WEBVTT 00:00:07.690 --> 00:00:09.789 People were told to load Kviatune, and that looks 00:00:09.789 --> 00:00:12.810 like 20 grams a day for about a week. And this 00:00:12.810 --> 00:00:15.750 is to saturate those muscles faster. And technically, 00:00:15.910 --> 00:00:19.109 well, this works. But here's the part that, you 00:00:19.109 --> 00:00:21.149 know, most people may not want to hear. It's 00:00:21.149 --> 00:00:50.310 not necessary, guys. It's not necessary. What's 00:00:50.310 --> 00:00:53.530 up, guys? I'm Jeremiah, a dual board -certified 00:00:53.530 --> 00:00:57.369 NP who has been burned out on traditional insurance 00:00:57.369 --> 00:01:00.670 -based medicine. The solution? Hormones happen. 00:01:00.909 --> 00:01:04.670 This podcast is for you. If you wanna learn the 00:01:04.670 --> 00:01:07.609 truth about hormone replacement therapy, peptides, 00:01:07.670 --> 00:01:11.450 and even direct primary care, join me in talking 00:01:11.450 --> 00:01:14.049 with hundreds of practitioners about what's really 00:01:14.049 --> 00:01:29.340 going on behind the scenes. Welcome back to another 00:01:29.340 --> 00:01:32.319 episode of Hormones Happen. I'm your host, Jeremiah, 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:36.480 also known as TheOptimizedNP on TikTok. And I 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:39.359 apologize for those of you who are just listening. 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:42.459 I did a really cringy bicep flex, okay? But today, 00:01:42.540 --> 00:01:45.260 guys, we're talking about one of the most well 00:01:45.260 --> 00:01:48.180 -studied supplements in the whole world. We're 00:01:48.180 --> 00:01:51.319 talking about creatine monohydrate. Now, to really 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:53.469 understand creatine... We have to go back in 00:01:53.469 --> 00:01:55.069 time. Let's start with a little history lesson 00:01:55.069 --> 00:01:57.810 about how creatine even came onto the scene. 00:01:58.030 --> 00:02:00.950 So creatine was first identified back in 1832. 00:02:01.189 --> 00:02:03.709 That's when scientists discovered it was inside 00:02:03.709 --> 00:02:06.769 skeletal muscle, like your biceps, your legs. 00:02:06.989 --> 00:02:09.530 Now, even back then, they noticed something pretty 00:02:09.530 --> 00:02:12.250 interesting. When people ate meat, creatine levels 00:02:12.250 --> 00:02:15.189 in their muscles went up. And when muscles work 00:02:15.189 --> 00:02:18.460 harder, Creatine got used faster. Now, fast forward 00:02:18.460 --> 00:02:21.520 to the mids and researchers developed, they uncovered 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.060 what's called phosphocreatine. Now, this is a 00:02:24.060 --> 00:02:26.659 stored form of creatine that helps your cells 00:02:26.659 --> 00:02:30.419 rapidly regenerate what's called adenosine triphosphate 00:02:30.419 --> 00:02:33.919 or ATP. Remember this, this is important. And 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:36.439 this is basically your body's instant energy 00:02:36.439 --> 00:02:40.280 system. Now, this is what powers short, intense 00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:43.819 efforts. And as we know now, supports brain energy. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:46.759 too. Creatine didn't reach mainstream until the 00:02:46.759 --> 00:02:49.919 early 80s when Olympic -level athletes, and some 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:52.659 of you may know these individuals, such as Linford 00:02:52.659 --> 00:02:56.340 Christie, Sally Gunnell, and Colin Jackson began 00:02:56.340 --> 00:02:58.719 using it. And from there, creatine monohydrate 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:02.039 became the gold standard because it was effective, 00:03:02.280 --> 00:03:06.120 stable, affordable, and incredibly well -studied. 00:03:06.219 --> 00:03:09.990 In fact, There are roughly 500 to 1 ,000 peer 00:03:09.990 --> 00:03:13.710 -reviewed studies on creatine, most of them creatine 00:03:13.710 --> 00:03:16.710 monohydrate. And here's the key point here. Over 00:03:16.710 --> 00:03:19.710 the last 30 years, creatine has become one of 00:03:19.710 --> 00:03:21.550 the most researched supplements on the planet, 00:03:21.710 --> 00:03:24.789 not just for strength and muscle, but for cognition, 00:03:25.150 --> 00:03:28.750 aging, recovery, and overall cellular energy, 00:03:28.909 --> 00:03:30.949 which is a huge reason why we're talking about 00:03:30.949 --> 00:03:33.729 it today. So while creatine might look like a 00:03:33.729 --> 00:03:35.770 gym supplement, and it's been marketed as one 00:03:35.770 --> 00:03:38.460 for a very long time, On the surface, it's really 00:03:38.460 --> 00:03:41.840 a foundational molecule for overall human performance, 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:45.280 both physical and mental. The big question is, 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:48.159 how do you get it? And why should I supplement? 