Researcher Darren Candow Recommends Creatine to Protect Aging Brains and Muscle
The Diary Of A CEO
Supplementing higher doses of creatine monohydrate counteracts sleep deprivation and halts age-related muscle loss when paired with resistance training.
## Background
Published by The Diary Of A CEO on YouTube on June 15, 2026, this interview features leading creatine researcher Dr. Darren Candow. According to the show description, Dr. Candow dispels common myths surrounding creatine while exploring its impact on muscle growth, bone density, brain bioenergetics, sleep deprivation, and mental health.
## TL;DR
In this comprehensive interview, Dr. Darren Candow explains how creatine monohydrate serves as a critical cellular energy buffer for both muscle tissue and brain function. He systematically dismantles widespread misconceptions about kidney damage, water retention, and hair loss while detailing specific dosing strategies for aging, bone density, and cognitive stress. Additionally, Dr. Candow highlights how pairing creatine with resistance training can double depression remission rates, counteract postmenopausal muscle loss, and significantly extend overall healthspan.
## Atmosphere & style
The conversation is engaging, energetic, and highly informative, driven by Steven Bartlett's curious line of questioning and Dr. Darren Candow's passionate, evidence-backed delivery. It balances rigorous scientific discourse with relatable analogies—such as comparing ATP and creatine to Batman and Robin—making complex bioenergetics accessible. The overall vibe is practical and empowering, grounded in candid peer-to-peer dialogue that shifts seamlessly from serious clinical insights to humorous personal reflections on aging and longevity.
## Key takeaways
- [04:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=254s) Creatine acts as a cellular energy buffer by rapidly regenerating ATP (adenosine triphosphate), with 95% of the body's total supply stored in skeletal muscle.
- [08:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=494s) Debunking common safety myths: Creatine does not cause kidney damage, hair loss, or muscle cramps, though initial high-dose loading can trigger mild extracellular water retention.
- [18:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1088s) The loading phase is optional: Taking a standard daily dose of 3–5 g saturates muscle stores within 3 to 4 weeks without inducing gastrointestinal distress.
- [25:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1538s) Higher daily doses (8–12 g) combined with resistance training are required to significantly improve bone health and slow bone mineral density loss in postmenopausal women.
- [27:49](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1669s) Under acute cognitive stress or severe sleep deprivation, higher doses (10–20 g+) can cross the blood-brain barrier to restore brain bioenergetics and prevent cognitive decline.
- [42:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2565s) Creatine shows potential as an adjunct therapy for mental health: Adding 5 g/day to antidepressants doubled the remission rate in women with major depressive disorder.
- [06:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=390s) Vegetarians and vegans have zero dietary intake of creatine from food sources, leading to larger relative physical and cognitive gains when initiating supplementation.
- [46:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2761s) Resistance training is the foundational lifestyle intervention for longevity, preventing the 1% annual loss of muscle mass that typically occurs after age 40.
- [58:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3495s) Creatine gummies and uncertified brands often lack active creatine, making third-party purity certifications (such as CreaPure, NSF, or Informed Choice) essential.
- [01:01:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3712s) Creatine indirectly supports fat loss and metabolic health by preserving lean muscle tissue, which maintains resting metabolic rate as adults age.
## Detailed walkthrough
### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=0s) Creatine for the Stressed Brain and Universal Safety
While a perfectly healthy brain operates fine without extra help, real-world conditions like sleep deprivation, university exam cramming, or demanding night-shift work transform a healthy brain into a metabolically stressed one. In these high-stress environments, creatine functions as a critical metabolic safeguard. Dr. Darren Candow highlights that as cognitive or environmental stress increases, higher dosages of creatine become increasingly beneficial to restore optimal brain energetics.
Across more than 120 published papers on creatine and 30 to 40 controlled trials in his laboratory, Dr. Candow notes that he has yet to find any population that should avoid taking creatine. At recommended dosages, the compound shows potential anti-cancer properties, drastically accelerates physical rehabilitation, and offers immense promise for neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Even for children, the evidence supports a daily intake of at least 1 gram to optimize bone health and muscle development alongside natural growth.
- Creatine was originally discovered in 1832, though its multi-systemic health benefits are only now fully coming to light.
- Recommended baseline intake for children is at least 1 g per day to support bone and muscle development.
- Key cognitive stress triggers benefiting from supplementation include sleep loss, night shifts, and high mental workloads.
[01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=92s) Host Channel Request and Dr. Candow's Life Mission
Before diving into the core discussion, host Steven Bartlett takes a moment to address his audience regarding channel subscriptions. Pointing out that periodic algorithm quirks or accidental unsubscriptions affect regular viewers, he asks listeners to verify their subscription status, noting that maintaining a strong subscriber base is the single most effective way to keep the show free and continuously improve its guest roster week after week.
Welcoming Dr. Darren Candow to the studio, Steven opens with a fundamental question regarding his personal mission. Dr. Candow explains that his career centers on promoting lifelong health and enabling people to live longer, disease-free lives. He points out that modern science has revolutionized our understanding of resistance training, showing that lifting weights offers all the cardiovascular and systemic benefits of traditional aerobic exercise, plus crucial additions like muscle mass retention and functional independence. Combined with targeted nutrition—specifically adequate macronutrients like protein and supplements like creatine—resistance training forms the foundation for true longevity.
- Steven Bartlett notes that subscription rates directly enable the podcast team to secure top-tier global experts.
- Dr. Candow emphasizes that weight training matches or exceeds traditional cardiovascular exercise for overall longevity benefits.
[03:11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=191s) From Glutamine to Creatine: An Accidental Research Breakthrough
Dr. Candow's path to becoming one of the world's leading creatine researchers began almost by accident during his graduate studies in Canada. While completing degrees in cell biology and kinesiology, he initially set out to research glutamine, a non-essential amino acid that was all the rage two to three decades ago. However, his experiments revealed that glutamine supplementation was essentially worthless for improving body composition in young, healthy individuals.
While his own glutamine trials stalled, Dr. Candow watched a colleague conduct research on creatine monohydrate. He was stunned to observe young male subjects rapidly getting bigger, stronger, and faster across consecutive trials. Recognizing that creatine targeted the very physiological mechanisms that decline with age, he pivoted his entire research focus toward healthy aging, aiming to help older adults maintain independence while advocating that younger individuals start supplementing as early as possible.
- Dr. Candow shifted from studying glutamine after finding it had no significant impact on body composition.
- His research now focuses on healthy aging, sarcopenia prevention, and extending the healthspan of older adults.
[04:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=254s) How Creatine Works: ATP and the Body's Energy Currency
To explain why creatine is so vital, Dr. Candow breaks down its physiological role in cellular energy. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) serves as the primary energy currency for every cell in the human body. Whenever someone performs physical work—whether walking, shoveling snow, or sprinting—muscles burn through ATP rapidly. Creatine steps in to rapidly regenerate ATP stores during high-intensity demand. To illustrate the relationship, Dr. Candow uses a colorful analogy: "If Batman, which gets all the press, is ATP, Robin is creatine. Creatine comes to the rescue, it's his best friend to help maintain these levels."
During high-intensity anaerobic activities like weightlifting or soccer, intramuscular ATP stores become severely threatened, forcing creatine to sacrifice itself to keep energy production running. The human body naturally synthesizes about 1 to 3 grams of creatine per day, but synthesis occurs strictly in the liver and the brain. Skeletal muscle cannot produce its own creatine, yet it stores approximately 95% of the body's total supply, relying on blood transport from the liver or direct uptake from dietary sources.
- Approximately 95% of the body's total creatine pool is stored in skeletal muscle.
- Endogenous synthesis occurs exclusively in the liver and brain at a rate of 1 to 3 g daily.
- High-intensity anaerobic activities deplete intramuscular ATP, requiring rapid replenishment from phosphocreatine.
[06:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=390s) Creatine Deficiency, Vegans, and Evolutionary Context
While most individuals synthesize baseline amounts of creatine, rare genetic disorders leave some people completely unable to produce it, making medical supplementation mandatory. Beyond medical conditions, vegans and vegetarians form a unique demographic. Although plant-based diets are incredibly healthy, they contain zero dietary creatine, which is found exclusively in animal flesh such as red meat, poultry, and seafood. Consequently, vegans and vegetarians experience some of the most dramatic physical and cognitive improvements on the planet when they begin supplementing.
From an evolutionary standpoint, early human hunter-gatherers consumed substantial amounts of raw and cooked meat, easily obtaining multi-gram doses of dietary creatine. In contrast, modern dietary habits make acquiring optimal amounts through whole foods challenging. Obtaining just 3 grams of creatine per day through diet alone requires consuming massive quantities of meat, which presents financial, caloric, and dietary challenges for many individuals.
- Vegans and vegetarians have lower baseline muscle creatine stores due to the absence of meat in their diet.
- Plant-based individuals demonstrate the largest relative performance and cognitive gains upon starting creatine supplementation.
- Obtaining 3 g of dietary creatine requires eating large daily volumes of red meat or seafood.
[08:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=494s) Debunking Creatine Myths: Kidney Health and Water Retention
Addressing common misconceptions, Dr. Candow addresses the widely circulated belief that creatine damages the kidneys, calling it "by far the biggest myth." When creatine breaks down in the body, it turns into a waste byproduct called creatinine, which filters through the kidneys. When people taking creatine undergo routine blood panels, their serum creatinine levels naturally appear elevated. Standard lab software uses creatinine to estimate the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR), causing an artificial drop in calculated kidney function that often panics doctors. Numerous long-term randomized controlled trials prove this is a harmless false positive, and creatine causes no damage to kidney tissue. Host Steven Bartlett confirms he personally experienced this exact false alarm on two separate blood tests.
Dr. Candow then tackles the myth that creatine causes unwanted water retention and bloating. He clarifies that temporary extracellular water retention only occurs if someone follows an aggressive "loading phase" of 20 to 30 grams per day for a week. When taking a standard maintenance dose of 3 to 5 grams daily—or smaller micro-doses—water retention is negligible. Furthermore, any water drawn into the body quickly shifts inside the muscle cell itself. This intracellular hydration expands the muscle cell like a filled balloon, creating a physical stretch that directly stimulates muscle protein synthesis to build new muscle tissue.
- Elevated serum creatinine from supplementation frequently creates a false-positive indicator of low eGFR on standard blood tests.
- High-dose loading phases (20–30 g/day for 5–7 days) trigger acute extracellular water retention, whereas low daily doses avoid it.
- Intracellular cellular swelling (volumization) acts as a direct mechanical signal to trigger muscle protein synthesis.
