The supplement women are stealing from gym bros

The locker room secret is out and creatine is in

Walk into any gym circa 2015, and you’d spot them instantly—the gym bros. Clad in neon Gymshark tanks, shaker bottles sloshing with vanilla choco-chip whey protein, tubs of various powders stacked in their lockers. Among these, creatine reigned supreme: whispered about in hushed tones, spooned into post-workout shakes, and considered the magic dust for biceps that bulged through T-shirts for that ultimate gym flex.

But that little scoop of white powder isn’t just fuelling deadlifts anymore. Women are now slipping it into their matcha lattes, blending it into smoothies, and adding it to wellness kits, right next to collagen sachets and vitamin C fizzy tablets. Creatine has officially made the leap from gym-bro territory to women’s wellness, and science is here to back up the trend.

Creatine 101: What’s the scoop?

Creatine is a non-protein compound that occurs naturally in our bodies. “Your liver, kidneys and pancreas naturally produce about one to two grams of creatine in a day. Most of it is stored in our muscles, where it plays a crucial role in producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s main source of cellular energy, ” explains Dr. Kiran Sethi, dermatologist, wellness expert and founder of Isya Aesthetics. Think of ATP as your phone battery, and creatine as the power bank that keeps it charged when you’re running low.

Outside of what your body creates on its own, the only real way to top up creatine is through what’s on your plate. Spoiler: it doesn’t come from your kale salad or quinoa bowl. Samreedhi Goel, a Mumbai-based nutritionist and fitness expert says, “We often get creatine from animal-based foods like red meat, poultry and fish—think pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, salmon, cod and tuna. Plant-based foods contain little to no creatine, so vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower muscle creatine stores.”

Creatine is having a hot girl moment

For years, women were nudged to stay lean rather than strong, and anything associated with building muscle was quietly excluded from mainstream wellness conversations. But today, that narrative has changed. With more women embracing weight training, experimenting with strength-based yoga flows, and prioritising long-term health over quick fixes, creatine is finally stepping into the spotlight. Add to that the fact that women naturally have lower creatine reserves than men, supplementation doesn’t just become relevant, but also game-changing.

“The amount of creatine produced by our bodies naturally is not enough to fully saturate your muscles, especially if you’re active,” says Sethi. “Supplementing not only improves strength and power in workouts, but also reduces muscle damage and inflammation to support faster recovery.” Creatine is also a powerful tool, for women especially, to maintain lean muscle while aging, losing fat, or dieting. “It’s even being used to counter muscle loss in people on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy,” she adds.

The benefits, however, don’t stop at the gym. Goel highlights creatine’s role in bone and brain health: “Creatine boosts energy and workout performance, which indirectly supports bone density when paired with strength training. This is especially important for Indian women, who are more prone to osteoporosis after menopause due to hormonal shifts. Beyond that, it improves focus, alertness, and mood, while helping the brain manage stress. Younger women may notice better energy and metabolism, while women in their 40s gain support for memory, resilience, and mobility.”

Think of creatine as your secret stash of energy, your mid-life wingwoman, and the cheat code that makes workouts (and life) feel easier. For Indian women juggling work, home, travel and everything in between, it’s shaping up to be that one small scoop with a big payoff.

How to use it (without overcomplicating your life)

Unlike diets that make you wake up at 5 am to drink concoctions of lemon water with 20 types of seeds or have mushroom tea at 11:11 pm before sleeping—creatine is refreshingly low-effort. Just stir and sip. The only version you need is its purest form called creatine monohydrate: safe, affordable, and the most researched supplement on the shelf. It’s tasteless and dissolves well, so you can slip it into water, coffee, smoothies, or even your protein shake without noticing a thing. “All you need is a steady three to five grams a day, and with consistent use, you should start to see the benefits in a few months,” says Sethi.

When should you take it? “Honestly, the best time is after your workout,” she adds.

Debunking those Whatsapp forwards

Like most things in wellness, creatine has had a bad rap for everything from bloating to balding thanks to Whatsapp forwards on your family groups. But before you write it off, let’s cut through the noise and see what actually holds up.

“Creatine makes you bloated”
Not the kind you’re thinking of. “Creatine increases water inside your muscle cells, making them more hydrated. It does not cause water accumulation under the skin, which is what people usually mean by bloat,” explains Goel. Your jeans won’t suddenly feel tighter—the only thing that might change is the number on the scale, and that’s stored energy, not fat.

“Creatine makes you bulky”
Nope. It doesn’t cause masculine bulking. “Women naturally have lower testosterone, so creatine leads to toned definition and strength, not bulk,” explains Sethi. So it won’t turn you into The Hulk, at best, you will look like Deepika Padukone in Pathaan. Now, who doesn’t want that?

“It’s bad for your kidneys”
“While creatine should be avoided by anyone with pre-existing kidney conditions, in healthy individuals, decades of research show no harm when used within the recommended dosage,” says Sethi. If your blood test flags higher creatinine, that’s just a normal by-product of creatine usage, not kidney damage. “Like any supplement, it’s good to check with your GP before starting creatine,” she adds.

“Creatine is a steroid”
Absolutely not. Creatine’s bad rap comes from Major League Baseball’s so-called ‘steroid era’, when athletes happened to use both at the same time. In reality, creatine is a naturally-occurring compound, not a performance-enhancing drug.

“Creatine causes hair loss”
This rumour is based on a small 2009 study on men that suggested creatine might raise DHT, a hormone linked to hair thinning. But as Goel clarifies, “No large-scale studies have ever confirmed this.” So no, your scoop of creatine isn’t plotting against your hairline.

“It’ll keep you awake”
Creatine isn’t a stimulant like coffee. It doesn’t give you the jitters, and it won’t mess with your sleep. In fact, it can help offset tiredness when you’re sleep-deprived. Though sadly, it won’t excuse your late-night Netflix binges.

Now that you’re privy to the benefits, the key to getting your creatine fix involves picking a clean option without unnecessary fillers or additives. Look for products that list only creatine monohydrate on the label and feel the difference.