00:03:48.580 --> 00:03:51.860 Well, creatine is found naturally in animal muscle, 00:03:51.939 --> 00:03:55.240 with the highest sources being red meats like 00:03:55.240 --> 00:03:58.740 beef, pork, and bison. But it's also found in 00:03:58.740 --> 00:04:01.580 other meats like fish and chicken as well, just 00:04:01.580 --> 00:04:04.340 in smaller amounts. You might be saying, well, 00:04:04.460 --> 00:04:07.030 I eat tons of meat, Jeremiah. Do I even need 00:04:07.030 --> 00:04:09.689 to supplement with this? And the answer is yes. 00:04:09.909 --> 00:04:12.409 Here's the reality. Even if you eat a lot of 00:04:12.409 --> 00:04:15.750 red meat or fish, most people only get about 00:04:15.750 --> 00:04:19.550 one or two grams of creatine per day from food 00:04:19.550 --> 00:04:22.050 sources. And that's before you factor in cooking, 00:04:22.149 --> 00:04:25.509 which actually destroys some of it. So the research 00:04:25.509 --> 00:04:28.069 shows that to fully saturate your muscles and 00:04:28.069 --> 00:04:30.509 your brain, you typically need three to five 00:04:30.509 --> 00:04:33.990 grams per day. Okay, that's a level most people 00:04:33.990 --> 00:04:36.560 don't reach. through diet alone, unless they're 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:39.079 eating pounds of meat every single day, which 00:04:39.079 --> 00:04:42.620 some people do. And even then, arguably, you'd 00:04:42.620 --> 00:04:45.319 still benefit. There's also demands to consider 00:04:45.319 --> 00:04:48.740 too. As we age, during periods of stress, intense 00:04:48.740 --> 00:04:52.240 training, poor sleep, even high cognitive load, 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:55.420 our cells are burning through ATP faster. And 00:04:55.420 --> 00:04:57.819 creatine, as we talked about earlier, helps to 00:04:57.819 --> 00:05:01.620 recycle this ATP. It's like a backup battery 00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:04.850 for both the muscle, and the brain. So supplementation 00:05:04.850 --> 00:05:07.829 isn't about replacing meat. It's about closing 00:05:07.829 --> 00:05:11.089 the gap on what our diet provides and what your 00:05:11.089 --> 00:05:13.850 cells actually use to perform at their best. 00:05:14.089 --> 00:05:15.949 You know why creatine is something you should 00:05:15.949 --> 00:05:17.850 probably look into. How does it work though? 00:05:18.089 --> 00:05:21.050 Well, at the most basic level, creatine helps 00:05:21.050 --> 00:05:24.750 your cells produce energy more quickly. But nobody 00:05:24.750 --> 00:05:27.470 listening to this podcast is basic, so let's 00:05:27.470 --> 00:05:29.769 go deeper, shall we? I want you to think of a 00:05:29.769 --> 00:05:33.040 race car pit crew here, okay? Your muscles run 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:36.139 on ATP the way that a race car runs on fuel. 00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:39.360 The problem is that ATP depletes quickly, especially 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:42.740 during heavy lifts, sprints, or explosive movements. 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:45.899 Creatine acts like a pit crew standing right 00:05:45.899 --> 00:05:48.300 next to the engine. Inside the muscle cells, 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:51.620 creatine is stored as phosphocreatine like we 00:05:51.620 --> 00:05:55.879 talked about. And when ATP runs low, phosphocreatine 00:05:55.879 --> 00:05:59.160 instantly hands over a phosphate group. And that 00:05:59.160 --> 00:06:02.439 refuels ATP on the spot. No waiting, no delays. 