef) and your fish (salmon, cod, & tuna) intake is an effective way of increasing your creatine without relying on supplements.
Creatine as a Brain Booster
The brain is an energy-hungry organ consuming 20% of total resting energy. It relies heavily on the ATP process for synaptic transmission and plasticity (connections (synapses) between neurons can strengthen or weaken based on how often they are used). Within the brain, creatine and phosphocreatine act as a rapid energy buffer, helping maintain ATP availability during periods of high demand. Research suggests creatine supplementation can support cognitive performance, with the strongest benefits seen when the brain is under bioenergetic stress, such as during sleep deprivation or prolonged mental effort. Recent systematic reviews suggest that creatine can improve cognitive performance, especially memory and attention in adults. Another study showed improved memory scores under conditions of sleep deprivation or other stressors.
Creatine is, at its core, an energy buffer which makes it just as relevant to the brain as it is to the barbell. For women in particular, lower baseline stores and shifting hormonal demands across the month and lifespan mean creatine is uniquely positioned to support strength, cognition, and long-term vitality rather than merely fueling vanity metrics. Thinking of it less as a “bros-only” gym powder and more as a foundational nutrient for cellular energy brings creatine into the broader conversation on women’s performance, mental clarity, and healthy ageing.