A new study suggests that this supplement could help you build muscle in midlife—without hitting the gym

Anyone with a passing interest in living well for longer should know by now that strength training can help arrest the decline of muscle mass that naturally occurs with age.

But new research suggests middle-aged adults can add muscle mass just by supplementing with creatine.

A 12-week clinical trial from researchers at Texas A&M found that taking it regularly builds and maintains muscle mass and strength in adults aged 45 to 65—even if they weren’t doing any kind of strength training.

The study

In the clinical trial, 64 healthy individuals were randomly assigned to take 10g of creatine monohydrate or a placebo each day.

Additionally, participants could choose to take part in a structured exercise program and calorie-deficit diet, or continue with their usual lifestyle.

The results showed that all of the participants who took creatine, regardless of whether or not they were exercising, gained some lean mass. The non-exercisers gained roughly 2.4lb, while the exercisers gained 2.8lb.

Strength improved, too, with both creatine-taking groups showing improvements in leg press strength, bench press strength, and muscular endurance. However, the exercisers made more significant gains in this area.

Why this is good news for midlifers

Muscle starts to naturally decline in midlife, which can impact everything from your calorie expenditure to your likelihood of injury. Building and maintaining it is one way to future-proof your body—and this small study suggests that taking creatine can help with that.

But the benefits might not just be physical. While this study noted some exploratory improvements in memory and processing speed, broader research indicates that the supplement helps with cognitive function. There are growing calls for it to be tested further in older populations and patients with dementia and cognitive impairment.

I know a lot of people who swear by creatine as a brain and energy boost. One writer who took creatine while training for his first HYROX wrote that “it was like it extended the battery life of my muscles and my brain”.

Another self-described “energy-zapped mom” found creatine improved her strength, brain power and mood.

I’ve been taking it for four weeks myself. I’d like to say that it’s improved my fatigue levels and concentration, but I have an eight-month-old baby who acts like she’s allergic to sleep. I’m too tired to tell if it’s working, but I’ll report back once she sleeps through the night.

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