The supplement industry is missing a major opportunity in women’s health by failing to modernize how it positions creatine, according to Dr. Sue Kleiner, founder of High Performance Nutrition, LLC.
“The biggest misconception is that women are automatically going to be afraid of creatine, [and] that’s condescending,” she told NutraIngredients during the recent Sports and Active Nutrition Summit (SANS) in San Diego.
Instead of focusing on whether women will “accept” creatine, she added, companies should be asking a more fundamental question: What do women actually need?
Much of the current messaging centers on structure-function claims, such as supporting muscle mass or bone density, but Dr. Kleiner believes this approach lacks emotional and practical relevance.
“Telling a woman her muscles will hang on better doesn’t necessarily translate...what translates is being able to pick up her child, carry groceries, climb a mountain, or maintain pelvic floor function,” she said.
For Dr. Kleiner, the most underleveraged positioning in the category is metabolic health. Although creatine is typically marketed for strength and performance, “it’s the underlying energy of every single cell, [and] that’s what supports muscle, bone, brain and more,” she explained.
Life-stage-specific messaging
She also pointed to fertility as a major white space. With increasing global attention on reproductive health, Dr. Kleiner believes targeted research into creatine’s possible applications in this area could represent a considerable opportunity for both science and industry.
However, she stressed that creatine should not be framed as a standalone fix, recommending pairing it with resistance training, quality sleep, stress management, and a nutrient-dense diet to maximize long-term support for metabolic resilience.
Dr. Kleiner also pointed to the importance of life-stage-specific messaging. Younger women tend to respond to performance and fitness benefits, while older women are more motivated by preserving strength, independence and quality of life, but she sees emotional crossover between generations.
For example, one emerging brand narrative she cited focuses on younger women caring for aging parents, positioning proactive strength and metabolic support as an investment in future independence.
“Framing is really important...we need to frame our marketing and messaging to our audience, and we need to listen to them,” she said.
Watch the video for the full interview.