- Over a 6-week period, creatine supplementation yields an average lean mass gain of 0.86 kg (roughly 1.5 lbs), with virtually no increase in fat mass.
[11:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=712s) Debunking Creatine Myths: Females, Hair Loss, and Muscle Cramps
Dr. Candow dispels three additional stubborn myths, starting with the notion that creatine is only for men. Extensive evidence proves that women respond exceptionally well to creatine, experiencing significant boosts in muscle strength, exercise endurance, bone mineral density, and functional performance, while simultaneously losing fat mass. He then turns to the viral claim that creatine causes male pattern baldness, quipping self-deprecatingly while gesturing to his own bald head: "I was going bald before I started taking creatine."
The hair loss myth originated from a single decades-old study in male rugby players where a massive 25-gram daily dose slightly elevated dihydrotestosterone (DHT). However, DHT levels remained well within normal physiological ranges, and the study never actually measured hair thinning or follicle loss. Modern follow-up studies giving 5 grams daily to young men over several weeks showed absolutely zero adverse effect on hair density or follicle health. Finally, Dr. Candow dismisses the idea that creatine causes muscle cramps; because creatine hyper-hydrates muscle cells from the inside, it actually protects against muscle cramping rather than inducing it.
- Women taking creatine achieve marked improvements in strength, endurance, and bone health, alongside reductions in body fat percentage.
- The hair loss myth stems from a single historical rugby study; subsequent rigorous trials using 5 g daily showed no hair loss or follicle thinning.
- Creatine increases intracellular hydration, which helps safeguard against muscle cramping and dehydration.
[14:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=840s) Training Volume, Recovery, and the Detraining Rebound Effect
The discussion kicks off with an examination of how creatine directly influences exercise performance and training volume over time. Dr. Darren Candow highlights a graph from an 8-week study demonstrating that creatine supplementation leads to a noticeable increase in overall training capacity. By measuring total workload—calculating load lifted multiplied by repetitions and sets—researchers observed that individuals on creatine were able to push through additional reps and sets in the weight room.
```
Total Training Volume = Load × Repetitions × Sets
```
When people stop taking creatine, those elevated levels inside skeletal muscle do not vanish overnight; it typically takes about four weeks (or a full month) for muscle creatine content to drift back down to baseline levels. In contrast, returning to baseline levels in the brain is estimated to take anywhere from 5 weeks up to 3 months, though brain-specific data remains sparse.
When participants in the featured study went through a "detraining" phase where they halted supplementation at week four, their performance dipped back down toward placebo baseline levels. However, once they resumed supplementation, they experienced a swift rebound effect, surpassing their previous training marks. This rapid recovery phase highlights creatine’s potential therapeutic role in sports rehabilitation and injury recovery, helping individuals regain lost ground much faster once training resumes.
* Creatine hydrates tissue and serves as a major training asset during hot summer months (June, July, August).
* Elevated skeletal muscle creatine stores require roughly 4 weeks to return to baseline after stopping supplementation.
* Brain creatine wash-out takes considerably longer, estimated between 5 weeks and 3 months.
* Enhanced training capacity allows athletes to recover faster, making it possible to handle higher frequency training (such as twice-a-day sessions).
---
[16:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=988s) Muscle Mass Realities and Dr. Candow's Research Portfolio
Addressing a common misconception, Dr. Candow clarifies that while creatine certainly aids in building muscle, it is not a magic wand for massive hypertrophy on its own. On average, individuals taking creatine alongside a structured weight training program experience a lean mass increase of approximately 1.2 kg (2.6 lbs). However, only about half of that lean mass addition consists of actual skeletal muscle protein, with the remaining fraction attributed to intracellular cellular hydration.
```
Total Lean Mass Gain (~1.2 kg) = ~0.6 kg Skeletal Muscle + ~0.6 kg Intracellular Water
```
The real strength of creatine lies in enhancing muscle performance—strength, power, and endurance—rather than sheer size. Mechanistically, it helps preserve muscle integrity by reducing protein breakdown. Across all age demographics, combining creatine with standard resistance training consistently outperforms weight training alone.
Dr. Candow's own laboratory at the University of Regina has conducted 30 to 40 clinical trials on the subject, contributing to his personal bibliography of over 120 published research papers dedicated exclusively to creatine. His extensive work confirms that across the entire lifespan—from young athletes to middle-aged and older adults—a daily intake of 5 grams or more reliably yields robust improvements in muscle mass, strength, and overall functional capacity.
> "A lot of people take creatine for huge increases in muscle... creatine yes, can with weight training improve muscle mass, but it has more robust evidence for muscle performance."
- **Lean Mass Expectations:** Average lean mass gain is ~1.2 kg, with only half representing direct skeletal muscle tissue.
- **Key Mechanism:** Decreases rates of whole-body protein breakdown, allowing faster muscle recovery between sessions.
- **Lab Portfolio:** Dr. Candow has authored over 120 peer-reviewed papers on creatine and overseen dozens of human trials.
---
[18:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1088s) The "Loading Phase" vs. Daily 5g Dosing and Functional Independence
Demonstrating what a standard 5-gram serving looks like, Dr. Candow holds up a single scoop of powder. While this quantity can technically be obtained naturally from diet, it would require consuming impractically large quantities of red meat or seafood every day.
The conversation then turns to the traditional "loading phase" favored by bodybuilders—taking four scoops (20 grams) daily for 5 to 7 days. Dr. Candow explains that while loading saturates muscle stores at the absolute fastest rate, it frequently triggers gastrointestinal (GI) tract irritation in susceptible individuals. For the vast majority of people, skipping the loading phase and taking a steady 5 grams daily achieves identical muscle saturation over a slightly longer timeframe without stomach discomfort.
Beyond aesthetics and gym performance, Dr. Candow emphasizes creatine's crucial role in preserving functional ability as people age. Simple everyday movements—sitting down, standing up, getting off the toilet, getting out of bed, or getting out of a car—depend heavily on lower-body power and muscular strength. Because humans naturally lose muscle mass and functional capacity over time, combining daily creatine with regular weight training serves as a primary defense against age-related decline.
* **5g Daily:** One standard scoop saturates muscle stores smoothly over ~3 to 4 weeks without needing a loading phase.
* **20g Loading Phase:** Achieves rapid saturation in 5–7 days using 4 scoops per day, but increases the risk of GI distress and stomach cramps.
* **Functional Mobility:** Directly improves Sit-to-Stand performance, helping older adults maintain independence in everyday daily tasks.
Dr. Candow affirms that creatine boasts an exceptional safety profile, noting that he cannot find evidence of healthy individuals who should avoid taking it. The only standard exception applies to individuals with pre-existing, severe medical conditions (such as advanced kidney disease), who should consult a physician beforehand.
When asked about safety during pregnancy, Dr. Candow references ongoing cutting-edge work by his colleague Dr. Stacey Ellery in Australia. Dr. Ellery is leading early human clinical trials investigating how creatine supplementation transfers through breast milk and crosses the placenta to support the fetus. While research in pregnant populations is still in its infancy, preliminary data suggests it is well-tolerated and safe.
Navigating the supplement aisle can be overwhelming due to aggressive marketing surrounding newer, exotic forms like creatine hydrochloride (HCl), ethyl ester, or liquid formulations. Dr. Candow strongly advises consumers to stick to plain **creatine monohydrate**—the classic form isolated back in 1832. Monohydrate consists simply of a creatine molecule bound to one water molecule; once ingested, the water molecule dissolves, leaving pure creatine identical to what the human body produces naturally in the liver and brain. None of the novel marketed alternatives have ever been proven safer or more effective than monohydrate.
To ensure safety and purity when purchasing, Dr. Candow highlights three explicit criteria for consumers:
1. **Creatine Monohydrate:** Choose this specific form over modern marketed alternatives.
2. **CreaPure® Logo:** Sourced from Germany, representing the world's highest manufacturing and quality standards.
3. **Third-Party Certification:** Look for logos like NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) or Informed Choice, which verify independent Certificate of Analysis testing to guarantee freedom from dangerous heavy metals like lead or arsenic.
---
[21:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1291s) Dosing for Muscles, Age Considerations, and Preventing Dizziness
Moving to a hands-on "dosing dilemma" setup on set, the host and Dr. Candow discuss exact daily requirements. While 5 grams (one scoop) works well for young adults, Dr. Candow recommends bumping the dose slightly higher—to around 7 to 8 grams per day—for individuals over the age of 50. As humans age, creatine levels in lower-limb skeletal muscles become disproportionately depleted, requiring a slightly higher intake to maintain optimal muscle integrity and performance.
```
Age < 50: ~5g / day (1 scoop)
Age > 50: ~7-8g / day (~1.5 scoops)
```
The host shares a personal issue: taking a full multi-gram dose of creatine all at once sometimes makes him feel light-headed, dizzy, or slightly nauseous. Dr. Candow explains the precise biological mechanism behind this phenomenon. Creatine acts as the primary methyl scavenger in the human body. Methyl groups are essential compounds used across numerous pathways, including the synthesis of neurotransmitters and adrenaline (epinephrine).
When a large dose of creatine is ingested suddenly—especially on an empty stomach or in a dehydrated state—it instantly frees up a surplus of methyl groups that would have otherwise been used to produce endogenous creatine. These freed methyl groups head elsewhere, rapidly synthesizing extra adrenaline (epinephrine). This sudden spike in adrenaline triggers a mild "fight or flight" response, leading to jitteriness, light-headedness, or slight nausea.
To prevent these side effects, Dr. Candow advocates for a **microdosing strategy**:
* **Split Doses:** Divide the daily target into smaller servings throughout the day (e.g., 2–3 grams in the morning and 2–3 grams in the evening).
* **Intra-Workout Water Bottle:** Add 5 grams directly into a water bottle to sip gradually during a workout session.
* **Lab Observations:** Across testing on over 1,000 human participants in his lab, microdosing completely eliminated weight-gain water spikes, light-headedness, and stomach distress.
* **Consistency over Timing:** Daily, consistent intake matters most because creatine works by keeping tissue saturation levels topped off continuously.
---
[24:49](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1489s) Practical Intake Strategies and Mixing with Coffee or Foods
The host tastes unflavored creatine monohydrate live on set, noting its distinctly bland and chalky texture. Dr. Candow agrees that while raw creatine monohydrate powder is "very bland, very boring," its neutral profile allows it to be mixed effortlessly into almost any food or beverage, including yogurt, fruit juice, smoothies, or plain water.
