By Dr. David LaMond, Medical Director, Blue Sky MD
When you hear the word creatine, you might think of bodybuilders or professional athletes. But the truth is, creatine is one of the safest, most well-studied supplements available — and its benefits go far beyond the gym.
At Blue Sky MD, we recommend simple, evidence-based approaches — and creatine is one of the few supplements that consistently delivers.
Here’s what you should know about creatine — and why it might be worth considering for your health goals, especially if you’re looking to support your muscles, brain, or mood.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found mostly in your muscles and brain. Your body produces some creatine on its own, and you also get small amounts from foods like red meat and fish.
When you take creatine as a supplement, you boost your body’s ability to create energy rapidly — especially during short bursts of intense activity like strength training or sprinting.
Proven Benefits of Creatine
Muscle Health
- Creatine supplementation can improve strength, muscle growth, and short-term endurance by 5–15%.
- It’s especially effective for high-intensity activities such as lifting weights, HIIT workouts, or sprinting.
- Some research even suggests creatine can help with muscle recovery and may reduce the risk of injuries.
“Creatine is not just for athletes. It’s one of the most well-researched, safest supplements for everyday muscle and brain health.”
Brain Health
- Exciting research shows that creatine may help support memory and cognitive function.
- A major review of 16 clinical trials found that people supplementing with creatine performed better on certain types of memory tasks.
Special Benefits for Women
Women often have lower natural creatine levels than men because of differences in muscle mass and dietary intake.
This means women may experience even greater benefits from creatine supplementation.
Potential benefits for women include:
- Improved muscle tone and strength.
- Mood support — early studies suggest creatine may help reduce symptoms of mild depression.
- Support through hormonal changes such as during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause.
“Women may benefit even more from creatine — supporting muscle tone, memory, and mood during hormonal changes.”
Is Creatine Safe?
For most healthy adults, yes—creatine is a safe and effective supplement.
Creatine has been studied for decades and has a strong safety record.
If you’re pregnant, however, the guidance is more cautious:
- Animal studies suggest creatine is safe during pregnancy.
- However, because we don’t yet have enough human studies, I recommend discontinuing creatine during pregnancy unless future research confirms it’s completely safe.
Important Tip About Lab Testing
Because creatine can slightly raise blood creatinine levels (a normal breakdown product), it can sometimes make your kidney function tests look abnormal even if your kidneys are perfectly healthy.
“If you’re getting lab work done, simply pause creatine for 5–7 days beforehand to ensure accurate kidney function results.”
This simple step avoids confusion and helps your providers get the clearest picture of your health.
How Much Should You Take?
- Most people benefit from a straightforward, daily dose of 3–5 grams of creatine monohydrate.
- There’s no need for complicated loading phases or cycling.
- Women can take the same dose as men — and may even see greater benefits because of naturally lower baseline levels.
Bottom Line
Creatine is a safe, affordable, and effective supplement for supporting strength, brain health, and mood — benefits that are especially important as we age or experience hormonal changes.
At Blue Sky MD, we’re here to help you navigate safe, personalized options for optimizing your health.
If you’re interested in adding creatine to your plan — or want to discuss other ways to support your muscle, brain, and metabolic health — our team is ready to help. Take our free online health assessment to find out if you’re a good fit for our medical weight loss or hormone therapy programs.