00:06:02.540 --> 00:06:05.639 If mitochondria are the long haul fuel trucks, 00:06:05.819 --> 00:06:09.259 creatine is like a nitrous boost, not for longer 00:06:09.259 --> 00:06:11.959 distance, but for immediate power and recovery 00:06:11.959 --> 00:06:15.660 between your efforts or exercises. Now, supplementing 00:06:15.660 --> 00:06:18.120 creatine increases the size of this pit crew, 00:06:18.180 --> 00:06:21.699 essentially. More phosphocreatine means faster 00:06:21.699 --> 00:06:25.379 ATP refueling, more reps before breakdown, quicker 00:06:25.379 --> 00:06:28.480 recovery between sets. There's also a cell hydration 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:31.680 effect. Now this is important. Creatine pulls 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:34.860 water into the muscle cell, making it swell. 00:06:35.139 --> 00:06:38.860 Think of this as inflating a balloon inside the 00:06:38.860 --> 00:06:41.819 muscle. That stretch sends signals that basically 00:06:41.819 --> 00:06:45.329 say we need reinforcement and that promotes muscle 00:06:45.329 --> 00:06:48.430 protein synthesis, and reduces breakdown. With 00:06:48.430 --> 00:06:52.250 that being said, many, not all, will notice some 00:06:52.250 --> 00:06:54.610 weight gain when taking creatine, roughly 1 -3 00:06:54.610 --> 00:06:58.209 pounds after starting. This is a result of increased 00:06:58.209 --> 00:07:01.110 fluid retention in the muscles. This does not 00:07:01.110 --> 00:07:04.709 cause the same kind of swelling you would see 00:07:04.709 --> 00:07:07.089 with conditions like cardiac or kidney disease, 00:07:07.370 --> 00:07:09.790 where you have bloating and puffiness everywhere. 00:07:10.149 --> 00:07:12.920 Rather, it's inside the muscles. And we call 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:16.639 this intracellular hydration. It's actually a 00:07:16.639 --> 00:07:19.980 good thing. That internal swelling does a couple 00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:22.899 things. It improves leverage and force production. 00:07:23.139 --> 00:07:26.100 It reduces protein breakdown. And it signals 00:07:26.100 --> 00:07:28.899 the muscles that it's in a growth -friendly environment. 00:07:29.420 --> 00:07:32.459 So most researchers consider this water shift 00:07:32.459 --> 00:07:35.800 an anabolic signal, not a side effect. And while 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:38.420 the effects on muscle are cool, the effects on 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:40.819 the brain... are cooler. I want you to think 00:07:40.819 --> 00:07:44.519 about creatine as an uninterruptible power supply 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:46.839 for your neurons. The brain is one of the most 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:49.519 energy demanding organs in the body, but unlike 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:52.839 muscle, it has almost no energy storage. It's 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:55.560 running in real time, all the time. Creatine 00:07:55.560 --> 00:07:57.740 in the brain works like a battery backup system, 00:07:57.899 --> 00:08:00.540 the kind of data centers used to prevent crashes 00:08:00.540 --> 00:08:02.990 when the power flickers, okay? And your neurons, 00:08:03.129 --> 00:08:06.009 they're constantly firing signals. They're maintaining 00:08:06.009 --> 00:08:09.189 ion gradients, releasing neurotransmitters, and 00:08:09.189 --> 00:08:11.930 processing information. All of that costs ATP. 00:08:12.110 --> 00:08:15.689 When energy demands spike during stress, sleep 00:08:15.689 --> 00:08:19.370 deprivation, or mental overload, creatine steps 00:08:19.370 --> 00:08:23.110 in to stabilize the system. Phosphocreatine keeps 00:08:23.110 --> 00:08:27.069 ATP levels steady at the synapse, like a surge 00:08:27.069 --> 00:08:30.000 protector preventing blowouts. Now, instead of 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.000 your brain slowing down or misfiring, it stays 00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:35.080 online now. And we're still using the computer 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:37.259 analogies here. And that's why creatine has been 00:08:37.259 --> 00:08:40.320 studied for things like mental fatigue, focus 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:43.720 under stress, mood stability, neural protection, 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:47.379 cognitive aging. It goes on and on and on. And 00:08:47.379 --> 00:08:49.960 the most important thing about creatine is that 00:08:49.960 --> 00:08:52.519 it's not a stimulant like caffeine. It doesn't 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:55.259 