Creatine for Energy, Mood & Muscles...

Creatine has been a talking point for a while now, and we’ve been genuinely amazed by the results people are seeing and feeling after taking it. It actually took us a long time to decide to stock a creatine, mostly because so many of the ones we came across were filled with ingredients we just wouldn’t want on our shelves.

That was until Ancient + Brave released their own, and we were more than impressed with the formulation and thought, let’s give it a go! And honestly, it was a hit straight away. We hadn’t realised just how many of you were also searching for a higher quality creatine.

So, we wanted to talk about this more, and do a little feature, as we get asked every day about the benefits, who it’s for, and who might be better suited to something else.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound made in the body (primarily by the liver, kidneys, and pancreas) and is stored in muscles, where it’s used to produce energy. It’s also found in small amounts in foods like red meat and fish, but for many people, especially those with higher physical demands or on plant-based diets, levels might not be optimal.

Supplementing with creatine – usually in the form of creatine monohydrate – can help increase the body’s stores, supporting energy production, performance, recovery, and even cognitive function.

Creatine is one of the most widely used supplements in the sporting world, taken by everyone from gym goers to elite rugby players and athletes. But even though it’s popular, it’s still widely misunderstood. While it’s often associated with muscle gain, there are many other benefits:

Every time you blink, think or digest food, you’re using ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is essentially your body’s energy currency. Creatine acts like a battery charger, helping recycle ATP quickly during moments of high demand, whether that’s exercise, stress or even intense thinking.

What’s fascinating is that this energy system doesn’t just operate in your muscles, it’s just as important for the brain and even for the immune system, where energy is needed for quick responses. Creatine helps top up a special energy reserve called phosphocreatine, which your body taps into when it needs fast, reliable power. This is especially helpful in moments when oxygen is limited, like during short, intense bursts of activity, or when your energy stores are running low.

Creatine helps muscles hold more water (which is a good thing!), triggering pathways that may enhance muscle protein synthesis and strength gains. It’s one of the most researched and trusted supplements for people looking to improve how their body performs and feels during exercise.

Studies consistently show that creatine can support increases in strength and power, improved performance during short and high-intensity activity, faster recovery between sessions and reductions in muscle soreness and fatigue. It works by building up your body’s internal creatine stores, giving your cells the fuel they need to bounce back more quickly after intense exercise. Through many studies, creatine has shown only positive impacts on performance in people from adolescence through to older age.

Our brain is a surprisingly energy hungry organ, which is believed to use around 20% of your body’s energy. That’s a lot! It needs this constant supply of fuel to keep things like focus, memory, and mood running smoothly. Creatine helps top up those energy stores, especially during times when your brain is working harder than usual, like when you're stressed, not sleeping well, emotionally overwhelmed, or mentally burned out.

While our brain can make some of its own creatine, it’s not thought to absorb it as easily as muscles do, which is why supplementing may help build up levels over time. This might explain why some people find it helps with mental clarity, memory, and even mood.

Research is still growing, but creatine is already being explored in areas like depression, brain ageing, concussion recovery, and sleep-related brain fatigue, with some really exciting early findings.

One of the biggest areas of feedback we hear from our customers, is how well creatine supports energy, strength and mood in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. It seems to help with that dip in energy and brain function, which is amazing, as these are key complaints of women going through hormonal shifts.

What's interesting is that research now shows women tend to have naturally lower creatine stores than men, by up to 70–80%. And during hormonal transitions like menopause, changes in oestrogen can affect how efficiently the body produces and uses creatine. That means supplementing may help restore balance, not just in the muscles but in the brain too.

There’s also early research linking creatine to better mood, cognition, and bone health in postmenopausal women, especially when combined with movement or resistance training.

As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass and strength (a process called sarcopenia). This can affect mobility, balance, and even how easy it is to do everyday things like getting out of a chair or carrying shopping.

One of the most well researched ways to slow this process is through resistance training, and creatine may amplify those benefits. Studies have shown, that when older adults combined creatine with a resistance training plan, they gained more muscle, increased strength, and improved physical function more than with training alone.

It’s one of the reasons we think creatine can be such a valuable tool not just for fitness, but for healthy, confident ageing too.

These are some of the key benefits we are noticing in our customers, but as with anything, it won’t be the right fit for everyone, and that’s completely okay. We’re all different, and how we respond to supplements will always vary.

