Stacy Sims on Creatine
22 episodes · 106 references · 2025–2026
- Sims is a strong advocate for creatine, especially for women, emphasizing benefits for brain, gut, mood, and muscle across all life stages including pregnancy - Recommends 3–5g daily of creatine monohydrate (preferably Creapure), with a gradual phase-in protocol for women starting at 1.5g - Has used creatine personally for over a decade; no recommend-against stance, though she cautions about bloating from cheap brands or high-dose loading
Consumption
- Started taking creatine ~10 years ago to rebuild muscle after surgeries and return to racing - Has used creatine on and off throughout her athletic career, but committed after experiencing depressive episodes - Initially took ~10g (two teaspoons) on bad advice, causing severe nausea for three days before adjusting down
Benefits
- Powers all fast energetics in the body — brain function, heart health, gut integrity, and muscle contraction all require creatine - RCTs show creatine reduces depression and anxiety; women on 3–5g come out of depressive episodes faster than those on SSRIs alone - Maintains intestinal mucosal lining under stress, reducing IBS symptoms and GI distress, especially important for women
Best Practices
- Standard dose is 3–5g creatine monohydrate daily; women should phase in from 1.5g week one, 3g week two, 5g week three - Full saturation takes ~3 weeks; take every day including rest days — no acute effect from single doses - Use Creapure brand; avoid cheap acid-wash versions; for severe fatigue or depression, increase to 5g twice daily (morning and evening)
Cautions
- At 3–5g daily without carbohydrate, bloating and water retention are minimal; loading protocols (20g/day) cause significant water weight and GI discomfort - Cheap acid-wash creatine monohydrate causes bloating and stomach discomfort — quality matters - Elevated creatinine on blood tests is a normal metabolite of supplementation, not a sign of kidney damage; pause supplementation before retesting
“I started taking creatine probably about 10 years ago when I was trying to build muscle back after some surgeries and also trying to come back into a racing career.”
How to Use Creatine for Muscle, Brain Power & Better Recovery
“I have played with creatine off and on throughout my athletic career.”
Dr. Stacy Sims: Should women take creatine? A physiology-based masterclass for midlife hormones
“I really started focusing on it, taking Creatine and it's just the training load would be a little bit higher so that the recovery and the adaptation was a little bit better.”
Creatine for Women Over 40: Benefits for Muscle, Brain, Bone and Gut + How Much to Take
“I started taking creatine but I got... someone was like, oh, you know, take two teaspoons. So I was taking two teaspoons which was about 10 grams.”
Supplements I Recommend for Women (and How to Use Them Safely)
“Creatine is used in all the fast energetics of our body... brain function, gut function, heart health, all of that requires creatine.”
Dr. Stacy Sims: How Women Should Train, Eat & Recover for Long-Term Health | The Best of 2025
“Creatine is really important for improving brain metabolism and helping recovery from a concussion or TBI.”
What 3-5g of Creatine Daily Does for Women's Brain, Bones and Gut
“Creatine is part of the energetic system where every fast energetic in the body from the brain, the heart, the gut, and the muscle all require creatine as part of the fueling process.”
How to Use Creatine for Muscle, Brain Power & Better Recovery
“Creatine intensifies that amount of clearing out the tau plaques and allowing the brain to get back on its natural rhythm, which reduces that brain fog.”
Bone Density After 40: Why Walking Isn't Enough and What Actually Works
“Should you take it every single day? Yeah, absolutely.”
Stacy Sims: The 3 Supplements Women Actually Need
“For creatine, take three to five grams daily.”
Post-Menopause Weight Gain? How Protein, Fat & Training Rebuild Your Body after 40 | Dr. Stacy Sims
“For acute cognitive benefits during jet lag or shift work, you can take a large acute dose of creatine over the course of three to five days.”
5g or 10g of Creatine? What Women Need for Cognitive Health
“If we are doing smaller doses, so it's a 3 to five grams, there's no bloating or water weight gain, which is a concern a lot for women.”
Should YOU take Creatine? | Dr. Stacy Sims
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