essentially rev the engine. It just prevents 00:08:55.259 --> 00:08:58.720 those power outages. So even people who are Stimulant 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:01.799 intolerant can have creatine. Well, how's this 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:04.120 applied? You've probably seen creatine at GNC 00:09:04.120 --> 00:09:06.980 or a supplement shop and noticed there are several 00:09:06.980 --> 00:09:08.919 different types. Well, let's talk about them 00:09:08.919 --> 00:09:13.000 and which one is best. Which one is the winner 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:15.960 here? So let's start with creatine ethyl ester. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:19.000 The claim on this one is it has better absorption, 00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:21.679 less water retention. Reality breaks down into 00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:24.159 creatine in the gut. It is inferior at raising 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:26.620 muscle creatine levels. And it's more expensive. 00:09:26.700 --> 00:09:29.580 More expensive, less effective. Who wants that? 00:09:29.779 --> 00:09:32.820 The next one, buffered creatine. Now, the claim 00:09:32.820 --> 00:09:36.799 on this one is it's more stable and less upsetting 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:39.399 for the stomach. The reality on this one is creatine 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:41.840 monohydrate is already stable in the stomach. 00:09:42.419 --> 00:09:45.039 Studies show no meaningful performance and advantage. 00:09:45.379 --> 00:09:47.960 And it's really just a marketing solution to 00:09:47.960 --> 00:09:51.899 a non -problem. It's marketing propaganda. Moving 00:09:51.899 --> 00:09:54.440 on to creatine hydrochloride. This one's claim 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:57.659 is better solubility, smaller doses needed. Well, 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:00.059 the reality is it dissolves well, but there's 00:10:00.059 --> 00:10:02.539 no strong evidence that it works better. There's 00:10:02.539 --> 00:10:05.000 very few studies that look at this, and it's 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:07.419 very expensive compared to creatine monohydrate. 00:10:07.620 --> 00:10:10.299 Now, this one's a bit more nuanced. Liquid creatine. 00:10:10.360 --> 00:10:13.480 This one is convenient. That's the claim, right? 00:10:13.500 --> 00:10:15.799 Super convenient. Reality, creatine degrades 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:18.980 in liquid over time, and it often delivers less 00:10:18.980 --> 00:10:23.470 active creatine than actually advertised. Which 00:10:23.470 --> 00:10:25.090 one wins? Well, we haven't talked about it yet. 00:10:25.389 --> 00:10:28.110 Creatine monohydrate, guys, the gold standard. 00:10:28.470 --> 00:10:31.350 Simply, it's creatine bound to a single water 00:10:31.350 --> 00:10:35.309 molecule. Simple, stable, proven. Now, why does 00:10:35.309 --> 00:10:37.830 this matter? It's the most studied form of creatine 00:10:37.830 --> 00:10:41.029 by a huge margin, consistently increases muscle 00:10:41.029 --> 00:10:43.870 and brain creatine stores, proven benefits for 00:10:43.870 --> 00:10:47.950 strength, power, cognition, aging, and it's safe. 00:10:48.350 --> 00:10:50.830 Not to mention, it's cheap, guys. Cheap, stable, 00:10:51.110 --> 00:10:53.470 well -absorbed. I can go on and on. It's all 00:10:53.470 --> 00:10:55.830 you need and nothing you don't. Probably the 00:10:55.830 --> 00:10:57.730 biggest question I get asked when someone is 00:10:57.730 --> 00:11:04.629 starting for you, Tina, is... I get it. You've 00:11:04.629 --> 00:11:06.529 tried hundreds of supplements in the past with 00:11:06.529 --> 00:11:09.649 disappointing results. Forget it. It ends now. 00:11:09.850 --> 00:11:12.490 At Velasco Supplements, we don't just sell supplements. 