Addressing the common debate surrounding mixing creatine into morning coffee, Dr. Candow notes that heat does not degrade the compound. While there is a slight theoretical debate regarding whether high doses of caffeine counteract creatine's ergogenic effects, staying below **350 mg of caffeine** (equivalent to roughly 3–4 standard cups of coffee or tea) poses no issue whatsoever. Whatever vehicle allows a person to remain consistent every single day is the best choice.
---
[25:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1538s) Bone Health Demands Higher Dosing and Synergistic Resistance Training
Transitioning to bone health, the conversation reveals a stark contrast between muscle requirements and skeletal requirements. While 3 to 5 grams daily satisfies skeletal muscle, research shows that the absolute minimum effective dose to elicit bone health benefits is **8 to 12 grams per day**.
```
Minimum Effective Daily Dose for Bone Health: 8g to 12g (combined with weight lifting)
```
Dr. Candow lays down an absolute rule: **creatine alone will never improve bone health without resistance training.** Every single study showing skeletal benefits required participants to perform regular weight lifting. In clinical trials conducted by Dr. Candow’s lab focusing on postmenopausal females, taking 8 to 12 grams of creatine alongside weight training did not necessarily increase absolute bone mineral density, but it significantly reduced the rate of bone mineral density loss around the critical hip region and helped preserve structural bone integrity.
> "If you do not exercise, there's never been a study ever shown to have bone benefits... in postmenopausal females, creatine seemed to reduce the rate of bone mineral density loss around the hip region."
The cellular mechanism behind these bone benefits operates via a dual, synergistic pathway:
* **Energizing Osteoblasts:** Creatine acts like a "super mushroom" for bone-building cells (osteoblasts), giving them the cellular energy needed to deposit new structural bone matrix.
* **Inhibiting Osteoclasts:** Simultaneously, creatine downregulates bone-resorbing cells (osteoclasts), slowing down the rate at which bone matrix is broken down.
* **Clinical Significance:** By preserving hip structure and bone density, creatine lowers fracture risks during accidental falls in elderly populations, helping prevent the debilitating 6+ month recovery periods or long-term care placements associated with hip fractures.
* **Pharmaceutical Analogy:** This dual action mirrors the mechanism of bisphosphonates—prescription medications commonly prescribed to manage osteoporosis and osteopenia.
[27:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1659s) The Dosing Dilemma: Brain, Muscle, and Bone Requirements
While muscle health requires roughly 3 to 5 grams of creatine daily (or up to 7–8 grams for larger individuals) and bone health requires slightly higher doses around 8 to 10 grams, the brain operates under an entirely unique metabolic framework. The brain naturally synthesizes its own creatine, much like the liver does. Weighing roughly 2 kilograms, the human brain consumes about 20% of the body's total daily energy at rest. Under normal, non-stressed conditions, a healthy brain produces sufficient creatine internally and may not require external supplementation at all.
```
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| DAILY CREATINE DOSING BY TARGET ORGAN |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Target / Condition | Recommended Dose | Purpose / Mechanism |
+----------------------+------------------+-------------------------------+
| Muscle Mass | 3–5 g (up to 8g) | Saturation & muscle growth |
| Bone Health | 8–10 g | Bone density & remodeling |
| Brain (Baseline) | 0–5 g | Brain synthesizes its own |
| Brain (Stressed/Sleep| 10–20 g+ | Overcomes blood-brain barrier |
| Deprived/Acute) | | during metabolic stress |
+----------------------+------------------+-------------------------------+
```
However, when an individual faces acute metabolic stressors—such as severe sleep deprivation, psychological stress, university midterms, rotating shift work, or crossing time zones—the healthy brain transitions into a metabolically compromised state. Because creatine struggles to penetrate the tightly regulated blood-brain barrier, reaching the brain during these high-stress windows requires substantially elevated intake.
- **Baseline Muscle Dosing:** 3–5 g daily (up to 7–8 g for higher body mass).
- **Bone Health Dosing:** 8–10 g daily in combination with resistance training.
- **Baseline Brain Dosing:** Synthesizes its own; baseline daily need is minimal or zero for non-stressed individuals.
[30:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1803s) High-Dose Creatine for Sleep Deprivation and Acute Stress
To overcome the blood-brain barrier during acute periods of cognitive or physical overload, research indicates that dosage must scale dramatically upward. Recent trials using MRI spectroscopy demonstrate that high-dose creatine supplementation (around 20 grams) exerts rapid, acute protective effects on the brain. In a landmark study from Germany, young adults subjected to 21 consecutive hours of sleep deprivation were given a single 30-gram dose of creatine, which effectively restored brain energy levels and offset the negative cognitive impacts of sleep loss. Conversely, lower dosages of around 0.2 g/kg (~14 g) failed to produce the same protective outcome.
Dr. Darren Candow shares his personal protocol as a framework for managing lifestyle stressors:
> "I take 10 g a day at minimum to check off muscle... that checks off bone for the most part... Now, since I've just flown different time zones, today I'm taking 20 to 25 g based on this acutely. And then when I go back to a non-stressed environment, back to Canada, I'll go back to my regular 10."
This elevated dosing serves as an operational "safety net" for high-stress professions—such as emergency room doctors, night-shift workers, commercial pilots, touring performers, or elite athletes preparing for major competitions—who experience erratic circadian rhythms and heavy cognitive strain.
- **Acute Sleep Deprivation Dose:** 20–30 g administered acutely during sleep loss (e.g., 21 hours awake).
- **Maintenance Safety Net:** 10 g daily covers muscle, bone, and baseline cognitive protection simultaneously.
- **Acidity & Safety:** High acute doses do not require protein-level volume; short-term intake of 20 grams is safe and carries no known adverse effects.
[34:20](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2060s) Demonstrating Cognitive Performance: The Stroop Test
Creatine supplementation does not function as an artificial stimulant or "brain booster"; rather, it restores depleted bioenergetics to baseline levels during fatigue, protecting working memory, executive function, and task accuracy. To illustrate how cognitive processing degrades under stress—and how creatine counteracts this decline—Dr. Candow puts host Steven Bartlett through a live demonstration of the Stroop test. In this test, a subject must quickly call out the font color of written color names where the text color deliberately conflicts with the word itself (e.g., the word "RED" printed in green ink).
```
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| THE STROOP COLOR TEST |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Word Printed | Font Color Printed | Correct Answer (Color) |
+------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+
| RED | Green | "GREEN" |
| BLUE | Red | "RED" |
| YELLOW | Blue | "BLUE" |
+------------------+------------------------+----------------------------+
```
Even without sleep deprivation, Bartlett finds the task mentally grueling and stumbles within a few lines. Dr. Candow notes that landmark clinical studies forced participants to perform this exact cognitive challenge continuously for 90 minutes. In those trials, administering 20 grams of creatine prior to testing yielded statistically significant improvements in processing speed and overall cognitive accuracy under exhaustion.
- **Stroop Test Protocol:** Tests cognitive flexibility and executive control by requiring subjects to name conflicting font colors rather than read the printed words.
- **Study Findings:** 20 g of acute creatine supplementation maintained processing speed, accuracy, and working memory during 90 minutes of continuous cognitive strain.
- **Practical Application:** Prevents degradation in focus and decision-making during high-stakes tasks, medical shifts, or intensive exam preparation.
[37:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2226s) Neuroprotection and Brain Bioenergetics
Beyond short-term sleep loss, brain creatine levels are visibly reduced in clinical populations suffering from neurodegenerative conditions, clinical depression, or traumatic brain injury (concussions). In these compromised states, the brain struggles to maintain cellular energy, making external supplementation a vital mechanism for supporting bioenergetics across the blood-brain barrier.
> "It doesn't boost the brain. It likely just brings those levels back up to normal levels before stress and it might give you a little bit more."
For individuals navigating high-stress daily environments—from Wall Street traders to long-distance commuters—creatine provides a metabolic buffer, maintaining cellular ATP when stress cascades threaten performance.
- **Clinical Conditions:** Pathologically low brain creatine levels are observed in Alzheimer's disease, major depressive disorder, and post-concussion recovery.
- **Mechanism:** Acts as an energy reservoir (phosphocreatine) to buffer cellular stress and preserve neuronal cellular health.
[40:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2413s) Anti-Inflammatory and Cellular Recovery Benefits
Systemic low-grade inflammation tends to rise markedly after age 40, contributing to joint stiffness, slower recovery, and accelerated age-related biological decline. While creatine does not act as a direct pharmaceutical cyclooxygenase inhibitor like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, it exhibits distinct anti-inflammatory and anti-catabolic properties in human trials.
In endurance activities—such as Ironman triathlons—taking 20 grams of creatine daily for 5 days prior to an event significantly attenuated circulating inflammatory markers. In resistance training, creatine reduces post-exercise markers of muscle damage, enabling faster recovery and tissue preservation.
- **Endurance Protocols:** 20 g/day for 5 days prior to long-duration events suppresses post-race systemic inflammatory spikes.
- **Resistance Training:** Reduces cellular markers of muscle damage (e.g., creatine kinase), aiding post-workout recovery.
- **Age-Related Inflammation:** Helps counteract the systemic, low-grade inflammatory rise ("inflammaging") common after age 40.
[41:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2488s) Emerging Research in Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia
Research into creatine's role in neurodegenerative conditions, particularly Alzheimer's disease, represents one of the most promising frontiers in preventive medicine. Clinical data from trials led by researchers Matt Taylor and Aaron Smith highlights the impact of targeted dosing in patient populations. A landmark 8-week trial evaluated 20 Alzheimer's disease patients given 20 grams of creatine daily.
The study demonstrated remarkable objective outcomes:
- **Brain Creatine Increase:** Brain creatine levels elevated by 11% as measured via magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
- **Cognition & Memory:** Significant improvement in standardized cognitive test scores and memory retention.
- **Physical Strength:** A 1.9 kg increase in handgrip strength—a key clinical biomarker strongly predictive of survival and functional independence in dementia patients.
- **Body Composition:** Modest, measurable gains in lean muscle mass over the 8-week intervention.
These findings suggest that creatine's dual action—restoring central nervous system bioenergetics while preserving peripheral muscular strength—offers vital therapeutic hope for aging and neurodegenerative disease management.
[42:34](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2554s) Mental Health and Depression: Creatine as an Adjunct Therapy
Dr. Darren Candow highlights the emerging evidence surrounding creatine’s impact on mental health, particularly for clinical depression and anxiety. Studies—most notably out of the University of Utah—demonstrate that while creatine is not a standalone treatment, adding it to standard interventions like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or monitored medical treatments significantly improves patient outcomes. By enhancing brain bioenergetics, aiding neuromodulation, and upregulating Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)—a key protein involved in brain plasticity—creatine helps restore disrupted brain chemistry.
