I was taking a creatine supplement for a bit and was really liking the way my muscles had a little more “pop” from them. But my doctor told me to stop taking it after my annual bloodwork because my kidney levels were all off. She couldn’t be sure if it was just throwing off the bloodwork or actually causing kidney issues. I’m disappointed because it does seem so beneficial, especially for this stage of my life.
I was taking Create creatine gummies for a while and finally realized that they were making me itch?! so I have been looking for a winter time replacement for them, since I just do the powder in my shakes in the warm months. These sound great!
Creatine used in gummy supplements are almost always heated, which can denature them like any other amino acid. In addition, it may not have been the creatine itself making you itchy! (Who knows what else was in the gummies—supplements are under far less scrutiny.) Because this is a food product and the creatine is never heated, you’ll probably be able to get a better sense of whether the ingredients used work well for you.
This part of your article is confusing: "Studies on creatine monohydrate and exercise are numerous, and the benefits are conclusive. But now, thanks to recent studies (including a new randomized controlled trial done with menopausal women), we’re seeing strong emerging evidence for other benefits..."
The RCT linked in this paragraph was conducted w/ creatine hydrochloride.
Great catch. Creatine monohydrate is the most widely available and most studied form. However, creatine hydrochloride (HCl) is believed to have superior solubility. As such, it's been hypothesized that you may be able to take a lower dose and achieve the same results as creatine monohydrate. A 2024 study comparing the two did find they were equally effective, but it's yet to be proven that the HCI form is more effective than creatine monohydrate.
Researchers chose the hydrochloride form for this study in an effort to use lower doses, and therefore minimize any potential GI side effects that can occur when taking larger doses of the monohydrate form. It was only an 8-week study, so participants didn't have time to slowly increase their monohydrate dose, as is often recommended. Those conducting the study believed using the HCl form could get people on an effective dose faster, with fewer issues.
The reason experts aren't recommending that people seek the HCl form in their personal supplementation is that (a) there aren't additional benefits beyond what you'd get from monohydrate, (b) it's far less accessible, and (c) when you can find it, it's more expensive.
Worth noting the study referenced was conducted on 36 participants (9 per study arm?), some who are perimenopausal and thus still producing hormones in a way that menopausal women do not.
It is also worth considering that this study was partially funded by the company whose products were being studied (Vireo Systems). I can't locate the entire article online, so can't read to see if there is a conflict of interest disclosure, but certainly need to keep this in mind.
I think it's early days before we can make claims about the application of creatine in peri/menopause.
All of this is important context, although I’m not up in arms about the funding. (How is a company working with creatine supposed to test a specific hypotheses without commissioning the studies? The only way I’d get a high-quality study published on the impact of Whole30 is if I paid for it.) Here is a great video explaining the limitations of this one study: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQR6J2JCiuY/?igsh=bmVnajV4Y3ppdWMy Were this an article JUST on creatine in menopause, I would have been able to go into far more detail on this specific study.
However, this isn’t the only study showing promise for brain health. There are others (one recent systematic meta-review, even) with strong findings on creatine’s support of memory, executive function, attention, and processing speed. Whether you’re in menopause or not, the impact on brain health is very promising, and brain fog, memory lapses, and inattention is a struggle shared by many.
They are not, so save them for your food freedom! The oats (grains) and fava bean protein (legumes) in MEAL ONE rule them out for your Whole30 elimination phase. The small amount of added sugar in the DAILY BAR also means they’re not compatible.
Creatine made my hair fall out…like in clumps! I know this is not the case for everyone, most people have no issue, but I did. Completely bums me out bc the research on its benefits is so positive for women!
Ugh, I am sorry you had that experience! That must have been scary. Especially as that’s not a typical reaction to creatine! (A recent 12-week randomized controlled trial found no significant difference in hair-related outcomes between the group taking creatine and the placebo group, and concluded that creatine does not appear to contribute to hair loss.) Of course, not everyone reacts to the same compounds and ingredients the same way. It’s obvious that in your specific context, the addition of creatine triggered something in your body. I share the study NOT to discount your personal experience, but to reassure others that this is not a typical side effect from creatine supplementation.
https://open.substack.com/pub/nwlehmann90/p/the-protein-aisle-supplement-thatAnd
I was taking a creatine supplement for a bit and was really liking the way my muscles had a little more “pop” from them. But my doctor told me to stop taking it after my annual bloodwork because my kidney levels were all off. She couldn’t be sure if it was just throwing off the bloodwork or actually causing kidney issues. I’m disappointed because it does seem so beneficial, especially for this stage of my life.