00:11:12.730 --> 00:11:15.230 We provide solutions. Having treated thousands 00:11:15.230 --> 00:11:17.950 of men and women with difficulty sleeping, low 00:11:17.950 --> 00:11:20.149 energy, and just not feeling like themselves, 00:11:20.549 --> 00:11:23.169 we've developed these specific formulations based 00:11:23.169 --> 00:11:26.690 on clinical guidelines and science. We've only 00:11:26.690 --> 00:11:28.929 included what works and nothing that doesn't. 00:11:28.929 --> 00:11:31.330 All supplements are third -party tested with 00:11:31.330 --> 00:11:34.200 clear, transparent labeling. Because while I'm 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:36.460 proud of what's in them, I'm even more proud 00:11:36.460 --> 00:11:39.480 of what's not. It's time to get the results you've 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:42.600 been waiting for this whole time. Check out velascosupplements 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:58.419 .com and see if we have a solution for you. Do 00:11:58.419 --> 00:12:01.289 I need to load it? Traditionally... People were 00:12:01.289 --> 00:12:03.370 told to load creatine and that looks like 20 00:12:03.370 --> 00:12:06.169 grams a day for about a week. And this is to 00:12:06.169 --> 00:12:08.789 saturate those muscles faster. And technically, 00:12:09.009 --> 00:12:12.230 well, this works. But here's the part that, you 00:12:12.230 --> 00:12:14.350 know, most people may not want to hear. It's 00:12:14.350 --> 00:12:17.610 not necessary, guys. It's not necessary. I want 00:12:17.610 --> 00:12:19.529 you to think of creatine like filling up a gas 00:12:19.529 --> 00:12:22.450 tank. A loading phase is like dumping fuel in 00:12:22.450 --> 00:12:24.769 there with a fire hose. You fill the tank quickly, 00:12:24.990 --> 00:12:27.929 but anything extra just spills over. A standard 00:12:27.929 --> 00:12:30.490 daily dose is like filling up with a normal pump. 00:12:30.669 --> 00:12:33.409 It takes a little longer, but you end up at the 00:12:33.409 --> 00:12:37.110 same exact result, a full tank of gas. And so 00:12:37.110 --> 00:12:39.289 what does that look like? Typically, you know, 00:12:39.289 --> 00:12:41.809 I recommend five grams a day. Muscle creatine 00:12:41.809 --> 00:12:44.269 stores are still fully saturated. Takes about 00:12:44.269 --> 00:12:46.269 three to four weeks instead of five to seven 00:12:46.269 --> 00:12:48.669 days. And the other thing too is with loading, 00:12:48.850 --> 00:12:51.889 sometimes I'll actually see a backfire because 00:12:51.889 --> 00:12:54.169 aggressive loading increases the amount of creatine 00:12:54.169 --> 00:12:56.269 that's sitting in the gut and the bloodstream 00:12:56.269 --> 00:12:59.139 before the muscles can even absorb it. And a 00:12:59.139 --> 00:13:02.100 lot of people will experience GI upset, bloating, 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:04.419 cramping. And of course, this is going to be 00:13:04.419 --> 00:13:07.240 that situation where you have much more fluid 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:09.940 accumulation, rapid water shifts. And so it's 00:13:09.940 --> 00:13:11.779 not that creatine is a problem. It's just that 00:13:11.779 --> 00:13:15.659 the dose exceeds your transport capacity of the 00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:17.460 body in the short term. We have to think long 00:13:17.460 --> 00:13:20.200 term with creatine. When you think creatine, 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:23.120 think consistency, long term. We can probably 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:25.899 all agree at this point, at least, that creatine 00:13:25.899 --> 00:13:32.169 is beneficial. The claims of kidney damage, dehydration, 00:13:32.230 --> 00:13:35.049 hair loss. Yeah, let's unpack these myths so 00:13:35.049 --> 00:13:36.950 we can finally move on with our lives, guys. 00:13:37.230 --> 00:13:40.269 Myth 1. Creatine is a steroid. Alright guys, 00:13:40.389 --> 00:13:43.350 the truth is creatine is not a hormone, not synthetic 00:13:43.350 --> 00:13:46.450 testosterone, and it's not an anabolic steroid. 00:13:46.509 --> 00:13:49.450 Creatine is a naturally occurring compound. Like 00:13:49.450 --> 00:13:52.330 I said, found in meat, fish, your own muscle 00:13:52.330 --> 00:13:54.970 cells, and your body already makes one to two 00:13:54.970 --> 00:13:57.970 grams per day. So calling creatine a steroid 00:13:57.970 --> 00:14:00.970 is like calling a protein a drug because it helps 00:14:00.970 --> 00:14:04.309 build muscle. Myth number two, creatine damages 00:14:04.309 --> 00:14:06.870 your kidneys. This myth comes from a lot of confusion 00:14:06.870 --> 00:14:09.629 and not so much evidence. Creatine can slightly 00:14:09.629 --> 00:14:13.049 increase samcreatin, which is a marker of kidney 00:14:13.049 --> 00:14:16.639 function, not kidney damage. And in healthy individuals, 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:19.240 hundreds of studies have shown no adverse effects 00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:21.580 on kidney function, even with long -term use. 