Creatine was once associated with gym bros who would scoop the supplement before workouts. Now, thanks to a recent marketing makeover, women and older adults are buying into the creatine craze and more brands are getting on board.
“Many people used to think of creatine as something that bulks you, but today, creatine is recognized as one of the most-researched nutrients for supporting strength, lean muscle tone, recovery, and even brain health,” says Simon Huck, co-founder of Lemme, the supplement brand co-founded by Kourtney Kardashian Barker.
Lemme launched creatine gummies in January, where each serving contains five grams of creatine monohydrate to help with body toning, strength and recovery, and cognitive health. “Research shows that women naturally have lower creatine stores than men, and levels can fluctuate with hormonal changes, which makes supplementation especially impactful for overall energy, performance, and even hormone support,” says Huck.
At health and nutrition retailer GNC, creatine sales are up 200% this year versus last, according to the company. Luxury London gym Third Space and fitness studio Barry’s have incorporated creatine as an add-on at their shake bars. Singer-songwriter Ciara fronted Thorne’s creatine campaign in September 2025, while Lemme tapped Kris Jenner — who, at 70, became the face of creatine for older women. According to Grand View Research, the creatine market is expected to quadruple to $4.2 billion by 2030, at an annual growth rate of 25%, which is well ahead of the projected 6.4% for the wider supplement market.
Experts say that part of creatine’s growing popularity is in response to the rising use of GLP-1 drugs, to support muscle mass amid weight loss. Should brands hop on board, or is it the latest supplement fad?
A new crop of social media influencers and podcasters have helped to change creatine’s reputation as a supplement for men looking to bulk up.
“A lot of the health influencers are talking about it, and 10 years ago, we weren’t all clamoring to listen to podcasts to tell us what we should do to optimize our health,” says Rachel Kreider, VP of product innovation at vitamin and supplement retailer GNC. “There’s now research about creatine in menopausal women and the benefits for them. The secret is getting out there to more people.”
Curated Beauty was launched in 2025 as a skincare, haircare, and wellness brand for midlife women as they begin to grapple with the changes in their bodies. The brand launched creatine in January after its female founders Sam Grocutt, Ros Simmons, and Natalie Ingham noticed their husbands taking it. “Women lose a lot of muscle as they get older, particularly in menopause,” says Simmons.
Curated Beauty is taking a softer and more feminine approach to talk to women about creatine. They’ve also given it a new look. Creatine is typically packaged in big tubs with masculine color schemes and fonts. Curated’s version is a white to blue gradient tub that says “Inner Power” in a bold font, with creatine in a smaller typography underneath. The back of the tub also contains a small section that explains why creatine matters for women.
“It’s those little subtleties that basically females are looking for. Visually, blue feels like a wellness product. Even on social media, the way we talk about creatine is focused on its everyday use and its benefits rather than being about the gym,” says Grocutt. “We don’t want it to be aggressive. We’re not using the same language that was used two years ago. The strength behind every day for us is all around having the best internal version of yourself.”
Creatine’s new look is allowing the supplement to sit alongside women’s fancy packaged cosmetics and other wellness products. “Not only have women been underserved by brands, they’ve also been excluded from much of the marketing around supplementation,” says Lemme’s Huck.
While creatine powder is the most popular format, new iterations of the supplement are popping up as gummies, chews, and capsules. GNC stocks 78 different powder variations of creatine, 13 gummies or chews, and five capsule forms.
“The gummy format came from listening to our consumer. She wants wellness to feel accessible. She also wants a treat, something easy she can throw in her bag, take on the go, and not overthink,” says Huck. “And quite honestly, there is some powder fatigue. She’s traveling, she’s busy, and mixing something into water every day isn’t always realistic.”
Health and beauty retailer Holland Barrett has been witnessing the rise of fresh formats when it comes to creatine and other supplements. It signals a major shift in the supplementation market. “That gym rat culture of people would opt for powders or capsules, which is a very traditional method, but gummies and chews are a much more accessible and enjoyable format. The market is moving in that direction,” says Craig Matley, Holland Barrett’s senior category manager for active nutrition.
The retailer said its creatine category has been doubling in size year-on-year. In the last 12 weeks, there has been a 110% increase in creatine sales, and it’s the fastest area of growth for performance powders. In the last three months, 72% of the retailer’s customers have been female, with 53% of those accounting for the active nutrition category.
New product innovation is quickly on the move in the creatine space. Sachets are looking to be the next big thing for ease and portability. “They’re deliberately priced at a seven-day supply to bring new customers in to try these products, and it’s a powerful entry point into the category,” says Matley. He notes that hybrid creatine products are growing, such as Applied Nutrition’s creatine and hydration powder. Collagen alongside creatine is another hybrid supplement primed for growth, he adds.
Beyond colorful packaging and benefits of cognitive health, target-specific brands are coming up through the creatine category. At GNC, they’ve just introduced Peach Perfect, a creatine brand that promises specifically to enhance women’s glutes.
“There’s a way to market to women — it’s challenging, but doable. There’s a fine line though, because I think we’ve consistently seen research that women find it borderline insulting when they’re spoken to through the color pink, or not treated equally,” says Kreider. Peach Perfect’s approach is to be playful, and emphasize that the supplement tones, not bulks.
“Our creatine, High Flyer, was intentionally designed to appeal to modern women who are working, caring, plate-spinning, holding everything together, and are expected to stay healthy and present,” says Izzy Jacobs, brand and marketing director at supplement brand Bare Biology. “A huge part of our launch was education and we felt it was our responsibility to help women understand how creatine can help with brain energy and physical goals. Part of the education was myth-busting, where most people think creatine makes you gain weight — it doesn’t.”
Bare Biology has packaged its creatine in a large pouch instead of a big tub. They have also opted to name the product High Flyer rather than its technical term, and its wrapper features an illustration of a woman in an acrobatic pose wearing a sports bra and shorts. “Fundamentally, creatine is beneficial for men and women, we just need to include women in the conversation,” Jacobs says.
