“During perimenopause, women experience hormonal shifts that can impact energy levels, bone health, and muscle mass,” says Bonnie Jortberg, PhD, RDN, an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “Taking a creatine supplement may help to mitigate some of these symptoms and physiological changes.”
“Declining and loss of estrogen and progesterone can reduce creatine levels — which can increase the risk for muscle and bone loss — and mood changes,” says Mindy Goldman, MD, clinical professor emeritus and director of the Gynecology Program for Cancer Survivors and At-Risk Women at the University of California San Francisco. “There is emerging evidence that it might improve bone health, cognition, and mood. There is also some evidence that it may increase resting metabolic rate, which can improve insulin sensitivity, which helps with weight management and maintaining more muscle mass.”
Research evaluating their use in the perimenopausal population has been extremely limited, although one small study recently explored the potential health benefits for women in both perimenopause and menopause. “The study is still undergoing peer review, but the findings are consistent with previous research showing that creatine supplementation coupled with resistance training can support cognitive function, bone health, and muscular health in aging populations,” says the study’s lead author, Lauren Hall, an undergraduate student at St. Olaf College in Minnesota (working under Jenny Miller, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology). “What’s new — and exciting — is how these benefits extend specifically to perimenopausal women. This group often experiences fluctuating symptoms that aren’t always addressed in traditional menopause research.”
“This is particularly meaningful because sleep disturbances often begin during perimenopause and can cascade into other health issues,” says Hall. “We observed cognitive improvements in postmenopausal women, which aligns with creatine’s known role in brain energy metabolism. In perimenopausal women, the cognitive effects were more subtle but still promising.”