Individuals suffering from clinical depression, anxiety, PTSD, concussions, or Alzheimer's consistently exhibit depleted baseline creatine stores in the brain, pointing to a fundamental disruption in cellular bioenergetics. Host Steven Bartlett notes a large-scale population study as well as a striking clinical trial involving women with major depressive disorder, where adding daily creatine to an antidepressant yielded dramatic results. Dr. Candow is currently collaborating on new studies to test whether creatine could ever exert beneficial effects as a standalone intervention compared to placebo.
- **Synergistic Power:** In a clinical trial of women with major depressive disorder led by Dr. Perry Renshaw’s team at the University of Utah, adding **5 grams of creatine daily** to their standard antidepressant **doubled their remission rate over 8 weeks**.
- **Epidemiological Link:** A study published by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute and indexed on PubMed analyzing over **200,000 adults** found that individuals with the lowest dietary intake of creatine had the highest rates of depressive symptoms.
[44:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2679s) Dietary Sources of Creatine and the Sleep Connection
For those looking to obtain creatine purely through whole foods, Dr. Candow explains that it is found almost exclusively in animal flesh. High concentrations are present in red meat and seafood—especially herring, salmon, and beef. Milk and dairy products contain only trace amounts, meaning "you'd have to drink all the milk in the Jersey cow" to hit a therapeutic dose, making dietary supplementation far more practical for most people.
Turning to intriguing new research, Dr. Candow discusses a study his lab conducted on sleep duration. In young, healthy biological females, taking 5 grams of creatine on training days resulted in them sleeping an average of one hour longer compared to placebo. While it might seem paradoxical—since better brain bioenergetics could theoretically reduce the need for sleep—Dr. Candow hypothesizes that creatine allowed the athletes to train at a higher capacity, thereby increasing the body and brain's drive for homeostatic restorative sleep.
- **Top Food Sources:** Herring contains among the highest natural concentrations of creatine, followed by salmon and beef.
- **Sleep Quantity Study:** Young female athletes supplementing with **5 g/day of creatine** slept an average of **1 hour longer** on training days compared to those on a placebo.
[46:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2761s) The Health "Toolbox" and the Primacy of Weight Training
To put supplementation into proper perspective, Dr. Candow cautions against overhyping creatine as a singular miracle cure, framing it instead as just one element within a broader health plan. He uses a "toolbox" analogy: if a health plan is your toolbox, the single most essential tool—the **hammer**—is weight training. While Steven Bartlett initially guesses that sleep or creatine might take top priority, Dr. Candow places sleep and aerobic training ahead of supplements, viewing creatine as a versatile "multifactorial wrench or screwdriver" that supports muscle, bone, and brain health simultaneously.
Comparing exercise modalities, Dr. Candow argues that resistance training is slightly superior to pure cardio if one had to choose just one. When performed effectively, weight training delivers nearly all the cardiovascular and metabolic benefits of traditional aerobic work—such as improving mitochondrial health and VO2 max—while uniquely driving increases in lean tissue mass, bone density, and functional performance.
- **The Lifestyle Hierarchy:** Resistance training acts as the foundational "hammer" of health, followed by sleep and aerobic exercise, with creatine serving as a versatile secondary tool.
- **Cardiovascular Overlap:** Effective resistance training can improve mitochondrial health and VO2 max while simultaneously building lean body mass.
[48:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2892s) Resistance Training Misconceptions and Age-Related Muscle Loss
Addressing common misconceptions, Dr. Candow dispels the belief that heavy lifting is mandatory to build muscle mass. Research demonstrates that lifting lighter weights to near-fatigue or high exertion yields equivalent muscle hypertrophy compared to heavy weights, giving individuals flexibility based on their daily energy or soreness. Heavy weights remain necessary primarily if the specific goal is maximal strength gain. Conversely, relying exclusively on heavy, low-repetition lifting without cardio can compromise capillary density and mitochondrial efficiency.
The urgency of weight-bearing exercise becomes starkly clear when analyzing the aging process. Pointing to a trajectory graph of lifetime muscle mass, Dr. Candow stresses that muscle decline accelerates dramatically in sedentary individuals after middle age. Starting a training regime—and pairing it with targeted nutrition—can flatten this curve at any point in life.
> "On average, it's about 1% per year after the age of 40... You lose strength at about 1 to 3% even faster. Now, if we were to maintain resistance training, that muscle mass would plateau."
- **Sarcopenia Trajectory:** Sedentary adults lose approximately **1% of muscle mass per year** after age 40, while muscle strength declines at **1% to 3% annually**.
- **Minimum Effective Dose:** As little as **2 days per week** of whole-body resistance training is sufficient to preserve muscle and physical function as people age.
- **Aerobic Guidelines:** Standard guidelines call for **150 minutes per week** of moderate physical activity (or ~21–22 minutes per day), though higher intensity is preferred.
[52:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3166s) Protein Requirements and the Synergistic "Force Multiplier"
When combined with resistance training, pairing high-quality protein with creatine creates a true "force multiplier" for muscle performance and lean tissue accretion. Dr. Candow notes that while exercise is "king" and nutrition is "queen," most adults in modern society actually consume adequate overall protein.
Rather than obsessing over massive intakes, the key lies in ensuring adequate intake of essential amino acids—a point particularly relevant for vegans and vegetarians, who may need to consume a slightly higher volume of plant foods or varied sources to hit equivalent amino acid profiles. Excess protein beyond basic athletic needs does not build extra muscle; it is diverted to systemic uses like hormone synthesis and blood cell production.
- **Optimal Protein Intake:** General athletic needs range between **1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram** of body weight (approx. 84–115 g daily for a 70 kg individual).
- **Upper Limit:** Intense daily training may benefit from up to **1 gram per pound** of body weight (~2.2 g/kg), which represents the effective ceiling for performance benefits.
[54:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3296s) Menopause, Youth, and Pediatric Creatine Safety
Dr. Candow details the biological interplay between estrogen and creatine metabolism in women. Estrogen directly influences the enzymes required for endogenous creatine synthesis, as well as broader muscle and brain bioenergetics. As women transition through perimenopause and postmenopause and estrogen levels drop, creatine supplementation becomes a powerful dietary tool to protect bone density, preserve muscle tissue, and support cognitive function. He raises the compelling hypothesis that young, premenopausal women who supplement early may build greater baseline tissue reserve, helping offset later age-related declines.
When asked about pediatric safety, Dr. Candow confirms that the existing body of literature supports the safety of creatine in children and adolescents at recommended dosages under appropriate guidance. Published reviews from American researchers indicate that creatine supplementation in young athletes improves agility, balance, body composition, and tissue development.
- **Estrogen Link:** Estrogen regulates key enzymes involved in natural creatine production, making supplementation uniquely beneficial during female hormonal transitions.
- **Pediatric Dosing:** Reviews support doses of at least **1 gram per day** in children and adolescents to support optimal bone health and muscle development alongside athletic performance.
[56:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3391s) Creatine Safety Across Age Groups and Dosing Flexibility
Dr. Darren Candow clarifies that research on creatine safety extends well beyond adults into adolescents and teenagers. While human clinical trial data on infants is still sparse, pioneering researchers like Dr. Stacy Allison in Australia are beginning to explore this frontier. Overall, the safety profile of creatine across hundreds of randomized controlled trials is exceptional. A recent mega-analysis reviewing over 25,000 cases demonstrated that taking creatine—even at doses exceeding 10 grams per day over multiple years—remains remarkably safe and effective.
Addressing the long-debated question of ideal timing, Dr. Candow shares that a landmark paper accepted just days prior puts "the nail in the coffin" on the issue: timing does not meaningfully impact efficacy. Creatine can be taken at any point during the day—with breakfast, before or during a workout, or even right before bed—without disrupting sleep quality or diminishing results. Furthermore, individuals do not need to consume their daily target all in one sitting. Micro-dosing throughout the day is equally valid; in fact, taking 1 gram every 30 minutes up to a 20-gram total daily dose has been shown to enhance overall bodily retention.
- **Pediatric and Adolescent Safety:** Well-supported by existing literature for adolescents and teens; infant studies are currently underway.
- **Large-Scale Safety Data:** Meta-analysis of 25,000+ cases confirms high safety margins even with >10 g/day over multi-year periods.
- **Timing Irrelevance:** Administering creatine in the morning, intra-workout, or right before bed produces equivalent physiological benefits without negatively affecting sleep.
- **Micro-Dosing Benefit:** Spreading intake out (e.g., 1 g every 30 minutes up to 20 g) improves systemic retention compared to single massive boluses.
---
[58:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3495s) Evaluating Creatine Gummies and Third-Party Testing
The discussion shifts to consumer convenience products, specifically creatine gummies. Dr. Candow notes that while gummies make supplementation easier—especially for children or older adults who struggle with swallowing powders or experiencing altered taste sensations—consumers must exercise caution. Manufacturing gummies requires specific binding agents that can sometimes degrade active creatine content. However, reputable brands like *Create* in the United States have undergone rigorous randomized controlled trials (such as showing performance improvements in volleyball players) and maintain strict third-party verification.
Host Steven Bartlett highlights a well-known investigation by fitness influencer James Smith, which revealed that roughly 90% of off-the-shelf creatine brands tested contained virtually zero actual creatine. Dr. Candow validates this alarming finding, emphasizing that consumers must actively look for explicit third-party testing seals on packaging. Without verified third-party certification proving label accuracy and product purity, purchasing unknown creatine brands is a significant gamble.
- **Formulation Challenges:** Gummy production requires specialized processing; unverified products often lose active creatine integrity.
- **Market Quality Disparity:** Independent testing indicates up to 90% of uncertified commercial products fail to deliver advertised creatine concentrations.
- **Third-Party Verification Checklist:** Ensure clear testing logos are present on packaging before buying to guarantee purity and label accuracy.
---
[59:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3595s) Landmark Studies and Essential Daily Supplementation
Reflecting on the scientific literature that shaped his career, Dr. Candow points to several pivotal studies. The foundation was laid in 1992, proving that a 5-gram dose spikes blood creatine levels, while repeated 5-gram doses throughout the day sustain elevation. Subsequent research established that as little as 3 grams daily achieves full muscle saturation within one month, making 3 grams the lowest clinically effective baseline dose. Additionally, Dr. Candow’s own landmark two-year trial in postmenopausal women demonstrated that a daily dose of 0.14 g/kg safely preserved bone mass and enhanced physical performance.
