5 Best Creatine Supplements For Women (A Nutritionist’s Favorites)

Creatine is one of the most popular supplements on the market for women looking to improve performance in the gym, lose weight, recover faster, and even increase cognitive function.

But while most creatines are marketed towards men, there are some excellent creatines that give women all the benefits of this widely-studied supplement.

In this review of the top creatines for women, we look at the science-backed benefits of creatine supplementation for females, list the best creatines on the market, and answer your most pressing questions as it relates to creatine for women.

Let’s dive right in.

Best Creatines for Women – Quick Look

After testing and using 52 different creatine supplements for women, our most highly recommended and effective creatine is Ultimate CRN-5 from Crazy Supplements.

We love it because:

Uses scientifically-backed creatines
Multiple creatines for maximum effect
Different flavors for better palatability
Easy to digest
Cheaper price point with subscription (30% discount)

The Ultimate CRN-5 Creatine is available exclusively at Crazy Nutrition’s website, which you can access below.

For women looking for a different creatine, we will further analyze and evaluate the most popular creatines on the market below.

Understanding the Benefits of Creatine for Women

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that provides energy to muscles during high-intensity, short-burst efforts such as sprinting, resistance training, and weightlifting.

While creatine can be found in small amounts in food such as red meat and fish, it’s most commonly taken as a supplement, either in powder or capsule form.

Creatine is also exceptionally safe, being one of the most widely studied supplements on the planet.

Here is a quick look at the benefits of creatine supplements for women:

Improved exercise performance – Creatine has been shown countless times to increase overall exercise performance. Whether you are doing resistance training, sprinting, high-intensity interval training, or submaximal cardiovascular exercise, creatine supplements will help women perform faster, longer, and stronger (Kreider et al., 2003).

Increased energy – Creatine helps to increase energy by increasing phosphocreatine stores. This creates more ATP, the fuel your body runs on—faster than your body can naturally produce it—and produces more overall energy (Graef et al., 2009).

Increased strength and muscle mass – In a study of the most effective dietary supplements for muscle growth, creatine alone reigns supreme. A meta-analysis of peer-reviewed studies from 1967 to 2001 showed creatine to be the most effective supplement for lean muscle mass gain and strength improvement (Nissen et al., 2005). Creatine also got bonus points for safety and affordability.

Faster muscle recovery – One of the key mechanisms of creatine for women is that it helps your muscles recover faster after a strenuous workout. Creatine mitigates recovery time by reducing muscle damage and promoting a faster recovery time between workouts (Wax et al., 2021).

Enhanced cognitive function – Creatine is not only good for energy and muscles, but it can also improve cognitive function. Research has shown that creatine can slow brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and even ALS (Klivenyi et al., 1999). Another study showed that just two weeks of creatine significantly increased overall memory and recall (McMorris et al., 2007).

Safe and well-tolerated – Creatine is one of the most studied supplements on the planet. In a position statement for creatine, the International Society of Sports Nutrition notes that creatine is not only safe but that there is no evidence that short- or long-term use “has any detrimental effects on otherwise healthy individuals.”

Next, we will dive into the best-reviewed creatines for women.

The Best Creatine Supplements for Women

#1. Crazy Nutrition Ultimate CRN-5 Creatine Powder

Best overall creatine for women

Crazy Nutrition’s Ultimate CRN-5 Creatine is our recommended creatine for women, and the competition is not even close.

Made out of the UK, the CRN-5 Creatine is packed with four different types of creatine for maximum benefit in the gym.

Each serving contains 3,750mg of creatine monohydrate. It also has a couple of creatine compounds that expand on the already sizable benefits of creatine monohydrate, including:

D-Creatine malate (500mg) – A combination of creatine and malic acid. Malic acid is an organic acid found in fruits and is believed to increased energy production and reduce muscle fatigue.
Tri-Create malate (500mg) – Another combo of creatine and malate, which supports antioxidative defenses and improves mitochondrial function (Wu et al., 2011).
Tri-Creatine Pyruvate (500mg) – Creatine pyruvate is another form of creatine. It’s been tested extensively, with one study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition showing positive effects on both maximal power and endurance in a group over 50 adults (Jager et al., 2008).

The Ultimate CRN-5 Creatine also has some electrolytes in it (potassium and sodium) to reduce dehydration and increased endurance during those long workouts at the gym.

