Before You Buy Creatine...

Creatine has survived decades of supplement shenanigans for one very good reason: it works.But women still get warned it’ll make them bloated, wreck their kidneys, make their hair fall out or turn them into something resembling a waterlogged linebacker.So I went through the evidence.In this episode of Muscle Over Menopause, I get into what creatine can realistically do for muscle and strength, why five grams a day makes sense, what that early scale bump actually is, and what we know about kidneys and hair loss.Then there’s the brain stuff.The research there is interesting, especially as we age, but interesting and proven are not the same thing. I’ll tell you where I think the evidence earns some excitement and where people have gotten fourteen miles ahead of it.And before I go, something different.A personal coda about midlife, regret, relationships, careers, your body, and the spectacular amount of life we can waste with our foot on the gas while staring into the rearview mirror.When you have effing idea what comes next, there’s one question worth asking:What is the next best step?In this episodeWhat creatine actually does when you liftThe new data in postmenopausal womenMuscle and strength gainsWhy the scale may go upWhether creatine causes bloatingThe emerging brain and cognition researchHair loss and DHTCreatine, creatinine and your kidneysWhy I wouldn’t buy it for bone densityWhy I use creatine monohydrateWhy five grams a day is plentyWhy you don’t need to load or cycle itOn agency, regret and starting from where you areGet inside the Training Lab:Training LabLifting Tips You Might Have Missed…Seated Hamstring Curl HackSecret to 3D ShouldersLearn a Proper Lat PulldownLeave a commentStudies & sourcesPubMedCreatine monohydrate for lean mass, strength, and bone density in postmenopausal womenPubMedCreatine and Cognition in Aging: A Systematic Review of Evidence in Older AdultsPubMedCONCRET-MENOPA randomized controlled trialPubMedSystematic review of creatine supplementation and cognitionPubMedDoes creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trialPubMedCreatine supplementation and kidney function: 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis Get full access to Michelle Burleson | Muscle Over Menopause at deepkimchi.substack.com/subscribe