When asked about his personal health routine outside of creatine, Dr. Candow outlines a targeted daily supplement stack focused on longevity, gut health, and metabolic support:
- **Probiotics:** Taken twice daily (morning and evening) specifically alongside meals to maximize survival through stomach acid.
- **Magnesium:** 2 to 4 distinct forms split between daytime (for cognitive and neuromuscular function) and nighttime (before bed).
- **Vitamin D3:** 2,000 IU daily as a foundational baseline.
- **Omega-3 Fatty Acids:** 4 grams daily, with at least one dose taken post-workout to optimize cellular integration.
- **Protein Powder / Dietary Protein:** Consumed consistently to meet daily amino acid requirements.
- **Multivitamin:** Taken daily as an operational "safety net."
- **Iron:** Taken intermittently (since he eats limited red meat), but not every day.
- **NAD+ Precursors:** Monitored closely as an emerging area of research for cellular energy and metabolic aging.
---
[01:01:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3715s) Demographics, Habit Formation, and Managing Expectations
Dr. Candow observes a dramatic shift in who interacts with creatine research. Once viewed strictly as a niche supplement for young male athletes trying to build muscle, social media and evidence-based outreach have educated older populations—people in their 60s, 70s, and 80s—about its profound benefits. For aging bodies facing sarcopenia, dynapenia, bone density loss, and age-related brain atrophy, creatine offers vital functional protection.
Regarding body composition, Dr. Candow clarifies that creatine does not directly burn fat; rather, its fat-loss benefits are indirect. By increasing lean muscle mass, creatine elevates baseline energy expenditure and metabolic health. To build a lasting habit, both Steven Bartlett and Dr. Candow advocate for "habit stacking"—placing creatine directly in high-visibility daily paths, such as beside the coffee machine, on a work desk, or in the office pantry. Unlike caffeine, creatine provides no instant "jolt." Muscle benefits take 2 to 4 weeks of consistent 3–5 gram daily dosing to manifest, though cognitive benefits during acute metabolic stress (like sleep deprivation or jet lag) can be felt much faster.
- **Demographic Evolution:** Rapidly rising adoption among adults aged 60+ to counter age-related muscle, bone, and cognitive decline.
- **Indirect Fat Loss:** Muscle gain driven by creatine increases resting metabolic rate and overall cellular energy expenditure.
- **Cognitive vs. Muscle Onset:** Standard low dosing (3–5 g/day) saturates muscle over ~30 days; acute high-dose protocols address immediate neurological stress (jet lag, sleep loss) rapidly.
---
[01:05:49](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3949s) High-Dose Protocols, Sleep Loss, and Emerging Brain Frontiers
While low daily doses require weeks to saturate tissue, extreme circumstances call for different strategies. Dr. Candow highlights a notable German sleep-deprivation study where subjects given a single high-dose bolus of creatine maintained cognitive performance and executive function across 21 continuous hours without sleep. Similarly, Dr. Candow uses elevated creatine doses to mitigate the cognitive brain fog associated with international jet lag. However, he cautions against taking daily mega-doses (20–30 grams) indefinitely, as researchers do not yet know if prolonged high doses cause neuronal swelling or suppress the body's natural endogenous synthesis.
Looking to the future, Dr. Candow expresses deep enthusiasm for research looking "from the neck up." Primary areas of interest include:
- **Concussion & Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):** Pre-treating contact sport athletes (such as UFC fighters or boxers) with prophylactic creatine to reduce cellular energy crisis following head impacts and accelerate recovery.
- **Neurodegenerative & Mood Disorders:** Investigating therapeutic applications in Alzheimer's disease, clinical depression, and age-related cognitive decline.
Despite studying creatine for decades, Dr. Candow notes that the field is far from finished. Questions regarding personalized, optimal dosing strategies across different age groups, genetic profiles, and brain regions remain wide open, ensuring creatine research will remain his primary scientific focus.
- **Acute Sleep Deprivation Protocol:** Single large bolus doses act as a temporary neurological buffer during acute sleep debt, but are not intended for long-term daily use.
- **Prophylactic Neuroprotection:** Rodent and emerging human models suggest pre-loading creatine prior to head trauma significantly mitigates concussion severity and speeds up recovery.
- **Unanswered Questions:** Individualized dosing protocols tailored specifically for human brain tissue optimization represent the next major scientific boundary.
[01:09:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4140s) Dosing Variations and Making the Case to Loved Ones
Creatine dosing is far from a one-size-fits-all formula because individual storing capacity varies significantly based on physical scale and psychological stress. A person weighing 150 kg naturally possesses a much greater muscular storage capacity than someone weighing 50 kg, warranting a higher relative dose. Furthermore, individuals experiencing high levels of stress or sleep disruption likely require higher doses because the brain's internal machinery cannot keep pace with metabolic demands. While broad baseline recommendations work well for simplicity, taking a scientific approach based on relative body weight is equally effective.
When asked how a listener should pitch creatine to hesitant loved ones seeking cognitive or muscular benefits, Dr. Candow frames it as an essential component of long-term health span. He views creatine as "one tool in that health promotion toolbox that might help you live longer and better," allowing individuals to maintain physical independence into old age. He cautions against putting off health optimization until retirement, comparing it to financial saving: "It's like saying I'm going to save everything for retirement. My question is why? You might not make it to retirement."
* **Weight-Based Capacity:** Larger individuals (e.g., 150 kg vs. 50 kg) require higher relative dosages due to increased total muscle storage capacity.
* **Stress Factors:** Higher mental or physical stress accelerates brain energy depletion, necessitating higher creatine intake to offset natural machinery shortfalls.
* **Longevity Strategy:** Proactive supplementation prevents accelerated aging and premature loss of physical capabilities.
---
[01:10:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4247s) Defining Biological Aging and the Human Reality
Dr. Candow describes biological aging quite bluntly as "catastrophic" functional deterioration. Having crossed into his fourth decade, he notes firsthand that physical recovery becomes harder, joints ache more, and muscle mass retention requires significantly greater effort. At its core, biological aging reduces the human body's capacity to withstand environmental and physiological stress, leading to a rapid breakdown of tissues and physical capabilities if left unmanaged.
When presented with the traditional closing question left by the previous podcast guest—"What is reality?"—Dr. Candow dismisses simulation theories or artificial constructs. He firmly believes human existence is real because "we can feel it," experiencing genuine emotions and physical realities rather than living in a game show. Grounding his perspective, he shares that he is a devout Roman Catholic, deeply attached to his family, and lives with his wife, a French bulldog, and a cat.
* **Biological Aging Definition:** The progressive deterioration of the human body and a reduced ability to withstand physiological stress.
* **Physical Decline Indicators:** Muscle loss, reduced running speed, and heightened physical soreness begin noticeably in the fourth decade of life.
* **Perspective on Existence:** Rejects simulation theory, citing tangible emotional and physical human experiences.
---
[01:12:04](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4324s) Career Goals, Laughter, and the Fear of Death
Reflecting on his life's mission, Dr. Candow defines true success as leaving a lasting impact on his students and helping people extend their healthy years. He laments seeing older adults lose their vitality and ability to travel, urging people to embrace life immediately. Referencing his favorite line from *The Shawshank Redemption* spoken by Morgan Freeman, he urges people to "get busy living or get busy dying." Alongside exercise, nutrition, and sleep, he highlights laughter as an essential yet underrated health intervention: "if I could ask anybody to do one more thing, it'd be just laugh more often."
When pressed on what personally drives his relentless focus on longevity research, Dr. Candow candidly admits to an overwhelming fear of death. Despite his belief in an afterlife and heaven, his intense passion for earthly existence makes the concept of dying uncomfortable to even contemplate. He candidly shares, "I'm scared to death of dying... I just want to spend more time here. There's still a lot of things to do."
* **Primary Career Goal:** To inspire students and help individuals live past 120 or 130 while remaining active and disease-free.
* **Key Lifestyle Pillars:** Exercise, targeted nutrition, adequate sleep, and frequent laughter.
* **Personal Motivation:** A deep-seated fear of death paired with an immense passion for earthly life and ongoing research.
---
[01:14:36](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4476s) Closing Gratitude and Healthspan Extension
Steven Bartlett concludes the interview by expressing deep gratitude for Dr. Candow’s decades of research, noting that numerous health experts previously featured on the show frequently cite his work. He highlights the modern health crisis where individuals experience artificially shortened healthspans—spending their final decades heavily medicated and physically incapacitated from their 40s or 50s onward.
Dr. Candow’s pioneering work on creatine provides a practical, evidence-based strategy for extending healthspan alongside lifespan. By offering concrete tools to preserve muscle, bone, and brain function, this research gives individuals the opportunity to maintain high quality of life well into their later years.
* **Healthspan Crisis:** Many individuals spend their final 20 to 30 years medicated and unable to perform daily activities they care about.
* **Research Impact:** Creatine research empowers individuals with practical choices to align their healthspan with their lifespan.
## Notable quotes
> [04:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=254s) If Batman, which gets all the press, is ATP, Robin is creatine. Creatine comes to the rescue, it's his best friend to help maintain these levels. — Dr. Darren Candow
> [11:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=712s) I was going bald before I started taking creatine. — Dr. Darren Candow
> [16:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=988s) A lot of people take creatine for huge increases in muscle... creatine yes, can with weight training improve muscle mass, but it has more robust evidence for muscle performance. — Dr. Darren Candow
> [25:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1538s) If you do not exercise, there's never been a study ever shown to have bone benefits... in postmenopausal females, creatine seemed to reduce the rate of bone mineral density loss around the hip region. — Dr. Darren Candow
> [30:03](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1803s) I take 10 g a day at minimum to check off muscle... that checks off bone for the most part... Now, since I've just flown different time zones, today I'm taking 20 to 25 g based on this acutely. And then when I go back to a non-stressed environment, back to Canada, I'll go back to my regular 10. — Dr. Darren Candow
> [37:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2226s) It doesn't boost the brain. It likely just brings those levels back up to normal levels before stress and it might give you a little bit more. — Dr. Darren Candow
> [48:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2892s) On average, it's about 1% per year after the age of 40... You lose strength at about 1 to 3% even faster. Now, if we were to maintain resistance training, that muscle mass would plateau. — Dr. Darren Candow
## Mentioned
Aaron Smith, BonCharge, CreaPure, Create, Dr. Darren Candow, Dr. Perry Renshaw, Dr. Stacey Ellery, Dr. Stacy Allison, Flightcast, Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Informed Choice, International Society of Sports Nutrition, James Smith, Matt Taylor, NSF, PubMed, Stan, Stanford University, Steven Bartlett, Stroop Test, The Diary Of A CEO, University of Regina, University of Utah
Creatine researcher Dr. Darren Candow contends that creatine monohydrate is a safe, multi-systemic metabolic compound that enhances muscle performance, preserves bone density, and buffers brain bioenergetics across the lifespan when paired with resistance training.
