Creatine After Menopause: More Strength, No Change in Bone
Graded Moderate — an analysis of seven trials with random assignment and 608 women; the number of trials is small, and most raised some concerns about their methods.
- Design
- Meta-analysis
- Participants
- 608
- Duration
- —
- Funding
- No external funding; Alzchem paid the remaining publication fee after a waiver
With creatine and strength training, women after menopause gained a little strength and lean mass, while bone density stayed the same.
After menopause, women lose muscle and strength faster, and their bone density drops. Creatine, a popular supplement, gave a small edge here. Women who took it ended up with a little more lean mass, meaning mostly muscle. They also pushed more weight on the leg press. Their bones, however, showed no change.
The researchers pooled seven trials with 608 women in total. In each trial, chance decided who got creatine and who got a dummy pill. With creatine, lean mass was on average 0.37 kilograms higher. In three trials that included strength training, women lifted 7.5 kilograms more on the leg press. The gain showed up mainly when higher doses of creatine were paired with strength training. Trials using small doses without training found no measurable effect.
Side effects were mild and about as common as with the dummy pill. Kidney values did not change. The analysis rests on only a handful of trials, so the estimates are imprecise. It is also unclear whether dose or duration matters more, because the longest trials used the lowest doses.
Conflict of Interest Disclosure: One author chairs an advisory board backed by creatine maker Alzchem, the society involved sometimes receives creatine-industry money, and Alzchem paid part of the publication fee.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.