There’s a bit of stigma around creatine, which we mostly put down to concerns about the quality of some cheaper formulas on the market. Many are mixed with artificial sweeteners, stimulants, bulking agents, and unnecessary fillers. Worse still, some are poorly manufactured and not properly purified, meaning they could contain compounds that just shouldn’t be there.

For most healthy people though, creatine is safe and well tolerated, even longterm. It’s been widely studied in both clinical and sports settings and shown to be effective and safe.

Because creatine breaks down into creatinine (a waste product filtered by the kidneys), there has been some concern, especially if someone already has reduced kidney function.

However, it’s important to know that in healthy individuals, creatine does not cause kidney damage. Creatinine levels may rise slightly on blood tests, but this is a reflection of how creatine is metabolised, not a sign of harm.

But caution is important in certain groups:

• If you have existing kidney disease or reduced eGFR: Your kidneys are already under more strain, so adding creatine might increase the metabolic load. In this case, it should only be used only under professional guidance.
• If you’re taking medications that affect kidney function: This includes NSAIDs, diuretics, and ACE inhibitors, which can affect fluid and electrolyte balance. If you’re combining them with creatine, it’s important to stay well hydrated and ensure you get professional guidance.
• Digestive issues: Some people experience bloating or cramps, especially if taking too much at once or not dissolving it fully.
• Water retention: Creatine draws water into muscle cells, which can cause a temporary weight increase while the body adjusts.

All creatine monohydrate is synthetic, as it’s not extracted from food, but made through a chemical reaction involving sarcosine and cyanamide. However, the purity and manufacturing quality is what’s really important, as good quality creatine supplements will go through rigorous testing to make sure things like heavy metals and microbial contaminants are not in the final products.

These contaminants are usually by-products of incomplete or low quality manufacturing. But not all manufacturers do this, because it’s expensive, not legally required, and needs third-party lab analysis for each batch.

This is why we will only stock a brand that offers clear transparency on sourcing, testing, and formulation. It’s not just about what’s in the tub, but how it’s been made, what it’s been tested for, and what it supports in your wider health picture.

This brings us to Ancient + Brave’s True Creatine+, which is the only one we have found to tick all of our boxes. True Creatine+ is more than just a creatine, it’s a functional blend, mixed with other key nutrients to help support performance, recovery and long term resilience. Here’s what else is inside:

Taurine is an amino acid that supports cellular hydration and muscle function, two things that work perfectly alongside creatine, which pulls water into the muscles. Together, they can help reduce post-workout soreness, support nervous system recovery, and boost endurance, especially during longer or more intense sessions.

Creatine increases the body’s demand for water and electrolyte balance, and magnesium helps regulate that shift. It’s also essential for converting food into energy and muscle relaxation, making it an ideal pairing for creatine, especially for anyone prone to cramps, sluggish digestion, or feeling wired but tired.

Vitamin D is involved in muscle recovery, immune health, and hormone balance, all of which can influence how your body performs and adapts to movement. Combining it with creatine supports strength, mood, and overall health and wellbeing, especially in winter months when levels tend to dip in the UK.

Together, this blend helps support not only muscle health, but also hydration, mood, and energy regulation. That’s what sets it apart: rather than pushing performance in isolation, it creates a more sustainable foundation for physical and mental energy.

We trust Ancient + Brave, as their creatine is sourced from a reputable supplier that meets strict international standards, and each batch is tested by a third party for purity, heavy metals, and microbial contaminants. They also formulate with sustainability in mind, using dark glass packaging, certified B Corp status, and a clear commitment to quality and environmental responsibility.

We love that their approach is both science led and conscious, and their team is created by a team of scientists, nutritionists, and researchers who really know their stuff. Which is really reassuring when you are investing in a brand, as you want to know that the people behind the brand are experts in the field.

Creatine is one of the most talked about supplements right now, and this really doesn’t surprise us. From energy to mood, muscle recovery to mental clarity, the feedback we’re hearing from our customers is consistently positive.

And no, it’s not for everyone, but for those who do benefit from it, having a clean, high quality product like Ancient + Brave’s True Creatine+ makes all the difference. We trust it, we believe in it, and we’re so glad to finally offer it.

If you’re curious about whether creatine might be right for you, we’re here to help. As always, quality, transparency, and personalisation matter. If you have any health concerns or medical conditions, we recommend coming to speak to us. Our team of nutritional therapist are on the shop floor every single day. So email us, send us a message on social media, call us, or if you are in the local area, pop in and see us.