Musculoskeletal Performance and Synergistic Bone Preservation (4:14)
Creatine rapidly regenerates cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during intense exertion. Skeletal muscle stores roughly 95% of bodily creatine, replenished by liver and brain synthesis (1–3 g daily) or dietary meat. Dr. Candow explains that creatine primarily enhances strength and power rather than isolated hypertrophy; combined with resistance training, it adds an average of 1.2 kg of lean mass, split evenly between muscle protein and intracellular water. This intracellular cellular swelling triggers protein synthesis and blunts breakdown, counteracting the 1% annual muscle loss and 1% to 3% annual strength loss typical after age 40.
While muscles require 3 to 5 g daily, skeletal preservation demands 8 to 12 g daily and strictly requires resistance training. In trials with postmenopausal women, this high-dose regimen combined with lifting reduced hip bone mineral density loss. Creatine energizes bone-depositing osteoblasts while suppressing bone-resorbing osteoclasts, mirroring bisphosphonates to maintain bone matrix and reduce fracture risk.
Brain Bioenergetics, Cognitive Stress, and Mood Disorders (27:39)
The brain consumes 20% of resting energy, and acute stressors like sleep loss, exams, and jet lag deplete its bioenergetics. Overcoming the blood-brain barrier requires higher doses (10–20 g+). In German sleep-deprivation trials, a 30 g bolus restored brain energy and cognitive function across 21 hours awake, whereas 14 g failed. Similarly, acute 20 g doses preserved processing speed and accuracy during grueling 90-minute Stroop tests under mental exhaustion.
Creatine also shows promise in clinical populations with deficient brain stores. In an 8-week Alzheimer's trial, 20 g daily elevated brain creatine by 11%, improved memory scores, and increased handgrip strength by 1.9 kg. For major depressive disorder, Utah trials demonstrated that adding 5 g daily to standard SSRIs doubled 8-week remission rates in women by supporting neuromodulation and BDNF. Additionally, a 200,000-adult study linked low dietary creatine intake with higher depression rates.
Refuting Safety Myths and Verifying Supplement Quality (8:14)
Dr. Candow refutes common safety concerns, identifying kidney damage as the most pervasive myth. Creatine breaks down into creatinine, producing elevated serum readings that artificially lower calculated eGFR on standard blood panels without harming kidney tissue. The hair loss myth originated from a single rugby study reporting modest dihydrotestosterone (DHT) shifts within normal physiological ranges without measuring hair loss; subsequent 5 g daily trials showed zero follicle thinning. Intracellular hydration also prevents rather than causes muscle cramps.
A meta-analysis of over 25,000 cases confirms creatine's safety, even with multi-year doses above 10 g daily. However, Dr. Candow cautions that unverified brands often fail quality checks, citing findings where up to 90% of off-the-shelf products lacked stated creatine. Consumers should choose pure creatine monohydrate with third-party testing seals (NSF, Informed Choice) or German CreaPure®, avoiding unproven forms like creatine HCl.
Dosing Protocols, Methylation Effects, and Practical Use (21:31)
Baseline muscle saturation requires 3 to 5 g daily for younger adults, whereas individuals over 50 benefit from 7 to 8 g daily. Rapid loading (20 g daily for 5–7 days) reaches saturation faster but frequently induces gastrointestinal distress. Large single boluses can also trigger transient dizziness or nausea because creatine acts as a methyl scavenger, freeing methyl groups that accelerate adrenaline (epinephrine) synthesis.
Microdosing—dividing intake into 2 to 3 g servings or sipping dissolved powder during workouts—prevents adrenaline spikes and stomach upset while achieving saturation within four weeks. Daily timing is physiologically irrelevant; creatine can be taken with meals, morning coffee (below 350 mg caffeine), or before bed without impairing sleep. Plant-based individuals, who obtain zero dietary creatine, experience the most pronounced physical and cognitive gains upon supplementing.
Dr. Candow emphasizes that creatine functions as an adjunctive metabolic tool secondary to foundational lifestyle pillars: resistance training, restorative sleep, and cardiovascular exercise. Critical frontiers—including individualized dosing across specific brain regions, pediatric applications, and prophylactic neuroprotection against traumatic brain injuries—remain subjects of ongoing clinical investigation.
## Background
该视频由知名访谈频道 The Diary Of A CEO（主持人 Steven Bartlett）于 2026 年 6 月 15 日在 YouTube 平台发布。节目特邀国际运动营养学会候任副主席、里贾纳大学衰老肌肉与骨骼健康实验室主任 Darren Candow 博士，深入解析肌酸在减脂、大脑认知保护、逆转睡眠剥夺及抗衰老等维度的最新科研突破，并逐一破除阻碍大众摄入肌酸的五大流言迷思。
## TL;DR
Candow 博士指出，肌酸绝不仅是年轻健身男性的专属补剂，而是一项能够全面守护全年龄段肌肉、骨骼与大脑机能的基石型营养素。在破除肾损伤、水肿、脱发等常见认知误区的同时，他详解了 3 至 5 克日常基础剂量对维持肌肉与改善功能性动作的机制，并强调针对骨骼健康需要更高剂量（8 至 12 克）并必须配合抗阻力量训练。面对极限熬夜、倒时差等高压与睡眠剥夺场景，大剂量肌酸（20 至 30 克）可强行穿透血脑屏障充当神经能量缓冲底网，甚至在抑郁症与阿尔茨海默病临床干预中展现出积极前景；将肌酸与抗阻训练、优质蛋白协同搭配，是现代人对抗 40 岁后肌力断崖式衰减、延长无病痛健康寿命的核心干预策略。
## Atmosphere & style
整场对话在严密扎实的循证医学逻辑与轻松幽默的互动氛围间自如切换，Candow 博士既有顶尖学者的求真严谨，又频繁拿自己的光头调侃脱发流言，尽显风趣与亲和力。主持人的现场测试互动与实拍体验让生化代谢机制变得生动具象，而尾声关于衰老不可逆的残酷现实以及对死亡发自内心的敬畏与坦诚，则将探讨升华为充满人文温度的生命思索，带给观众极具说服力且深具感染力的视听体验。
## Bulletin
- [21:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1298s) 肌酸能显著改善肌肉、骨骼与脑健康，常规肌肉维持仅需每日 3-5 克，但改善骨微结构需 8-12 克且必须配合抗阻运动，极端睡眠剥夺与高压状态下的大脑保护则需要 20-30 克的急性冲击剂量。
