Innovation is more than just randomly repeating the hottest on social. It's about digging deeper to find the small details that matter, which takes in-depth research and extensive collaboration.
We also know that one source isn’t enough, even when that source is us. With that, we would like to introduce our Guest Author spotlight, where experts in the field share with you what they are sharing with us.
This week, Tyler Roof, MS, RD CSSD, a Performance Dietitian at Momentous, shares an article examining the effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on bone health in postmenopausal women.
Researchers followed 47 postmenopausal women over 12 months, assigning them to
either a creatine monohydrate group (~0.1 g/kg/day, about 7–9 g daily) or a placebo. Both groups completed the same supervised resistance training program three times per week, targeting major muscle groups at moderate to high intensity.
Key findings:
The creatine supplementation aided in the decrease in bone loss (Cr: ~1.2% BMD vs. ~3.9% in the placebo group).
Creatine users saw a significant increase in bone strength indicators compared to the placebo.
Those supplementing with creatine saw a significant 64% increase in bench press strength compared to the 34% in the placebo group.
No negative effects on kidney or liver markers were observed after a full year of daily creatine use.
While this is not the first study to demonstrate the positive effects of creatine on bone health, it is the first to demonstrate a clinically significant change in bone mineral density at a clinically relevant site (the femoral head).
When looking at the research, there is a wide spread of potential mechanisms that can explain these findings. First, creatine enhances osteoblast activity (cells that build bone) and lowers biochemical markers of bone breakdown (source). Other research shows creatine can directly stimulate osteoblast growth and mineralization via the creatine kinase energy system (source). These effects are complemented by creatine’s ability to promote an anabolic, anti-inflammatory environment through improved energy metabolism, cellular hydration, and growth factor signaling (source), all of which work in concert with resistance training to strengthen both muscle and bone over time.
Researchers also point to findings demonstrating creatine’s ability to increase training loads and suggest that these improvements increase the muscle’s pull on connected bones, increasing stimulatory signals for bone formation. Though it was noted that these differences in training loads were apparent in the current study.
Tyler’s Application
Bone health is not reserved for postmenopausal women. Strong bones provide the structural support the body needs for movement, allowing muscles to generate force efficiently while reducing the risk of injury. By maintaining healthy bone tissue, balance and coordination are preserved, enabling both daily activity and high-level athletic output.
By adding creatine to a regimented resistance training program, complete bone health support can be realized while promoting strength, power, and cognitive performance.
Vitality Recommendation: Supplement with at least 0.066 g of creatine per pound of body weight daily.
About the Author: Tyler Roof is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD) and a registered dietitian (RD). She began her career in collegiate athletics and expanded her expertise into nutrition research, with an emphasis on longevity and healthspan. She is passionate about empowering high achievers to reach their full potential through evidence-based nutrition practices and sustainable guidance. Her work bridges the gap between clinical research and the practical application of performance nutrition principles.
