Why I’m Continuing Creatine During Pregnancy

If you haven't heard yet… I'm pregnant!! I love sharing all things pregnancy so today's Holistic Spotlight is around pregnancy and CREATINE. 

Before we begin, let me be super clear: what follows is not medical advice. I’m not telling anyone what they should or shouldn’t take during pregnancy. I just want to share what I’ve been reading, what stands out to me, and why I personally feel comfortable continuing creatine.

Creatine tends to get lumped into a “gym supplement” category (especially as a gym BRO supplement), and that’s honestly where most of the confusion starts. Because even though it’s popular in fitness for a mix of reasons, creatine is not something foreign or new to the body. Your body already makes creatine and you also get it from foods like meat and fish.

Creatine is part of your normal human biology. Its main job is helping cells produce and recycle energy. That alone tells you that creatine is important for humans, there are some ways that creatine shows up and is used in pregnancy that really stand out to me.

Firstly, human research shows that the placenta actively transports creatine to the baby. There are also studies showing the placenta contains the enzymes needed to produce creatine. That tells us this isn’t random. Your body is actively handling creatine during pregnancy and the placenta is directly involved in supplying it to the baby as it develops.

There are also some interesting human studies relating to the creatine levels in the mother. In one study, women with higher creatine levels had babies that were larger and longer. That doesn’t prove that creatine causes those outcomes, but it strongly suggests that the mother’s level of creatine is connected to how the baby grows. Makes sense, right?

Another fact that stands out to me is that creatine metabolism actually changes throughout pregnancy. Human studies show that the way the body uses and regulates creatine shifts and changes as pregnancy progresses. To me, that suggests this isn’t just something sitting in the background. Creatine is being actively used by the mother, the placenta, and the baby during pregnancy and it’s being used in different ways at different stages.

Then there’s the animal research which is where a lot of the excitement around creatine in pregnancy comes from right now. There have been several animal studies where babies born from mothers given creatine during pregnancy were significantly better protected from oxygen stress during birth. 

The reason so many studies focus on oxygen stress during birth is because that’s one of the biggest dangers during childbirth. Researchers saw signs of protection across several organs, including the brain, kidneys, muscles, and lungs which is a really good sign!

They think the reason for this outcome is because creatine plays a role in how cells produce energy. When oxygen levels drop, even briefly, energy production becomes more difficult. The idea researchers are exploring is whether having higher creatine levels in the baby’s tissues could help those cells handle that stress better. And since much of the baby’s creatine comes from the mother… researching this connection just makes sense.

Of course my choice to continue creatine isn’t only about potential benefits for the baby. As I’ve written about many times now: I love how creatine supports me. 

Creatine plays a role in brain energy, not just muscle energy. Human research suggests it supports memory, mental performance, and even mood, particularly when the brain is under stress or dealing with things like sleep deprivation. (And if we’re being honest, pregnancy can come with both of those!)

So when I look at the full picture, this is how I think about it: Creatine is something my body already produces. It’s something I already get from food. It’s clearly part of normal pregnancy biology, with the placenta directly involved in transporting it and likely producing it. There’s human data suggesting the mother’s creatine levels may be connected to growth and there’s a growing body of research suggesting it could play a protective role in certain situations.

That’s a lot! 

It doesn’t mean the research is complete. It’s not. We don’t have large human trials showing that supplementing creatine during pregnancy improves outcomes. But for me personally, when I weigh everything together, it feels like a reasonable and informed choice to continue taking it. 

A lot of things in pregnancy come down to intuition for me because supplements aren't often studied heavily in pregnant women. We are told Tylenol is perfectly safe in pregnancy but to avoid things like…elderberry. This doesn't make intuitive sense to me. Creatine is something that DOES make intuitive sense to me, ESP when I know I am not getting enough in my current diet!

Pregnancy is individual. What feels right for one person may not feel right for another. This is just my reasoning, my comfort level, and my decision based on the information I’ve seen.

And if you've been here for a minute, you probably know that my FAVORITE way of taking creatine is Create gummies! I had tried a few different ones, but I much prefer the gummies over a powdered drink. It’s way easier to be consistent this way and consistency is key here!

Plus… they taste so good. ;D And YES they are clean! The flavors are truly natural, and they are a great way to easily take creatine daily. I take 2-3 gummies per day! Try the Sour Peach flavor!

SAVE 20-25% with code SADIE and my link!