- [08:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=494s) 体检中血肌酐偏高多为外源性肌酸分解的正常副产物，导致 eGFR 计算值虚低并造成 99% 的假阳性误判；多项长期临床试验证实其对肾脏没有任何实质损害。
- [19:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1181s) 一水肌酸（Creatine Monohydrate）在临床有效性与安全性上依然是无可替代的黄金标准，选购时应认准 CreaPure 原料标识及 NSF 等第三方独立检测认证以防劣质假冒。
- [50:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3047s) 抗阻力量训练是维持健康寿命的核心支柱，40 岁后人体肌肉量每年流失约 1%，坚持力量训练配合肌酸与蛋白质能有效拉平衰退曲线，挽救老年日常生活功能。
## Key takeaways
- [04:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=254s) 肌酸是细胞能量 ATP 的关键磷酸缓冲库（“罗宾”角色），人体每天仅由肝脏和大脑合成 1-3 克，95% 储存于骨骼肌中，植物性饮食者基础储备偏低，补充效果最为显著。
- [09:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=571s) 肌酸导致脱发、肌肉痉挛与肥胖纯属伪科学谣言；肌酸引导水分进入肌细胞内（细胞水合充盈）促进蛋白质合成，甚至有助于减少脂肪并预防酷暑抽筋。
- [14:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=846s) 肌酸通过大幅增加训练容量和抑制蛋白质分解来增肌，停服后肌肉肌酸需约 4 周完全代谢回落，复服时具有强劲反弹效应，是运动损伤康复的高效催化剂。
- [18:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1088s) 绝大多数健康人群无需经历易引起肠胃不适的冲击期，从第一天起每日坚持 5 克即可使肌酸储备饱和；50 岁以上建议增至 7-8 克以弥补下肢肌酸与力量的加速流失。
- [22:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1363s) 空腹单次大剂量摄入肌酸可能释放游离甲基，促使机体过量合成肾上腺素而引起头晕心慌；采用随餐或分散全天的微剂量摄入法（Microdosing）可彻底化解不适。
- [25:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1538s) 保护骨骼健康需要每日 8-12 克的高剂量，且必须伴随抗阻力量训练；肌酸能为成骨细胞供能并抑制破骨细胞，显著减缓绝经后妇女髋部骨质流失率。
- [28:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1686s) 由于血脑屏障转运阻力，日常低剂量难以显著提升脑内肌酸，但在 21 小时睡眠剥夺等极端代谢应激下，单次 20-30 克的急性冲击剂量能显著维持认知抗疲劳表现。
- [42:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2548s) 肌酸可作为抑郁症与心理健康的有效辅助治疗手段，临床双盲实验证实女性重度抑郁症患者在抗抑郁药基础上每日加服 5 克肌酸，8 周缓解率翻倍。
- [48:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2892s) 力量训练并非必须举大重量，轻重量做到接近力竭对肌肉生长的刺激效果相当；每周仅需 2 天全身循环力量训练结合适度有氧，即可收获核心长寿效益。
- [52:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3148s) 蛋白质与肌酸协同可发挥“力量倍增器”效应，普通人每日摄入每公斤体重 1.2-1.6 克蛋白质即可满足需求，无需过度焦虑超量补充。
- [54:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3297s) 雌激素与肌酸合成酶及能量代谢深度交织，围绝经期与绝经后女性补充肌酸对保护骨骼强度、肌肉质量与认知机能尤为重要。
- [56:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3408s) 肌酸的具体摄入时机（晨起、练前、练中、练后或睡前）对吸收和睡眠均无显著差异，保持长期每日规律摄入才是决定性因素。
- [01:01:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3715s) 肌酸并非直接燃脂剂，它通过增加瘦体重提升机体基础代谢率，从而间接促进全身脂肪代谢与身体成分优化。
- [01:07:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4052s) 肌酸科研正从传统的骨骼肌拓展至脑部神经保护，在预防脑震荡（TBI）、减轻阿尔茨海默病认知衰退及缓解时差应激中展现出前沿价值。
## Detailed walkthrough
### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=0s) 压力、大脑与全人群获益：肌酸并非健身专属
在常规状态下，一个健康的成年人大脑可能自身就能维持基本的肌酸平衡；然而一旦面临代谢压力——无论是熬夜、慢性睡眠不足、夜班轮岗，还是大学期末考前的突击复习，大脑便会迅速转入高负荷运转的“代谢受压状态”。现实生活中，绝大多数现代人都处于不同程度的压力环境之下，而这正是肌酸发挥关键保护作用的时刻。研究表明，大脑承受的应激程度越高，所需补充的肌酸剂量往往也越大。
针对“究竟哪些人不适合服用肌酸”的疑问，达伦·坎多博士给出了极具说服力的回答。他个人已发表了超过 120 篇专门针对肌酸的学术论文，并在其实验室中主导完成了 30 到 40 项临床实验，至今尚未发现有任何健康人群“不能”或“不应该”补充肌酸。在推荐剂量下，肌酸不仅表现出潜在的抗癌辅助价值，还能显著加速肌肉与骨骼损伤后的康复进程，甚至在阿尔茨海默病（Alzheimer's）等神经退行性疾病的干预中展现出令人振奋的希望。
即使对于儿童群体，现有的科学证据也建议每天至少摄入 1 克肌酸，以优化骨骼健康与肌肉发育。肌酸这种早在 1832 年就被发现的古老营养成分，曾被学术界长期视作平淡无奇的基础物质，如今却被证实具有覆盖肌肉、骨骼、大脑乃至微剂量干预等全方位的深刻健康获益。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 肌酸在人体内的生成、转运与能量支持机制
accDescr: 展示肝脏和大脑合成肌酸、血液转运到骨骼肌以及在代谢压力下补充能量的通路。
subgraph Synthesis["合成阶段（每日约 1-3g）"]
L["肝脏合成"]
B["大脑合成"]
end
subgraph Storage["储存阶段"]
Blood["血液循环转运"]
Muscle["骨骼肌（储存全身 95% 肌酸）"]
BrainStore["脑组织自留利用"]
end
subgraph Function["功能与应对压力"]
ATP["ATP 能量货币（蝙蝠侠）"]
CreatineBuffer["磷酸肌酸缓冲（罗宾）"]
Stress["高强运动 / 熬夜 / 认知压力"]
end
L --> Blood --> Muscle
B --> BrainStore
Muscle --> CreatineBuffer
BrainStore --> CreatineBuffer
Stress --> ATP
CreatineBuffer -.->|"迅速回填再合成"| ATP
```
- **儿童发育推荐**：建议每日至少摄取 1 克，重点支持骨骼矿化与骨骼肌生长。
- **脱发传言调侃**：面对关于肌酸导致脱发的迷思，坎多博士幽默地回应道：“在我开始吃肌酸之前，我就已经在变秃了。”
---
### [01:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=92s) 频道订阅互动
史蒂文·巴特利特在访谈正式切入前插入了一段与观众的诚恳交流。后台数据显示，不少长期收看节目的观众时常会被系统莫名取消订阅。为此，他呼吁常客们顺手核对订阅状态，这是支持制作团队每周全力邀请全球顶尖专家、保持节目长久免费且持续提升深度的唯一请求。
---
### [02:26](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=146s) 从谷氨酰胺到肌酸：达伦·坎多博士的研究之路
坎多博士阐述了其毕生追求的核心使命：推动全民健康，让人们无病无痛地延长健康寿命（Healthspan）。长期以来，大众对阻抗训练（抗阻力量训练）的认知存在局限，但现代科学已证实，力量训练不仅具备传统心血管有氧运动的所有益处，还能额外提供强大的抗衰老保护。将力量训练与精准营养——尤其是蛋白质与肌酸的补充协同结合，是当前抵御衰老、优化长寿路径的关键所在。
坎多博士的学术轨迹起源于加拿大。他先取得了细胞生物学学位，随后在人体运动学（Kinesiology）方向攻读硕士与博士学位。走上肌酸研究纯属偶然：在 20 至 30 年前，非必需氨基酸“谷氨酰胺”（Glutamine）在健身与补剂圈风靡一时，所有人都在服用并指望它改善身体成分，坎多博士的硕士课题正是研究谷氨酰胺。然而实验结果表明，从体成分改变的角度来看，谷氨酰胺对年轻健康人群几乎毫无效果。
与此同时，他的一位同僚正在同一间实验室中测试肌酸。坎多博士亲眼见证了受试的年轻男性在力量、维度和爆发力上呈现出“变得更大、更强、更快”的显著蜕变。更重要的是，肌酸所提升的生理指标，恰恰是随着自然衰老而不可逆转地下跌的关键机能。这彻底改变了他的学术轨迹，使他将后半生的精力全部倾注于健康老龄化领域，致力于让中老年人更长久地远离疾病，同时也倡导年轻人“越早开始保护机能越好”。
---
### [04:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=254s) 能量货币与生理机制：“蝙蝠侠”ATP与“罗宾”肌酸
谈及肌酸的生理基础，三磷酸腺苷（ATP）是人体所有活细胞的“通用能量货币”。无论是日常肌肉做功、在车道上铲雪，还是普通的散步，肌肉都需要持续消耗 ATP 来维持收缩与运动。然而高强度运动（如百米冲刺、大重量深蹲举重）会极度迅速地耗尽细胞内的 ATP 储备。
坎多博士用了一个生动的超级英雄比喻来解释两者的协同机制：如果将集聚所有聚光灯与赞誉的 ATP 比作“蝙蝠侠”，那么肌酸就是不可或缺的“罗宾”。当蝙蝠侠遭遇危机、能量储备告急时，罗宾会毫不犹豫地挺身而出“牺牲自己”——肌酸通过迅速提供高能磷酸基团，在几秒钟内将 ADP 重新合成 ATP，从而维持细胞的持续做功状态。诸如世界杯赛场上的顶级足球运动员，高强度的折返冲刺会剧烈消耗肌肉肌酸储备；体内肌酸池越充盈，运动表现与抗疲劳能力就越卓越。
人体自身每天能够合成约 1 到 3 克肌酸，但令人惊讶的是，这种内源性合成仅发生在两个器官：**肝脏**与**大脑**。骨骼肌本身完全无法合成肌酸，然而全身高达 95% 的肌酸却储存在骨骼肌中。大脑合成的肌酸主要自给自足留在大脑内部，而肝脏合成的肌酸则需要释放到血液中，被主动转运至全身肌肉。由于内源性生成量非常有限，要想提升体内总储备，必须依赖外源性的红肉、海鲜饮食或膳食补充剂。
---
### [06:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=390s) 人体缺乏肌酸吗？素食人群与摄入困境
虽然大多数人群不会陷入临床意义上的严重缺乏，但特定人群除外。医学上存在极少数先天性肌酸合成缺陷的罕见病患儿，他们必须依靠外源肌酸药物维持生命。另一类特殊人群则是纯素食者（Vegans）与素食主义者（Vegetarians）。素食饮食固然富含微量营养与纤维，但由于天然肌酸仅存在于动物性肉类肌肉组织（红肉、海鲜、禽肉）中，植物性食物完全不含肌酸。
尽管素食者体内能利用饮食中的特定氨基酸内源合成 1 到 3 克肌酸，但其骨骼肌与大脑中的肌酸基础储量普遍远低于食肉人群。正因如此，当素食者开始服用肌酸补剂时，他们的身体反应和获益幅度在全人类中堪称“最为显著”——其提升效应肉眼可见。
