Like a true all-in-one, creatine touches on several key biological processes linked to healthy ageing [1,2]:

• Helping preserve muscle mass and strength while reducing catabolism (i.e. breakdown)
• Powering up brain energy
• Lowering chronic inflammation (“inflammageing”!) and oxidative stress
• Backing up cellular growth and metabolic pathways.

One of the biggest challenges of ageing is muscle loss (aka sarcopenia)—a condition that can limit mobility, reduce independence, and raise the risk of falls. It’s especially relevant for women after menopause.

The good news?

Clinical trials confirm creatine supplementation (5-3 g/day, or up to 20 g/day in some protocols), when paired with regular exercise, is able to boost lean body mass and muscle strength in older adults [1]. 

Even simple movements, like getting up from a chair, can become easier with improved strength.

A study in menopausal women found that creatine may help maintain the shape and structure of bones, which could make them less prone to fractures [3].

However, evidence to date is limited, and whether creatine directly improves bone health remains unclear and inconsistent. 

It’s still worth noting that supporting muscle mass can help keep your bones healthy.

Ageing is one “risk” factor for creatine deficits in the brain, with brain cells experiencing energetic stress (i.e. a lack of energy/ATP molecules), which can lead to decreased cognitive performance.

The benefits of creatine supplementation appear most consistent for memory and situations of increased energy demand—particularly in older adults [4].

For example, supplementation has shown memory benefits with 20 g per day for one week, followed by 5 g per day for another week [5].

While many studies suggest a key role for creatine in improving cognitive function, evidence for broad prevention of neurodegenerative disease or long‑term neuroprotection in humans is still emerging and under active investigation.

Still, supplementation could benefit people with a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (i.e. carriers of the ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E) [1].

Creatine as part of the diet?

Natural main sources of creatine include meat, fish and cheese—providing approximately 0.1 to 1 g per 100 g of food.

Supplementing with creatine?

Muscle creatine levels—and consequently muscle gains—are enhanced when creatine is taken alongside carbohydrates and protein, IF consumed immediately before and after resistance training (with the daily dose split into 2 servings) [6].

Does Intake Timing Matter?

• Pre- and post-exercise

Peri-exercise (i.e. pre- and post-exercise) creatine intake has been shown to be an effective strategy for achieving greater gains in lean tissue mass [7]. 

The intake should ideally occur immediately before or/and after training, or within 1 hour of exercise, and at most within 5 hours post-exercise.

A study showed that peri-exercise intake combined with protein and carbohydrate co-ingestion resulted in a greater increase in muscle creatine than consuming the same nutrients at non‑peri-exercise times [6].

• On training days only

Creatine supplementation on training days only, when combined with protein intake, can be sufficient to achieve results [7]. Two studies have highlighted this approach—see the specific conditions and outcomes below:

What Is the Recommended Maintenance Dose?

An adult human weighing around 70 kg typically requires about 2 g of creatine per day to restore continuously depleting creatine stores—this amount comes partly from the diet and partly from endogenous synthesis [1].

While specific dosages may vary between studies, 3-5 g per day appears effective and convenient for most healthy adults.

Higher-doses—ranging from 5 to 20 g per day—have also been shown to be safe and, in some cases, produce greater benefits, particularly for improving age-related outcomes [1]. 

Does a Loading Phase Improve Results?

A loading dose—typically 20 g per day for 5-7 days—saturation of muscle and brain creatine, allowing benefits to appear more quickly.

Actually, this strategy, combined with resistance training, appears particularly effective for increasing lean muscle mass in older adults [7].

• Generally safe in healthy adults, with 3-5 g per day for maintenance, and up to 20 g per day during a loading phase [1].
• Without adverse cardiovascular effects [9], nor detrimental changes on oxidative stress markers [10] and renal function [1].
• Further studies are still needed to assess creatine interactions with specific drugs, such as Hormone Replacement Therapy. Interestingly, a creatine-rich diet has been linked with lower odds of HRT use in US women [11].
• Evidence during pregnancy or breastfeeding remains limited.

Although creatine is generally safe, here’s the recommended checklist before high‑dose or long‑term use:

• Check product quality
• Follow dosing guidance
• If clinical concern exists, renal disease should be tested before
• If pregnant or breastfeeding, discuss with a healthcare provider
• A loading phase (typically 20 g/day) may cause gastrointestinal discomfort [7]

• Creatine influences several biological processes implicated in healthy ageing—particularly muscle growth, brain energy metabolism and inflammatory balance.

• Timing, resistance training, and protein intake are important for ensuring/optimising results.

• Both low and high dosages can give results if combined with the appropriate protocol (timing, exercise, protein intake).

• Creatine is generally safe, though medical advice may be needed in certain situations (e.g. pregnancy, breastfeeding, renal disease).

• Cognitive benefits are most evident for memory and tasks with high energy demands.