Creatine HCl for Women 40 Plus: Mark Faulkner’s Guide

Is creatine really worth it for women over 40?

“Should I take creatine?” is one of those questions that sounds simple until you try to shop for it.

In this video, the journey starts with a very specific frustration: women 40 plus are being told creatine is the number one supplement to take, yet many try creatine monohydrate and quickly quit because they feel puffy, bloated, or their gut feels off. The conversation does not treat that as a minor inconvenience you should “push through.” It treats it as a design problem.

The key premise is also different from the usual gym talk. Creatine is framed as functional energy, not stimulation. If caffeine is a psychomotor stimulant, creatine is presented as a way to support the body’s ability to produce and manage cellular energy so cells can do their jobs.

That is why the discussion goes beyond the usual “more reps in the gym” storyline. It connects creatine to the brain, immune function, and heart performance, then circles back to why women often have a rougher experience with monohydrate.

Did you know? Creatine is widely studied for strength and power, but it is also being explored for roles in cognition and recovery, especially when people are under stress or sleep deprived. A broad position statement from the International Society of Sports NutritionTrusted Source describes creatine monohydrate as effective for performance and generally safe for healthy individuals.

The video’s unique angle is not “creatine is good.” It is: which creatine, at what dose, and why do so many women feel worse on the default option?

Creatine, redefined: an energy molecule, not a hormone

Creatine is often misunderstood because of its history in male sports and bodybuilding culture.

The discussion pushes back on the idea that creatine is a steroid-like hormone or a testosterone booster. Instead, it is described as a natural molecule your body already makes. Mark Faulkner calls it an amino compound made from three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine, with most synthesis occurring in the liver.

There is also a chemistry detail used to explain why creatine behaves the way it does: it is described as a zwitterion, meaning it carries both a positive and negative charge.

The practical takeaway is straightforward. You are not “adding a foreign hormone.” You are topping up a molecule that is already central to energy handling in cells.

This framing aligns with the basic biology: creatine and phosphocreatine help buffer and regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the immediate energy currency of cells, especially during high-demand bursts. For readers who want a reputable overview, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements creatine fact sheetTrusted Source summarizes how creatine works, typical dosing ranges used in studies, and safety notes.

What is distinctive here is the hierarchy. Faulkner argues creatine is the “rate limiting” molecule for cellular energy, then makes a practical point: even great nutrients (protein, vitamin D, zinc, fish oil) are less useful if cells do not have adequate energy to use them.

That is an opinionated stance, but it explains why the host calls creatine her “number one supplement” choice for women over 40.

Why this conversation starts at a US creatine plant

This is not filmed in a studio. It is filmed in Omaha, Nebraska, at a manufacturing facility presented as the only US creatine plant.

That setting matters because the video is partly about trust and sourcing. Creatine is treated as a commodity ingredient in a crowded market, where consumers are told “all creatine is the same,” yet also warned that “all creatine comes from China” unless it is a specific German brand.

The plant visit functions as a reality check: there are supply chains, purity targets, and manufacturing controls, and those details can affect consistency and consumer confidence.

The discussion also points out a practical nuance that gets lost online: even if a molecule is “the same” on paper, the experience can differ based on dose, form, and quality processes.

Important: If you compete in tested sports or you are highly risk-averse about contamination, consider choosing supplements that are independently certified (for example, NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Choice). Certification does not guarantee effectiveness, but it can reduce the risk of banned substances or unexpected contaminants.

This plant-based framing also sets up the later point about China vs Germany. The conversation does not claim one country is automatically “bad.” It argues consistency and testing matter more than slogans.

Beyond muscle: brain, immune cells, and the heart

The most important shift in this video is that creatine is treated as a whole-body energy tool, not a muscle-only supplement.

A punchy line captures the theme: the brain and body use creatine “just to think.” The video claims roughly 20 percent of your creatine use is tied to brain function on a regular basis, and it links low creatine stores to experiences like brain fog and forgetfulness.

Then the conversation goes into immune function. It highlights research from UCLA, attributed to Dr. Lili Yang, suggesting T-cells depend on creatine for energy to help neutralize threats like viruses, bacteria, and abnormal cells. The point is not that creatine “treats” infections or cancer. The point is that immune cells are energy-intensive, and energy availability can affect performance.

The heart is also brought into the story. The argument is simple: the heart has to beat efficiently and continuously, and creatine supports cellular energetics that help tissues function.

This is where the video connects creatine to a broader “mitochondrial health” conversation. It mentions a popular idea that many chronic diseases involve mitochondrial dysfunction. That claim is broader than what any single supplement can address, but it explains why the host frames creatine as foundational.

What the research shows: Creatine is best known for improving high-intensity exercise performance and lean mass when paired with training. A major review, Kreider et al.Trusted Source, summarizes evidence for performance, training adaptations, and a generally favorable safety profile in healthy people.

A practical interpretation for women over 40 is not “creatine is magic.” It is: if you care about strength, recovery, and staying sharp, it may be worth considering a creatine strategy you can actually tolerate.

Can you get enough creatine from food?

In the video, your daily creatine supply is presented as coming from two places: roughly half made by the body, and the other half expected from diet.

Food sources are described as mostly animal-based, especially red meat, and also fish and other meats. That immediately creates a gap for people who are vegetarian, vegan, or simply not eating much meat because of taste, budget, or cholesterol concerns.

Then comes the most distinctive food claim in the conversation: cooking can destroy creatine. The video argues you would need to eat a lot of meat and prepare it lightly, like carpaccio or sashimi, to preserve more creatine.

That is why the host jokes about ordering carpaccio together, then uses it to make a serious point: for most modern diets, relying on food alone is not realistic.

