When you hear creatine, chances are your mind jumps to protein shakes and body builders. But as a functional nutritionist – and as a woman – I'm here to share cutting edge research and real-life experience that tells a different story: Creatine is perhaps the most underutilized supplement for whole-body health, including (and especially!) for the brain. 

Creatine is a powerful tool to improve cognitive function, mood, energy, muscle function, and overall vitality in any season. Whether you're juggling a career, family, hormones, or age-related health concerns, creatine could be an absolute game-changer. And yes – I’m so passionate about it, I created my own. 

In the article below, we’re going to cover all of the important points:

• What is creatine?
• Brain benefits of creatine – memory, focus, mood, balance, thought processing
• Creatine for women, specifically
• But…is creatine safe?
• Be Well Creatine featuring Creavitalis, a cut above
• How to supplement with creatine

What Is Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound made from three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. Its main role is to quickly energize cells, especially during high-demand activities like exercise or intense mental work. It does so by quickly regenerating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is our cells’ main energy source. Think of creatine as a battery booster for cells.

Your body makes a little creatine on its own and you can get small amounts from food (mostly red meat and fish), but often not enough to fully saturate your body’s stores – especially for plant-based eaters. For context, your body produces only around 1g creatine per day, but the standard NIH recommendation for dosage is 3-5g creatine per day for brain and body benefits.

But what are those benefits, if not just for bodybuilders?! 

Brain Benefits of Creatine

Many of us know creatine as a muscle-building powder for gym bros only, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Here’s why – creatine is magic for cellular energy. That’s why the gym bros love it! They can lift hard, recover quickly, and get back at it again right away. 

But muscle cells aren’t the only cells that need energy. In fact, while the brain makes up only about 2% of body weight, it consumes around 20% of the body’s energy…cellular energy, that is. So it makes sense that if creatine is a cell energizer, then it would be massively beneficial for the organ that utilizes a fifth of the body’s energy – the brain. 

The benefits are widespread. The research is stacked. The results are phenomenal. Let’s dive into some of the top reasons for creatine supplementation. 

Brain Health + Cognitive Function + Memory 

As referenced earlier, one of the most exciting and underappreciated benefits of creatine lies in the brain – because creatine rapidly provides brain cells with the energy necessary to think quickly, focus deeply, work creatively, and more. 

Research on creatine supplementation for cognitive function in adults, including a 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis, has shown that creatine can:

• Improve working memory and information processing speed
• Reduce mental fatigue, especially under stress or sleep deprivation
• Support mood regulation, and even complement treatment for depression

A double-blind placebo-controlled study showed participants who were supplemented with 5g/day of creatine for 6 weeks showed significant positive improvement on working memory and intelligence, both tasks which require speed of processing (source). 

A 2023 meta-analysis showed creatine supplementation enhanced measures of memory performance in healthy individuals, especially in older adults in their 60s and 70s (source). 

A 2018 systemic review of controlled studies found that creatine may improve short-term memory and intelligence/reasoning of healthy individuals as well as be particularly beneficial for aging and stressed individuals (source).

Mood Support + Mental Resilience (Especially Under Stress or Dealing with Lack of Sleep!)

Creatine may interact with neurotransmitter systems – like those involving serotonin and dopamine – potentially elevating mood and improving mental resilience. 

Some studies suggest that creatine’s impact on these neurotransmitter systems may even have antidepressant-like effects (source). Health leaders such as Dr. Peter Attia, MD are now making the case for creatine supplementation playing an emerging role in the treatment of depression (source). 

Creatine has even been shown to reverse key cognitive signs of sleep deprivation by rapidly restoring energy levels to the brain, including logical thinking and language skills (source). A 2024 study including female subjects found that a single dose creatine after sleep deprivation: improved cognitive function within hours, reversed hallmark cognitive signs of sleep deprivation, improved performance in key areas of the brain (source). 

Of note, creatine supplementation has the potential to be an especially powerful tool during hormonal transitions like perimenopause and menopause, when many women experience mood swings and irritability.

Why Not Caffeine?

When we’re talking about energizing the brain, boosting focus, or elevating mood, the topic of caffeine inevitably arises. I have to take the opportunity to break it down a little – the “brain boost” provided by creatine isn’t comparable to that from caffeine!

Unlike caffeine, which just masks fatigue, creatine replenishes brain energy at a cellular level. Especially in overworked, stressed, or sleep-deprived situations. Whereas caffeine might skyrocket your energy for a little while and then leave you crashing, creatine generates energy quickly, but naturally. This leaves you focused, but not shaky. Energized and balanced, not riding a coaster of highs and lows. It’s the real deal rather than a crutch. 

Creatine for Women: A True Game-Changer

Female bodies have 70-80% lower creatine stores as compared to males. But our energy needs are certainly not that significantly lower. A 2021 review on women’s health from a lifespan perspective explored creatine supplementation effects across all female life stages – the menstrual years, perimenopause, and postmenopause. The conclusions were eye-opening, to say the least. 

• Creatine supplementation among menstruating females appeared to be effective for improving strength and exercise performance as well as brain and cognitive function.
• Creatine supplementation among postmenopausal females held benefits in skeletal muscle size and function and favorable effects on bone density when combined with resistance training. It also held brain and cognitive function benefits. 

Creatine supplementation may be even more effective for females by supporting a pro-energetic environment in the brain, which leads to mood and cognitive benefits. This, along with benefits on physical performance, body composition, and bone health. 

