Creatine beyond sport: women, vegans and clinical groups
What it found
In women, vegans and people with certain illnesses, creatine supplements may improve physical performance, thinking skills and energy use.
The authors say most evidence supports creatine monohydrate over other forms.
What they found
Studies in people
Women and menstrual cycle
Women generally have lower muscle creatine levels than men. One study found creatine taken during the luteal phase reduced fatigue after a sprint test, but no significant change was seen during the follicular phase.
Vegans and vegetarians
People on plant-based diets tend to have lower creatine stores in muscle, blood and red blood cells, though brain levels were similar to meat eaters. Some research found they may get a larger boost in muscle phosphocreatine from supplements than omnivores, but other studies did not confirm this.
Muscle wasting conditions
In people with muscular dystrophy, creatine supplements raised low creatine and phosphocreatine levels and led to noticeable improvements in muscle strength. Long-term studies are still needed for each type of myopathy.
Parkinson's and Huntington's
In Huntington's patients, 8 g per day for 16 weeks lowered a marker of oxidative DNA damage, but other studies found no change in disease progression. In Parkinson's, one study reported a reduction in dopaminergic therapy, but long-term studies found no clinical benefit on disease progression scales.
Studies in people and animals
Brain and thinking
Creatine supplements improved memory, attention and mental fatigue in some studies, especially under stress. But other longer studies found no improvement in thinking skills with 10 g or 20 g per day for 6 weeks compared to a placebo.
Heart and blood vessels
Creatine may improve blood vessel function and blood flow, and in heart failure patients it may improve heart energy, contraction and exercise tolerance. Some of the antioxidant effects were shown in animal models.
What the authors conclude
“In summary, creatine monohydrate supplementation can enhance physical performance, cognitive function, and overall health in women, vegans, and clinical populations.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that creatine monohydrate supplementation can enhance physical performance, cognitive function, and overall health in women, vegans, and clinical populations.
- They advise a consistent daily dose of 3 to 5 g of creatine monohydrate for those using it for brain or clinical reasons.
- They recommend that women, vegans, or individuals with clinical conditions consult with dietitians or healthcare professionals before starting creatine.
How it was done
Most creatine research has been done in men and athletes, leaving gaps for women, vegans and people with health conditions. The authors wanted to pull together what is known for these groups and compare different creatine types.
The authors gathered and described published studies on creatine in women, vegans and vegetarians, and people with conditions such as muscle wasting, Parkinson's, Huntington's, heart disease and chronic fatigue syndrome. They also compared creatine monohydrate with other forms like creatine ethyl ester, gluconate, citrate and magnesium chelate.
What it can’t tell you
- Many of the studies in women, vegans and clinical groups are small or short-term, so the long-term effects are not clear.
- Some findings come from animal or lab studies, which cannot show what happens in people.
- This is a narrative review, so it cannot prove cause and effect; it only describes what the included studies found.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
- Authors work at
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Spain; Rey Juan Carlos University, Spain; University of Extremadura, Spain
The paper
- Title
- Creatine Supplementation Beyond Athletics: Benefits of Different Types of Creatine for Women, Vegans, and Clinical Populations-A Narrative Review
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Gutiérrez-Hellín J, Del Coso J, Franco-Andrés A, et al (2024). Creatine Supplementation Beyond Athletics: Benefits of Different Types of Creatine for Women, Vegans, and Clinical Populations-A Narrative Review. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu17010095Free full textPubMed 39796530DOI
Summary written 29 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error