Creatine and vitamin D support women’s muscle health

Muscle health plays a vital role in strength, mobility, metabolism, and overall wellbeing, making it a key predictor of longevity and quality of life.

While often associated with aging, muscle loss begins in a woman’s thirties and accelerates after menopause due to hormonal shifts, sedentary habits, and suboptimal nutrition. This diminished muscle mass can negatively impact a woman’s strength, balance, mobility, and overall independence. In many ways, this has been a silent crisis. Now, research is catching up with the longstanding need for solutions.

Despite its importance, muscle health is frequently overlooked in women’s wellness conversations. Instead, those products have historically been marketed primarily to athletes or male consumers.

Women have been underserved, with muscle health products crowded out by beauty, reproductive health, and weight-loss offerings. But the market is changing, supported by a growing body of evidence which highlights the benefits of both exercise and targeted nutrition for helping women to preserve and even enhance muscle mass at every life stage.¹

Now, as more women begin prioritizing their fundamental need to maintain muscle mass and strength, they are creating a tremendous market opportunity for products that address specific women’s health issues including:

Bone health Strong muscles exert pressure on bones, supporting bone mineral density and strength. This is critical for women, who face a four-times higher risk of developing bone-weakening osteoporosis. Lower bone density also increases the risk of fractures.

Mental health Muscle-strengthening exercise supports an active lifestyle, boosts endorphins, and helps counter mood shifts associated with hormonal shifts during menopause.

Chronic conditions Lower muscle mass is associated with higher levels of systemic inflammation. Maintaining muscle during and after menopause helps support heart health, blood sugar regulation, and healthy body composition.

Early intervention matters

Targeted intervention to preserve muscle and slow its decline should start as early as age 30.The challenge is greater for women, who build muscle more slowly than men and have less reserve to compensate for age-related muscle loss. As women experience hormonal shifts, changing energy requirements, and the natural aging process, preserving lean muscle becomes both more difficult and more essential than ever.

There is a real need for science-backed muscle health formulas tailored to women’s life stages.

Stacking strategies for stronger results

Combining multiple strategies can lead to greater muscle health results. Therefore, a targeted, multi-pronged approach – anchored in exercise, nutrition, and key nutrient supplementation – offers women the best path to empowered, active aging.

The most compelling evidence-based, women’s muscle health interventions include:

Resistance training This is the foundation of muscle preservation and growth. Training two to three times per week stimulates muscle protein synthesis, strengthens bones, and improves coordination and balance. It’s especially critical for countering age-related declines in muscle and neuromuscular function.

Science shows that strength gains, improved body composition, and functional independence are maximized when nutrient supplementation is paired with training. In fact, the majority of evidence backing ingredients such as HMB, creatine, and protein involves subjects engaging in resistance training.

Optimized protein intake Protein provides the amino acids that are essential for rebuilding and repairing muscle. Consuming high-quality protein shortly after resistance exercise can further boost muscle protein synthesis. Yet many women, especially as they age, don’t consume enough protein to support optimal muscle function. Most women actually need more than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg per day to support muscle health. Experts recommend 1.2-1.6 g/kg/day, especially postmenopause.

HMB (β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate) HMB has been shown to help increase muscle protein synthesis and reduce muscle breakdown in aging populations and those engaged in strength training. HMB supplementation has also been associated with improvements in strength, muscle function, lean muscle mass, and body composition in women, with or without concurrent dietary modifications or resistance training.

Clinical studies in women using TSI Group’s myHMB have shown that it also combats age-related muscle loss, especially in postmenopausal and inactive women. Studies show that myHMB can:

Increase lean muscle mass, even without exercise.²
Help to reduce intermuscular fat.²
Enhance fat loss during calorie restriction or intermittent fasting.²⁻⁴
Improve strength, physical function and body composition.⁵⁻⁷
Combat age-related muscle loss, especially in postmenopausal and inactive women.²⁻⁸

A daily dose of approximately 3 grams has been shown to be effective and safe for long-term use as a nutritional supplement.

Creatine By improving energy availability within muscle cells, creatine supports strength, power, and training capacity. It is proven to improve performance in premenopausal women, as well as muscle mass and function in postmenopausal women, especially when paired with resistance training. Women should aim for 1.2-1.6 g/kg of body weight per day.⁹

Vitamin D This vitamin is vital for muscle function and bone health. Insufficient levels are common in women, especially in regions with limited sun exposure, and are associated with muscle weakness and increased fracture risk.¹⁰ Supplementing with 800-2000 IU/day can support improved muscle strength and reduce risk of falls.

For women who are choosing to age strong

If not addressed early, muscle loss can greatly diminish quality of life. This highlights the importance of women focusing on muscle health from a young age. Fortunately, more women now understand that this isn’t just about fitness. It’s about preserving their independence and staying active.

By embracing a proactive approach – combining resistance training, adequate protein intake, and evidence-based nutrients such as myHMB, creatine, and vitamin D – women can support their ability to remain strong and vital at every stage of life.

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