Where this perspective is especially relevant

Some groups are highlighted indirectly, even if not labeled as “high risk.”

Pro Tip: If you are trying creatine for the first time and you are sensitive to GI changes, consider starting with a smaller dose and building gradually. If you have kidney disease or you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is especially important to discuss creatine with a clinician first.

Monohydrate vs newer forms: what the trade-offs look like

A lot of online advice ends at “just take creatine monohydrate.” This video does not.

It agrees monohydrate is the most common and most studied form. But it argues that many alternative forms exist because researchers and formulators were trying to improve monohydrate’s limitations, especially around bioavailability and tolerability.

The video lists several forms that have appeared over the years:

It also addresses common marketing terms that can confuse shoppers.

This is the video’s trade-off lens: some versions are mostly processing or blending changes, while others are intended to change how well creatine is absorbed and tolerated.

The monohydrate problem in women: bloating, GI distress, and “water weight”

This section is where the video becomes most practical.

The host describes recommending monohydrate broadly to women 40 plus, then getting more negative feedback than with almost any other supplement: “I feel bloated,” “my gut is bugging me,” “I feel puffy, I’m getting off it.”

Faulkner’s explanation centers on two claims.

First, he challenges the idea that monohydrate is “100 percent absorbed.” He argues this belief came from early tracer-level research, where tiny amounts were absorbed and people generalized that to full doses. In his telling, creatine has diminishing returns, and monohydrate hits that ceiling quickly.

Second, he says that when the body cannot use the large bolus dose, it tries to flush it out, creating extracellular fluid redistribution, which the host translates into plain language: bloating and puffiness.

One specific statistic is mentioned from an unpublished dataset the speaker says he saw from a Princeton Clinical study in New Jersey.

76%.

The video claims 76 percent of women taking creatine monohydrate in that study reported mild to severe bloating, puffiness, or GI distress.

Because that study is described as not yet published, treat the number as a data point from the video, not a settled scientific consensus. Still, it matches what many people report anecdotally, and it explains why the video focuses on tolerability rather than “monohydrate is fine, stop complaining.”

Important: Creatine can increase water content in muscles for some people, and scale weight can change. That is not automatically “fat gain,” but if you have heart failure, kidney disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or you are on fluid-balance medications, talk with your clinician before using creatine.

“But I heard monohydrate is the only one you should take”

The video does not deny monohydrate’s evidence base. Instead, it argues that “most studied” is not the same as “best tolerated for every body.”

If a supplement makes you feel bad enough that you stop, the practical effect is zero.

This is the core women’s health framing: the best supplement is the one you will actually keep taking.

Creatine HCl: the video’s case for smaller doses and faster feedback

Faulkner’s solution is creatine hydrochloride (HCl), a form he says emerged from more than 20 years of work aimed at helping athletes find a safer, legal alternative to steroid-like recovery benefits.

The bold claim is that creatine HCl has far superior bioavailability, allowing much smaller doses than monohydrate.

Instead of grams and loading phases, the conversation shifts to milligram-level dosing. The speaker gives a baseline category for “optimal health” and names a dose:

About 750 mg of creatine HCl per day.

The transcript cuts off right after he begins laying out dosing “buckets,” but the intent is clear: dosing depends on your goal, and the HCl form is positioned as efficient enough that you do not need to flood your system.

A key practical point is timing. For monohydrate, many people take it any time because it is about saturating stores. In this video’s framing, creatine HCl can provide noticeable feedback quickly.

The speaker suggests a simple experiment: take creatine HCl about one hour before a workout, do a workout you know would normally make you sore, then notice how you feel the next day or two. The claim is that you may feel less soreness because muscles were fueled more effectively.

This is not presented as a guarantee, and individual results vary, but it is a practical way to evaluate whether creatine is helping your recovery.

Expert Q&A

Q: Do you have to “load” creatine to get benefits?

A: The video’s position is that loading became popular because monohydrate absorption is limited at typical doses, so people tried to flood the system to saturate muscle stores faster. The downside, in this telling, is more GI distress and puffiness because the body works to flush what it cannot use.

With creatine HCl, the argument is that you can use smaller doses with better uptake, so loading and cycling are often unnecessary. If you are considering loading, especially if you have GI sensitivity, it is reasonable to discuss options with a clinician.

Mark Faulkner, science background in physics, biochemistry, and toxicology

How to use creatine in real life (practical decision guide)

This is where the “compare approaches and trade-offs” theme becomes actionable.

You are not choosing between “creatine” and “no creatine.” You are choosing between strategies that differ in dose size, tolerability, and how quickly you can tell if it is working.

A mostly-bullets guide to choosing your approach

A final practical note from the video is that “energy” is often confused with “stimulation.” If you are constantly chasing caffeine but still feel run down, the video’s framing suggests you might be missing foundational cellular energy support, not another stimulant.

Choosing a product: source, purity, and what “quality” actually means

The video addresses a common internet claim: “All creatine comes from China, so you must buy Creapure from Germany.”

The answer is more nuanced.

Faulkner says early Chinese creatine quality could be suspect, and some still is, describing it as “Russian roulette.” But he also notes that some Chinese plants have improved and produce good-quality creatine.

Creapure (German creatine monohydrate) is described as more consistent in quality. If he were to take monohydrate, he says he would likely choose the German version.

Then comes an important chemistry clarification: pure creatine monohydrate is creatine monohydrate, regardless of where it is made. If two products are genuinely the same purity, the molecule behaves the same.

So what should a consumer do with that?

How to evaluate quality without getting lost

»MORE: If you want a simple checklist, create a one-page “Supplement Label Audit” for yourself: form, dose per serving, third-party testing, additional ingredients, and how you felt after 7 days.

Key Takeaways