This is great information!! Thank you for sharing!
It’s certainly VERY promising research!
I was taking Create creatine gummies for a while and finally realized that they were making me itch?! so I have been looking for a winter time replacement for them, since I just do the powder in my shakes in the warm months. These sound great!
Creatine used in gummy supplements are almost always heated, which can denature them like any other amino acid. In addition, it may not have been the creatine itself making you itchy! (Who knows what else was in the gummies—supplements are under far less scrutiny.) Because this is a food product and the creatine is never heated, you’ll probably be able to get a better sense of whether the ingredients used work well for you.
This part of your article is confusing: "Studies on creatine monohydrate and exercise are numerous, and the benefits are conclusive. But now, thanks to recent studies (including a new randomized controlled trial done with menopausal women), we’re seeing strong emerging evidence for other benefits..."
The RCT linked in this paragraph was conducted w/ creatine hydrochloride.
Great catch. Creatine monohydrate is the most widely available and most studied form. However, creatine hydrochloride (HCl) is believed to have superior solubility. As such, it's been hypothesized that you may be able to take a lower dose and achieve the same results as creatine monohydrate. A 2024 study comparing the two did find they were equally effective, but it's yet to be proven that the HCI form is more effective than creatine monohydrate.
Researchers chose the hydrochloride form for this study in an effort to use lower doses, and therefore minimize any potential GI side effects that can occur when taking larger doses of the monohydrate form. It was only an 8-week study, so participants didn't have time to slowly increase their monohydrate dose, as is often recommended. Those conducting the study believed using the HCl form could get people on an effective dose faster, with fewer issues.
The reason experts aren't recommending that people seek the HCl form in their personal supplementation is that (a) there aren't additional benefits beyond what you'd get from monohydrate, (b) it's far less accessible, and (c) when you can find it, it's more expensive.
Worth noting the study referenced was conducted on 36 participants (9 per study arm?), some who are perimenopausal and thus still producing hormones in a way that menopausal women do not.
It is also worth considering that this study was partially funded by the company whose products were being studied (Vireo Systems). I can't locate the entire article online, so can't read to see if there is a conflict of interest disclosure, but certainly need to keep this in mind.
I think it's early days before we can make claims about the application of creatine in peri/menopause.
All of this is important context, although I’m not up in arms about the funding. (How is a company working with creatine supposed to test a specific hypotheses without commissioning the studies? The only way I’d get a high-quality study published on the impact of Whole30 is if I paid for it.) Here is a great video explaining the limitations of this one study: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQR6J2JCiuY/?igsh=bmVnajV4Y3ppdWMy Were this an article JUST on creatine in menopause, I would have been able to go into far more detail on this specific study.
However, this isn’t the only study showing promise for brain health. There are others (one recent systematic meta-review, even) with strong findings on creatine’s support of memory, executive function, attention, and processing speed. Whether you’re in menopause or not, the impact on brain health is very promising, and brain fog, memory lapses, and inattention is a struggle shared by many.
QQ -- I am doing Whole 30 right now -- are these bars (and the oatmeal) compliant? I don't think they are :(
They are not, so save them for your food freedom! The oats (grains) and fava bean protein (legumes) in MEAL ONE rule them out for your Whole30 elimination phase. The small amount of added sugar in the DAILY BAR also means they’re not compatible.
Creatine made my hair fall out…like in clumps! I know this is not the case for everyone, most people have no issue, but I did. Completely bums me out bc the research on its benefits is so positive for women!
Ugh, I am sorry you had that experience! That must have been scary. Especially as that’s not a typical reaction to creatine! (A recent 12-week randomized controlled trial found no significant difference in hair-related outcomes between the group taking creatine and the placebo group, and concluded that creatine does not appear to contribute to hair loss.) Of course, not everyone reacts to the same compounds and ingredients the same way. It’s obvious that in your specific context, the addition of creatine triggered something in your body. I share the study NOT to discount your personal experience, but to reassure others that this is not a typical side effect from creatine supplementation.