Additionally, for women who don’t like the taste of creatine (and who does, really), Crazy Supplements offers the CRN-5 in two different flavors for easier intake. The CRN-5 Creatine comes in either lemon & lime or orange & mango flavor.

While not the cheapest creatine for women on the market, it’s easily the most effective and packed with proven, science-backed creatines and ingredients.

Individual bottles of Ultimate CRN-5 cost $64, but you can save big by subscribing (30% discount when you subscribe).

Pros:

Contains creatine monohydrate plus three creatine variants for maximum effectiveness
Multiple flavors that taste good
Electrolytes for reducing dehydration
Save money by subscribing (30% discount)

Cons:

Individual bottles are a little pricey

Shop Crazy Nutrition Ultimate CRN-5 Creatine

#2. Bulk Supplements Creatine Monohydrate

Best inexpensive creatine monohydrate for women

Creatine monohydrate is the most popular type of creatine. It’s inexpensive, effective, and did we mention that it isn’t expensive?

Our favorite budget-friendly creatine monohydrate for women is the Bulk Supplements. Each pack contains nearly 100 servings, which would last the typical woman 100 days with 5g daily servings.

The creatine is made in a GMP-compliant facility to ensure quality packaging, manufacture, and purity.

While the Bulk Supplements Creatine Monohydrate is very inexpensive and of high quality, like most creatine monohydrates doesn’t taste great when ingested on its own.

My recommendation? Mix it with one of your shakes, whether it’s a preworkout or a juicy smoothy.

Pros:

Best inexpensive creative monohydrate for women
Manufactured according to GMP standards for purity
Mix with your favorite preworkout or shakes

Cons:

Doesn’t taste great when consumed on its own

Shop Bulk Supplements Creatine Monohydrate at Amazon

#3. Con-Cret Creatine HCL Capsules

Best creatine capsules for women

One of the complaints many lifters and women have about taking creatine is that the powder can be difficult to drink because of taste. Additionally, if the creatine powder is not thoroughly mixed, the clumps can lead to indigestion.

Enter creatine capsules! The Con-Cret Creatine Capsules are perfect for women who are weary of creatine because of bloating and upset stomachs.

Because the creatine is micronized, they provide superior uptake and solubility compared to cheaper creatine monohydrate powders.

Con-Cret Creatine Capsules are a little more expensive compared to regular creatines for women, but they pay for themselves with the reduced indigestion and stomach issues for creatine that isn’t completely soluble.

Con-cret recommends taking the capsules around 30-60 minutes before your workouts for maximum effectiveness.

Pros:

Capsule form; no mixing required
More soluble compared to powders
Micronized creatine that is easy to take

Cons:

Pricey

Shop Con-Cret Creatine Capsules at Amazon

#4. Optimum Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate

Best creatine for woman athletes

For women who want a creatine from one of the most trusted supplement brands in the gym, look no further than the Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Powder.

Optimum Nutrition is one of the best and most reputable creatine brands in the business.

Their creatine monohydrate is a perfect example of why, with a 5g creatine monohydrate per serving that is certified to free of banned substances, making it a great choice for women competing in sports that are tested by WADA or other drug-testing organizations.

Note: Always double-check with your sporting organization to ensure that your supplements are certified athlete-friendly.

The creatine powder is fairly easy to mix, is keto-friendly (i.e. no hidden carbs in the powder to bring you out of ketosis), and is available in either serving sizes of 60 or 120.

But like other unflavored creatine powders, this creatine doesn’t taste great when consumed on its own.

Pros:

Perfect creatine for female athletes
Quality supplement brand
Keto-friendly
Multiple serving size options

Cons:

Doesn’t taste great

Shop Optimum Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate at Amazon

#5. Jocko Fuel Creatine Monohydrate Powder

Jock Willink is a former Navy Seal commander turned podcaster, leadership consultant, author, and now, a supplement brand!

The Jocko Fuel Creatine is a 100% monohydrate formula that dissolves fast, has little of the yucky taste typical of many creatine monohydrates, and is easy on the stomach.

And while it screams masculine energy, the Jocko Fuel Creatine is absolutely appropriate for females, too.

Reviews of the powder consistently rave about the solubility, minimal bloating, and effectiveness.

Each order contains enough for 90 servings of 5g per day.

Shop Jocko Fuel Creatine Monohydrate at Amazon.

How to Choose the Right Creatine for Women

Here are the key things women should know when shopping around for a creatine supplement:

Purity and Quality – Look for supplements that are made in certified manufacturing facilities to ensure purity and quality. Third-party testing, such as NSF, GMO, and GMP help ensure that you are getting a reliable product.