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:24.700 It's like saying that exercise is dangerous because 00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:27.279 your heart rate goes up during a workout. Now, 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:29.659 I will put a caveat there is if you have pre 00:14:29.659 --> 00:14:32.120 -existing kidney damage, that could change things 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:35.600 a little bit. But even so, very safe for the 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:38.679 kidneys. Myth number three, creatine causes dehydration 00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:41.240 and cramping. Well, as we talked about, the opposite 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:45.639 is usually true. Creatine increases. intracellular 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:48.000 hydration remember water inside the muscle cells 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:51.539 multiple studies show no increased risk of cramps 00:14:51.539 --> 00:14:55.259 or dehydration even in athletes training in the 00:14:55.259 --> 00:14:57.080 heat and the other thing too with the hydration 00:14:57.080 --> 00:14:59.919 is you don't need to excessively hydrate normal 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:03.179 hydration is completely fine myth number four 00:15:03.179 --> 00:15:05.940 creatine makes you gain fat well we talked about 00:15:05.940 --> 00:15:07.960 the weight gain aspects of this and you know 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:11.320 The good news is creatine has zero calories and 00:15:11.320 --> 00:15:14.559 does not increase fat mass whatsoever. The early 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:16.980 weight gain you see, typically one to three pounds, 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:20.820 is water inside the muscle cells, not fat. And 00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:23.159 over time, in fact, creatine can improve body 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:26.200 composition by supporting harder training sessions 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:29.379 and improvement in lean body mass. Myth number 00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:32.279 five, creatine is only for bodybuilders. Well, 00:15:32.379 --> 00:15:34.440 you know, although athletes discovered this, 00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:37.039 everyone can benefit from it. Creatine has been 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.980 studied in women, older adults, vegetarians, 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:42.960 cognitive and neurological populations. I have 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:45.759 patients who are 80 years old on creatine and 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:49.379 they are absolutely thriving. Myth number six, 00:15:49.580 --> 00:15:52.659 creatine causes hair loss. There is no direct 00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:55.720 evidence that creatine causes hair loss. This 00:15:55.720 --> 00:15:58.259 myth comes from a single small study that showed 00:15:58.259 --> 00:16:04.700 a rise in DHT, not actual hair loss. And it hasn't 00:16:04.700 --> 00:16:07.440 been replicated meaningfully since. What is the 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:09.679 best way to take this? So rounding out this episode, 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:12.539 I'm going to give you five tips that can help 00:16:12.539 --> 00:16:14.440 you get the most out of your creatine. Number 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:17.720 one, be consistent. This is the most important. 00:16:17.860 --> 00:16:20.360 This matters more than anything. Creatine works 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:23.820 by saturating tissues, not acute stimulation. 00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:27.720 Take it every day, even on rest days. This stays. 00:16:28.330 --> 00:16:31.429 Slow that saturation and benefits. Tip number 00:16:31.429 --> 00:16:34.029 two, stick to the right dose. Five grams per 00:16:34.029 --> 00:16:36.950 day is ideal. You don't need more. You don't 00:16:36.950 --> 00:16:39.570 need less. Higher doses don't improve results. 