Creatine: More Than Just a Muscle Supplement
- Dr. Brenda Tapp
- Jun 19
- 3 min read
Creatine is having its moment in the social media spotlight. Once seen as the domain of bodybuilders and high-performance athletes, it's now gaining traction among women, older adults, and even those recovering from cancer. And for good reason: creatine plays a key role in energy metabolism, brain health, and muscle maintenance—all of which matter far beyond the gym.
As always, context is everything. Let’s take a closer look at what creatine is, how it works, and whether it might have a place in integrative cancer care.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid made from three amino acids: methionine, glycine, and arginine. It's produced in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas, and is also found in animal-based foods like red meat and fish. Roughly 95% of creatine in the body is stored in skeletal muscle, with smaller amounts in the brain and other tissues.
In muscle, creatine is primarily stored as phosphocreatine, a quick-release energy reservoir that helps regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), your body’s main energy currency. This is especially important during short bursts of intense effort, like lifting weights, climbing stairs, or recovering from illness or injury.
Why Supplement?
While you can get some creatine from food, it’s often not enough to significantly elevate muscle stores, especially for vegetarians, vegans, and many women, who tend to consume less dietary creatine.
Creatine is generally well-tolerated, though some people experience temporary water retention or mild digestive discomfort.
Not recommended for: people with kidney or liver disease, or uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Also worth noting: up to one-third of people are “non-responders,” meaning supplementation doesn’t significantly boost their muscle creatine levels.
Women, Menopause, and Muscle
Most of the early research on creatine focused on male athletes. But emerging studies in women, particularly postmenopausal women, are promising. When combined with resistance training, creatine supplementation may help improve muscle mass, strength, and functional performance. One long-term study even showed improvements in bone of the hip, a marker of bone strength, though effects on bone density remain mixed.
Brain Benefits? Maybe.
Creatine is also involved in brain energy metabolism. Some early studies suggest it might support mood, memory, and cognitive performance, especially in sleep-deprived or older populations, but more data is needed.
What About Cancer?
This is where things get nuanced.
What We Know:
Small human studies in breast and prostate cancer have shown no performance benefit from creatine supplementation; however, these studies were short, I'm talking a week long.
Two ongoing trials are investigating creatine in breast cancer recovery, including one that pairs it with resistance training.
Animal and cell studies have shown mixed results. Some suggest creatine may slow tumor growth, while others suggest it might accelerate metastasis in breast, colorectal or pancreatic cancer. These were not human trials and should be interpreted cautiously.
One observational study suggested a potential link between higher dietary creatine and lower cancer risk, but such data is hard to interpret due to post-diagnosis dietary changes.
What We Don’t Know:
Whether creatine influences tumor biology in humans.
The ideal timing or dosing for use in cancer recovery.
Whether certain populations (e.g., menopausal women with muscle loss) benefit more than others.
Clinical Perspective: Strategic, Not Fearful
I’m not anti-creatine. In fact, I’m very much pro-creatine when used with intention.
Would I recommend creatine during active treatment for cancers like breast, colorectal or pancreatic? ... Likely not. But post-treatment? In someone recovering strength, rebuilding lean mass, or managing age-related muscle loss? Likely...particularly when paired with resistance training.
Women naturally have lower baseline creatine stores. Postmenopausal women may have 70–80% less creatine than men, contributing to fatigue, inflammation, and reduced physical resilience. Many men and women are put into surgical menopause or andropause, pharmaceutically induced andropause or menopause as part of their cancer treatment. In these cases, creatine could be a powerful ally if used strategically.
Final Thoughts
Creatine is not a cure-all, but it’s far more than just a muscle supplement. Used strategically, it may support energy metabolism, muscle function, and even recovery post-cancer.
The research is still evolving, but so far, creatine looks like a low-risk, potentially high-reward tool. As always, it’s best used under the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider who understands your full health history and goals.
If you’re wondering whether creatine is right for you, let’s have that conversation. Because this isn’t about trends, it’s about thoughtfully supporting your strength, energy, and long-term health.
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