Creatine and Bone Health: What Women Need to Know

Creatine has been studied for bone health in women, especially after menopause, but the evidence is mixed: one year-long trial saw less bone loss at the hip, while a larger two-year trial and a meta-analysis found no extra benefit on bone mineral density. Gummy Gardens believes women deserve that honest picture, along with the part that is well supported: creatine plus strength training supports muscle, and muscle and bone work together.

Here is what the main studies found, why they disagree, and what it means for your routine.

Why would creatine matter for bones at all?

Bones respond to load. When muscles pull on bone during exercise, bone cells get the signal to maintain or rebuild. Stronger muscles can produce more of that load, so anything that helps you train harder could, in theory, help bone indirectly.

Creatine also matters more for women than many people realise. Women have 70 to 80% lower natural creatine stores than men, and menopause changes how the body handles creatine (Smith-Ryan et al., 2021). That review describes favorable effects on bone in postmenopausal women when creatine is combined with resistance training, while making clear that more research is needed.

What did the first year-long trial find?

In a double-blind trial, postmenopausal women did supervised resistance training three days a week for 12 months and took either creatine or a placebo (Chilibeck et al., 2015).

• The creatine group lost less bone mineral density at the femoral neck (part of the hip): -1.2% compared with -3.9% with placebo.
• Creatine also increased femoral shaft width, a predictor of bone bending strength.
• Relative bench press strength rose more with creatine (64% vs 34%).
• There were no group differences in most other bone measures, and kidney and liver markers stayed normal.

That was an encouraging result, but it came from a relatively small group: 47 women started and 33 were analysed.

What did the larger two-year trial find?

The same research group then ran a bigger and longer study: 237 postmenopausal women, average age 59, took creatine or placebo for two years during a resistance training and walking program (Chilibeck et al., 2023).

• Creatine had no effect on bone mineral density at the femoral neck, total hip or lumbar spine.
• It did help maintain some measures of bone geometry at the hip that predict bending strength.
• Creatine improved walking time but did not change one-repetition maximum strength.
• In women who completed the program as planned, creatine increased lean tissue mass compared with placebo.

So the bigger trial did not repeat the bone density finding, although it hinted at effects on bone shape and on lean mass.

What does the meta-analysis say?

A 2018 meta-analysis pooled five randomized trials of creatine plus resistance training in adults over 50 or postmenopausal, with 193 participants in total (Forbes et al., 2018). Two of the individual studies reported bone benefits, but the pooled result showed no greater effect on whole-body, hip, femoral neck or lumbar spine bone mineral density compared with resistance training alone. The authors called for longer trials with more frequent training.

Put all three together and the fair summary is: creatine's effect on bone density is unproven, with some signals on bone structure that need more study.

So what actually supports strong bones?

The consistent message across this research is that resistance training is the foundation. Every one of these trials paired creatine with structured strength work, because loading bone is what drives adaptation.

Where creatine has stronger evidence is muscle. Creatine combined with resistance training supports strength and lean mass, and it has a long safety record in healthy adults (Kreider et al., 2017). A recent review of women's health research describes positive effects on muscle strength, exercise performance and body composition, particularly with resistance training, and highlights menopause as an area that needs more work (Smith-Ryan et al., 2025).

Other bone basics still matter: enough calcium, vitamin D and protein, regular weight-bearing activity, and a conversation with your doctor about bone screening at the right age. For the muscle side of healthy aging, see our guide to creatine and lean muscle as you age.

How do women typically take creatine?

Most daily-use research centres on 5g of creatine a day. Creatine builds up in muscle over time with daily use, so consistency matters more than timing; take it whenever you will remember.

A Gummy Gardens serving is 4 gummies for 5g of creatine. Each bag holds 120 gummies, or 30 servings, a one-month supply. Choose Low Sugar creatine gummies in Mixed Berry, Mandarin Orange, Cherry Apple or Pineapple, or Sugar Free creatine gummies in Tropical. Our complete guide to creatine for women covers dosing, safety and common questions.

Frequently asked questions

Does creatine increase bone density in women?

The evidence is mixed. A 12-month trial found less hip bone loss with creatine, but a larger two-year trial and a 2018 meta-analysis found no extra effect on bone mineral density compared with training alone.

Is there any bone-related benefit at all?

The two-year trial found creatine helped maintain some measures of hip bone geometry linked to bending strength. That is an interesting signal, not a proven benefit, and it needs more research.

Do I need to strength train for creatine to matter?

In every bone study discussed here, creatine was paired with resistance training. Training is the foundation for both muscle and bone; creatine supports the muscle side.

How much creatine should women take?

Most daily-use research centres on 5g a day. A Gummy Gardens serving of 4 gummies provides 5g of creatine.

Is creatine safe after menopause?

Creatine has a strong safety record in healthy adults, and kidney and liver markers stayed normal in the year-long trial. Talk to your doctor first if you have a medical condition or take medication.

Gummy Gardens makes 5g creatine gummies so the muscle-supporting habit is easy to keep. A bag is $40, a 3-pack subscription is $96 (save $24, 20%), and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee, one per customer.

This article is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement.

Sources

• Smith-Ryan AE et al. (2021). Creatine Supplementation in Women's Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients.
• Chilibeck PD et al. (2015). Effects of Creatine and Resistance Training on Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
• Chilibeck PD et al. (2023). A 2-yr Randomized Controlled Trial on Creatine Supplementation during Exercise for Postmenopausal Bone Health. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
• Forbes SC et al. (2018). Creatine Supplementation During Resistance Training Does Not Lead to Greater Bone Mineral Density in Older Humans: A Brief Meta-Analysis. Front Nutr.
• Kreider RB et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.
• Smith-Ryan AE et al. (2025). Creatine in women's health: bridging the gap from menstruation through pregnancy to menopause. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.