Vireo Systems announced new clinical findings showing that creatine hydrochloride (Creatine HCl), sold under its CON-CRĒT® brand, may help alleviate key menopause-related symptoms. The study highlights benefits in cognitive function, fatigue, and mood, marking one of the first controlled trials focused on creatine use in perimenopausal and menopausal women.
The randomized, double-blind trial included 36 women and evaluated low-dose creatine HCl (750 mg/day), medium-dose creatine HCl (1,500 mg/day), a combination of creatine HCl + creatine ethyl ester (CEE), and placebo over eight weeks.
Key results showed:
- Low-dose creatine HCl improved alertness, executive control, processing speed, and reaction times.
- Medium-dose creatine HCl reduced mood swings and concentration difficulties while improving reaction time.
- Creatine HCl + CEE decreased anxiety and enhanced alertness.
- Placebo produced no meaningful changes.
The study also reported that low-dose creatine HCl generated the largest increase in brain creatine levels across most of the 13 evaluated brain regions, including frontal gray and white matter. Medium-dose and combination therapy also raised creatine levels, but less prominently.
All regimens were well tolerated, with no serious adverse events or weight changes. Only mild, temporary effects like heartburn were noted.
Vireo Systems CEO Mark Faulkner said the findings represent a shift in creatine research, which has historically focused on men and on creatine monohydrate. The company emphasizes that Creatine HCl offers higher solubility and bioavailability, up to 59 times that of monohydrate—allowing smaller doses with fewer side effects such as bloating or water retention.
Vireo plans additional studies exploring creatine’s role in women’s health and broader clinical applications.