For many females, as estrogen begins to decline in the 40s and beyond, so does muscle mass, cognitive resilience, and metabolic efficiency. It can contribute to fatigue, muscle loss, and brain fog. This is where creatine shines:

• Lean Muscle Mass + Strength + Bone Density:
  • Creatine supports lean muscle maintenance during perimenopause and menopause. Postmenopausal women who take creatine, especially combined with strength training, see meaningful gains in lean muscle mass and overall strength. In this way, creatine helps preserve strength and reduce age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia). 
  • One study found that postmenopausal women who supplemented with creatine during resistance training had greater improvements in muscle strength and brain function than those who didn’t supplement (source). Another study found that creatine supplementation during resistance training preserved femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) compared to the placebo. Additionally, creatine increased femoral shaft subperiosteal width, a predictor of bone bending strength (source). 

It would make sense, right? Creatine preserves lean muscle mass and strength. Optimizing muscle mass and function are paramount for bone health and general vitality while aging. 

• Blood Sugar Balance:
  • As someone who is passionate about blood sugar balance, I was obviously excited to see creatine’s role in aiding in glucose control and insulin sensitivity, making it a supportive tool for blood sugar balance. 
  • When creatine is paired with exercise, it aids in muscular glucose uptake, insulin sensitivity, and glucose tolerance. One study on people with Type 2 diabetes found that those who supplemented with creatine had greater reduction in HbA1c and improved glucose tolerance, evidencing creatine’s ability to enhance exercise-induced improvements in glucose control (source). 

• Brain Benefits:
  • While we documented the brain benefits in detail above, I want to point out that many of these brain benefits are particularly beneficial for females, given the nature of ever-changing hormones, especially throughout different seasons of life. 
    • Cognitive function and sharp focus are paramount for the working mom with a full plate. 
    • Brain energy and combating sleep deprivation are important for seasons with small children. 
    • Mood regulation is key for women who are navigating massive hormonal transitions in perimenopause and menopause. . 
    • Working memory and cognitive protection are paramount for healthy aging. 

The brain benefits of creatine are for every woman in every season. 

Bottom line: Creatine is a female’s best friend. It boosts brain power and physical performance when life is packed with activity. It helps counteract physiological shifts that happen in midlife, from cognition to metabolism to muscle health. This is key not just for aging well, but for maintaining independence, confidence, and metabolic health.

But…Is Creatine Safe for Women?

Absolutely. Creatine is one of the most extensively studied supplements on the planet, with over 1,000 peer-reviewed papers. It has a strong safety profile – even with long-term use.

• No evidence shows harm to the kidneys or liver in healthy individuals
• It’s not a hormone and does not cause masculinizing effects
• It’s safe for vegetarians, older adults, and active women alike
• It is a natural compound – our bodies produce it naturally, and it is found naturally in some foods including red meat and seafood. 

The most common side effect reported is temporary water retention in muscle tissue (not fat), which usually stabilizes within a couple weeks and is typically not noticeable at the doses I recommend for women.

Be Well Creatine, featuring Creavitalis

As a functional nutritionist and product minimalist, I only recommend what I truly believe in. After seeing the science and experiencing the benefits firsthand, I knew creatine needed to be part of more women's routines for whole-body energy metabolism. 

But when I looked at what was on the market? Most products were filled with artificial sweeteners, flavorings, or unnecessary additives that didn’t align with my clean approach to wellness. I also wanted an elevated form of creatine monohydrate – something set apart. 

So I created Be Well Creatine: a minimally formulated, pure creatine monohydrate powder, with nothing added – just what your body needs to rebuild energy, strength, and mental clarity. Here’s why Be Well Creatine is different:

• Uses Creavitalis, the new gold standard in creatine supplementation – it is a micronized creatine for seamless mixing and assimilation into foods and beverages as well as enhanced absorption for less risk of digestive side effects. Also, zero taste.
• Highest quality and purity – a product of Germany, rigorously tested, with strict German standards
• Minimally formulated with only one ultra-pure ingredient
• Artificial additive-free, filler-free, preservative-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, natural flavor-free

After using Be Well Creatine for only six weeks, the results were undeniable. Let me show you how to experience the same! 

How to Use Creatine

As a dietary supplement, I suggest mixing 1 serving of Be Well Creatine (1 scoop, or 5 g) into approximately 12-24 oz of desired beverage (coffee, smoothie, water, or tea). Shake, stir, or blend…and enjoy!

Be Well Tips: 

• Consistency is key. Creatine works best when taken daily to rebuild and maintain the body’s stores.
• The most-researched and clinical suggested serving size for creatine supplementation is 3-5 grams per day. This offers a safe, effective way to support brain health, muscle function, and cellular energy. With consistent use, creatine helps rebuild and maintain optimal creatine stores, offering broad cognitive and physical benefits (source).
• Timing: Daily consistency is more important than timing. That said, I most often take mine first thing in the morning with my favorite Be Well Essential Lemon Water with Creatine and Aminos.

Final Thoughts + More Resources

If you’re thick in the middle of building a career, parenting at home, or navigating the shifts of perimenopause or postmenopause, you don’t need to push harder or “just power through.” You need smarter, more targeted support. Be Well Creatine is one of the simplest, most effective tools to help you reclaim your energy, clarity, and strength.

I made this product for me, and I made it for you. It’s a nutritional powerhouse that can support brain function, muscle strength, energy, mood, and even blood sugar balance. And it just might be the key piece you need to elevate your wellness routine.

For other key pieces in your wellness toolkit, Be Well offers minimally formulated and max beneficial protein and essentials:

• Be Well Protein – available in grass-fed and vegan varieties
• Be Well Magnesium
• Be Well Essential Amino Acids - available in Lemon Water and Unflavored varieties

Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any health condition. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or starting any new treatment or regimen.