Creatine types – A majority of creatines use 100% creatine monohydrate. It’s the most research and well-established type of creatine and is considered safe for men and women.

Minimal additives – Check the label and ingredient list for unnecessary additives and fillers. Women should opt for creatines that have minimal added ingredients to ensure they’re consuming a supplement that aligns with dietary needs and preferences.

Dosage and serving size – Most of the research with creatine has shown that 3-5g of daily creatine supplementation is most effective for lean muscle growth, improved cognitive function, and reduced overall fat-body mass. While most creatine brands will recommend 5g per day, most women can get maximum benefit with 3g per day.

Ease of consumption – Creatine comes in either powder or capsule form. Powders require thorough mixing to reduce bloating and indigestion, while capsules can take some of the guesswork out of the equation when it comes to completely ingesting creatine and avoiding stomach issues.

Medical considerations – While creatine has been tested among large variations of the population, if you have any underlying medical conditions or are taking medications, consult with a healthcare professional before adding any new supplement to your regimen, including creatine. This is especially important for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Creatines for Women – FAQs

Is creatine safe for women to take?

Creatine appears to be safe for women to take, with potential benefits throughout various stages of female reproduction.

Differences in creatine kinetics between genders exist, including higher intramuscular creatine concentrations in females.

Hormone-related changes during menstruation, pregnancy, and aging impact creatine bioavailability. Maternal creatine supplementation during pregnancy shows promise in protecting against fetal damage and promoting neuronal health.

In the brain, creatine supplementation might support mood improvement and address traumatic brain injury effects, which are particularly relevant for females.

Studies suggest positive outcomes with creatine supplementation in younger and postmenopausal females (Candow et al., 2019), improving muscle mass, strength, functionality, and bone health.

The documented risks associated with creatine supplementation are minimal when compared to its potential benefits for females.

Should pregnant women take creatine?

Creatine is considered safe for pregnant women (Dickinson et al., 2014). It has been shown to enhance muscle mass, performance, and cellular energetics (Wynn et al., 2007).

By maintaining tissue energy levels and preventing oxidative stress, creatine supplementation can prevent tissue injury induced by hypoxia and circulatory collapse. It also stabilizes mitochondrial membranes and modulates brain receptor systems.

In pregnancy, where hypoxia and oxidative stress are common, creatine's protective effects on organ systems, including the brain, suggest its potential use as a prophylactic therapy or adjunct treatment, particularly in cases of preterm birth or hypoxic-ischemic events.

When should women take creatine?

Research has shown that creatine monohydrate taken after strength training elicits greater improvement in reduced fat mass and increased lean muscle tissue compared to taking it before resistance training (Ciccone & Antonio, 2013).

Consider adding creatine to your post-workout nutrition for maximum effectiveness.

How much creatine should women take each day?

Women can generally take the same recommended daily dose of creatine as men, which is around 3 to 5 grams per day. This dosage has been shown to be effective in enhancing muscle strength and power (Benzi & Ceci, 2001).

However, individual responses to creatine may vary, so it's advisable to start with a lower dose (e.g., 3 grams) and assess how your body responds.

Always consult with a healthcare professional before beginning any supplementation regimen, especially if you have underlying health conditions or concerns.

How much does creatine help women exercise better?

One meta-analysis looked at over 500 creatine studies to examine how much of a performance boost creatine provided.

Here are the improvements that happened when participants short-term creatine supplementation:

Maximum power/strength: 5-15% improvement
Work performed during maximal muscle contractions: 5-15%
Single effort performance: 1-5%

Creatine has been shown to be an effective performance aid for all types of athletes and gymgoers.

Conclusion

Wrapping things up, choosing the best creatine for women requires considering your workout goals, the type of creatine you want to use, purity, dosage, and overall quality.

Remember that the journey towards better health and fitness is unique for each woman. And of course, creatine isn’t a silver bullet for poor nutrition and inconsistent exercise.

Get your nutrition dialed in, hit the gym regularly, and add creatine to get that last level of improvement.

To recap our top choice for the top creatine for women, our runaway favorite is Crazy Nutrition’s Ultimate CRN-5 Creatine thanks to its multi-creatine formula, multiple flavors, and discounted price for subscriptions.

Shop CRN-5 Creatine by Clicking Here

Order your first batch of creatine today, and speed up your journey to a fitter, healthier you.

Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.