00:16:39.850 --> 00:16:41.690 They typically just give you a stomach ache. 00:16:41.870 --> 00:16:44.990 Tip number three, timing matters less than you 00:16:44.990 --> 00:16:47.409 think. Doesn't matter when you take it. You can 00:16:47.409 --> 00:16:49.649 take it in the morning. You can take it at night. 00:16:49.769 --> 00:16:52.710 Take it when you'll remember. You could take 00:16:52.710 --> 00:16:55.490 it with or without food, pre or post workout. 00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:58.120 Difference is minimal. A lot of people take it 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:01.620 post -workout, and I'll tell you why. Tip number 00:17:01.620 --> 00:17:04.759 four, pair it with carbs or protein. This is 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:08.160 optional but can be helpful. Insulin helps shuttle 00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:10.599 creatine into the muscles. So taking creatine 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:14.059 with a meal can slightly improve the uptake. 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:17.500 It's not required, but it could be helpful. Number 00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:20.460 five, this one's huge. Give it time. It's not 00:17:20.460 --> 00:17:23.349 caffeine. The muscle benefits can take weeks. 00:17:23.390 --> 00:17:26.529 The brain benefits can take longer. Subtle improvements 00:17:26.529 --> 00:17:31.109 will show up over time with patience. Now, let's 00:17:31.109 --> 00:17:33.589 bring this home, guys. Creatine isn't a trend, 00:17:33.750 --> 00:17:36.730 a shortcut, or a gym gimmick, okay? It's one 00:17:36.730 --> 00:17:39.890 of the most researched compounds in human performance 00:17:39.890 --> 00:17:43.470 because it works at the most fundamental level, 00:17:43.549 --> 00:17:46.990 cellular energy. In muscle tissue, creatine helps 00:17:46.990 --> 00:17:50.170 regenerate ATP so you can train harder, recover 00:17:50.170 --> 00:17:53.700 faster, and preserve lean muscle mass. In the 00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:56.599 brain, it acts as an energy buffer, helping you 00:17:56.599 --> 00:17:59.420 stay mentally resilient during stress, fatigue, 00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:04.059 and aging. You don't need a loading phase. You 00:18:04.059 --> 00:18:06.819 don't need fancy forms. You don't need to cycle 00:18:06.819 --> 00:18:10.119 it. Just simple daily dose of creatine monohydrate 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:14.259 taken consistently. Any early waking is water 00:18:14.259 --> 00:18:17.460 inside the muscles, not fat. The safety concerns 00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:20.339 you hear, they don't hold up, guys. No research 00:18:20.339 --> 00:18:22.779 on them. Creatine isn't about stimulation, it's 00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:25.640 about support. It doesn't push your body beyond 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:28.339 its limits. It helps your cells do what they're 00:18:28.339 --> 00:18:30.819 already designed to do just more efficiently. 00:18:31.140 --> 00:18:34.640 So whether your goal is strength, recovery, focus, 00:18:34.779 --> 00:18:37.940 or long -term health, creatine definitely earns 00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:41.119 its place as a foundational supplement. Not because 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:59.759 it's exciting, but because it's reliable. That's 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:02.140 a wrap. Thanks for joining us today for another 00:19:02.140 --> 00:19:05.059 great episode. I hope you found this useful and 00:19:05.059 --> 00:19:06.900 look forward to helping you move forward in your 00:19:06.900 --> 00:19:09.039 continued pursuit of knowledge. It doesn't have 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:11.480 to end here though. Check us out on TikTok, Facebook, 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:14.099 and Instagram. If you want to be on an episode 00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:17.259 of Hormones Happen, shoot us a message at hormoneshappen 00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:22.279 at stillcity -trt .com. Stay hungry, stay optimized.