从演化史来看，原始采集狩猎时期的远古人类通过大量进食新鲜兽肉，天然能摄入充沛的肌酸。但在现代饮食结构中，仅为了从日常饮食里摄入 3 克纯肌酸，一个人就必须摄入极其庞大分量的肉类，这不仅会带来昂贵的伙食开销，还伴随着过量脂肪与热量负担，对非肉食主义者更是不可能完成的任务。尽管近几年大众补剂意识觉醒，但受制于各类未经证实的谣传，女性人群中的肌酸使用率依然偏低（仅约 3% 左右）。巴特利特随即在桌面上亮出写着公众最关切的五大肌酸流言的卡片，邀请坎多博士逐一揭开真相。
### [08:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=494s) 迷思一：肌酸会损伤肾脏吗？体检指标背后的真相
关于肌酸最顽固的头号迷思，莫过于“肌酸会损害肾脏”。Candow 博士解释，当人体摄入肌酸后，它会储存在肌肉中；而在代谢过程中，肌肉自然分解代谢肌酸并释放出代谢产物——肌酐（creatinine）。很多人去体检或抽血时，化验单上都会有一栏肌酐指标，紧随其后的便是 eGFR（估算肾小球滤过率，用于评估肾脏健康状态）。
服用肌酸的人在做常规体检时，血液中的肌酐浓度往往会轻微偏高，这仅仅是外源性摄入化合物分解的正常副产物。然而，由于 eGFR 的计算公式严重依赖血肌酐数值，计算得出的肾小球滤过率就会被动降低。很多医生看到这个结果会大惊失色，立刻严肃告诫患者：“赶紧停掉肌酸，它正在损害你的肾功能！”然而现实情况往往是，患者停服肌酸后去复查，指标立刻恢复完全正常。Candow 博士直言：“在 100 次案例中，有 99 次都是假阳性。”多年的随机对照试验（RCT）已反复证实，在合理剂量下，肌酸对肾脏健康没有任何负面危害。主持人 Steven 也深有同感地附和，自己在血液检查中就亲身经历过两次一模一样的误报情况。
- **引起血肌酐升高的非病理性因素**：除了补充肌酸外，高肉类饮食、轻度脱水以及高强度锻炼人群的肌酐水平普遍都会自然偏高。
- **专家医嘱建议**：抽血体检前务必主动告知医生自己正在补充肌酸，避免医生因单纯的指标计算假象做出误判。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 肌酸代谢与肾功能指标假阳性机制
accDescr: 解释摄入肌酸后肌酐升高如何导致eGFR计算值被动偏低，形成肾损伤假象。
subgraph Metabolic["外源性肌酸代谢"]
A["摄入肌酸补充剂"] --> B["肌肉储存并利用"]
B --> C["代谢副产物：肌酐 (Creatinine)"]
C --> D["血液中肌酐浓度生理性偏高"]
end
subgraph LabTest["体检实验室误判"]
D --> E["公式推算 eGFR 滤过率下降"]
E --> F["医生误判为早期肾损伤并叫停补充"]
F -. "停服后复查完全正常".-> G["证实为 99% 的假阳性 (False Positive)"]
end
```
### [09:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=571s) 迷思二：肌酸会引起水肿与发胖？细胞水合与蛋白质合成机制
第二个广泛流传的迷思是“肌酸会让人水肿发胖”，这也是绝大多数女性对肌酸望而却步的核心原因。Candow 博士指出，水肿通常只发生在“短期内摄入过量”的情况下。许多补剂厂商推崇的“冲击期”（loading phase）要求每天服用 20 至 30 克并持续 5 到 7 天，这确实会在急性期（约 3 至 5 天）引起轻度细胞外水滞留。然而，只要进入每天 3 至 5 克的常规维持期，这种短暂的水滞留就会彻底消退；若一开始就采用小剂量微量补充（microdosing），几乎连这种短暂现象都不会出现。
更关键的是，肌酸具有渗透性（osmotic），水分会跟随机酸的去向流动。大约一周后，水分完全被引导进入肌细胞内部，如同给干瘪的气球注满水，实现肌肉的“细胞体积充盈”（cell volumizing）。这种水合充盈对身体极其有利——肿胀充盈的肌纤维会直接激活一系列细胞信号通路，刺激肌蛋白合成，进而促进肌肉变大变强。至于体重的变化，一项为期 6 周的研究显示，受试者在服用肌酸前后的体重平均仅增加了 0.86 公斤（约 1.5 磅），且增加的绝大部分是去脂体重（lean mass）。去脂体重中只有约 50% 是骨骼肌，其余包括水分、结缔组织与器官，根本不存在所谓“发胖肿成气球”的风险。
### [11:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=710s) 迷思三：肌酸只是男性的专属补剂吗？
认为“肌酸专属于男性健美人群”的观点是 100% 错误的。Candow 博士强调，放眼全部临床证据，女性对肌酸补充的反应极其显著且强健。女性在力量、耐力以及运动综合表现上均能获得深远益处。
此外，长期存在一种误区，认为水滞留会导致脂肪堆积。然而最新的元分析（meta-analysis）数据表明，肌酸实际上有助于减少脂肪量（fat mass），并增加去脂瘦体重。更重要的是，Candow 博士主持的实验室研究显示，女性在补充肌酸后，骨骼健康指标呈现出极其积极的改善，这对女性预防骨质疏松与运动机能退化具有重要临床意义。
### [12:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=752s) 迷思四：肌酸会导致脱发与秃顶吗？
谈及第四个迷思“肌酸会导致脱发”，现场充满了幽默风趣的气氛。主持人抛出这个问题时，光头的 Candow 博士忍不住笑着自嘲：“真不敢相信你竟然当面问我这个！大家看着我这位研究肌酸 25 年且虔诚服用的学者，肯定会想：‘看吧，他就是吃肌酸吃秃的！’但天晓得，在开始吃肌酸之前我就已经在秃顶了！”
这则流传甚广的谣言起源于几十年前针对年轻橄榄球运动员的一项研究。该研究中，受试者每天服用 20 至 25 克肌酸持续 7 天后，体内双氢睾酮（DHT，睾酮前体，与毛囊萎缩脱发相关）的浓度出现上升。但荒谬的地方在于两点：其一，这群运动员体内的 DHT 即使升高，也完全处于正常的生理基线范围之内；其二，原研究从头到尾根本没有对毛囊变薄、脱发数量等实际头皮指标做过任何临床测量。数年前的新实验直接对这一假说进行了严谨检验：年轻男性在接受抗阻训练的同时每天补充 5 克肌酸，持续 6 到 8 周，结果未发现任何毛发变薄或脱落的不良反应。脱发与肌酸毫无科学关联。
### [13:36](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=816s) 迷思五：肌酸会导致肌肉痉挛和抽筋吗？
“肌酸导致肌肉痉挛抽筋”完全是被外界严重夸大甚至颠倒黑白的说法。肌肉抽筋的主要诱因往往是肌肉严重脱水或体内电解质（钠、钾）失衡——这也是佳得乐等运动饮料最初被研发出来的原因。
肌酸的作用机制恰恰是拉动水分进入肌肉纤维，使肌肉处于“超级水合”（super hydrating）状态。水分充足的肌肉反而大幅降低了抽筋的发生率。因此，特别是在炎热酷暑的盛夏（6 月至 8 月），肌酸不仅不会引发抽筋，反而是运动员和健身者防止肌肉痉挛和脱水的最佳盟友。
### [14:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=846s) 肌酸如何提升训练容量？停服周期与伤后康复价值
Steven 展示了一张关于肌酸与肌肉量增长的研究图表。Candow 博士解读道，肌酸促进肌肉生长的最核心机制之一在于“大幅提升训练容量”（Training Volume = 负重量 × 重复次数 × 组数）。服用肌酸能显著增强机体的运动耐受力，使训练者在健身房里能够完成更多的组数或每组多做几次力竭冲刺；同时，它能大幅缩短肌肉恢复所需的时间，甚至允许高水平运动员进行一天双练。这种训练容量的持续累加，随着时间推移对骨骼肌形成了强有力的生长刺激。
在探讨为期 8 周的研究图表时，Candow 博士重点分析了图表中间的“凹陷期”：
- **停服与衰退周期**：当受试者在第 4 周停止补充肌酸时，骨骼肌内的肌酸浓度大约需要整整 4 周（约一个月）才会完全回落到安慰剂组的基础水平。对于大脑组织，虽然目前临床证据较少，但推测脑内肌酸浓度回落需要 5 周至 3 个月之久。
- **反弹效应与运动康复**：当受试者重新开始补充肌酸后，指标会迅速出现强劲的“反弹效应”（rebound effect）。这一机制在运动医学上具有极高价值——对于受伤后休养复出、需要尽快恢复训练容量的康复人群，配合补充肌酸可以作为一种高效的“催化剂”，显著加速其整体肢体康复进程。虽然肌酸本身并非凭空暴增肌肉的神奇药丸，但它通过支撑更高的负荷容量与更快的代谢恢复，为增肌构建了坚实的生理基础。
### [16:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1001s) 肌酸对肌肉的真实功效与抑制蛋白质分解的机制
在探讨肌酸与肌肉增长的关联时，达伦·坎多（Darren Candow）博士澄清了一个核心误区：肌酸确实能显著增加瘦体重（Lean Mass），在结合力量训练的情况下平均可使瘦体重增加约 1.2 公斤，但必须谨记，其中仅有约一半是纯骨骼肌，其余部分主要由细胞内水分等组成。因此，尽管肌酸配合抗阻训练能切实促进肌肉维度的增大，但它在提升“肌肉运动表现”方面的科学证据要比单纯增加肌肉量更加坚实和强劲。
肌酸促进肌肉健康的另一个核心生物学机制在于它能显著抑制“蛋白质分解”（Protein Breakdown）。通过减少肌纤维蛋白的瓦解，肌肉能够更好地维持结构完整性，并在训练后以更快的速度修复与恢复。坎多博士强调，在标准的负重抗阻训练计划中加入肌酸，所带来的增肌效果绝对全面优于单纯的力量训练。更为关键的是，这种肌肉增益与保护效应在所有年龄段的人群中均表现出极高的一致性，从青春期年轻群体到中老年群体无一例外。
---
### [17:21](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1041s) 实验室的硬核数据沉淀与 5 克基准剂量
当主持人询问其实验室开展的具体研究体量时，坎多博士透露，他的团队在实验室里已经完成了至少 30 到 40 项临床对照实验，而他本人围绕肌酸这一单一课题发表的同行评议论文已超过 120 篇。在这长达数十年的科研中，无论是青年、中年还是老年人，数据都呈现出一个极其明确的共同规律：每天补充约 5 克或略多于 5 克的肌酸，并结合抗阻力量训练，能在肌肉围度、肌肉力量以及运动爆发力上带来无可置疑的显著增益。
为了直观呈现这一概念，坎多博士向主持人展示了标准的一平勺粉末，正好对应 5 克。虽然红肉或海鲜等天然食物中也含有肌酸，但要单靠饮食摄入达到 5 克纯肌酸，需要吃下极其庞大数量的肉类，在日常饮食中几乎难以长期维系。
---
### [18:08](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1088s) 告别健美式的“冲击期”与肌肉功能性救赎
针对健身界流传已久的“冲击期”（Loading Phase），坎多博士指出，每天补充 4 勺（即 20 克，分次摄入）确实是让人体骨骼肌在最短时间内达到肌酸饱和状态的最快途径，但这种做法往往伴随着胃肠道不适和腹泻等刺激症状。对于绝大多数人而言，完全不需要经历难受的冲击期，只需从第一天起每天坚持摄入 5 克，肌肉中的肌酸储备同样能稳步上升并达到饱和。
每天 5 克的摄入量能为骨骼肌带来全方位的红利：
- **组织重塑与肌力爆发**：全面提升瘦体重、肌肉横截面积、最大肌力、肌肉功率与抗疲劳耐力。
- **日常生活功能性（Functional Ability）的拯救**：这一极其重要的应用常常被公众媒体忽视。对步入老年的群体而言，力量的流失直接威胁到基本生活自理能力。肌酸配合抗阻训练能直接改善老年人“由坐到站”（Sit to Stand）的动作能力，使他们能够轻松独立地完成起夜如厕、从床上爬起、坐进与跨出汽车座椅等关键动作。在人体随衰老不可避免地丢失肌力和肌肉功能时，肌酸与力量训练起到了决定性的挽救作用。
---
### [19:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1146s) 禁忌人群辨析与孕妇补充的最新前沿
在安全性讨论中，坎多博士直言，根据目前的科研证据，在健康的普通人中几乎找不到任何“不能或不该服用肌酸”的人群。肌酸拥有极为罕见的顶级安全性档案（Safety Profile）。唯一的常规前提是：如果个体原本就患有严重的既往器质性疾病，应在补充前咨询主治医生；除此以外，健康人没有任何理由拒绝肌酸。
关于孕妇是否能补充肌酸这一长久以来的盲区，坎多博士提到了他在澳大利亚的科研同行史黛西·埃勒里（Dr. Stacey Ellery）博士。埃勒里博士正在全球率先开展针对孕妇的人体临床试验，系统监测肌酸在母体摄入后进入胎儿血液循环及母乳的代谢轨迹。虽然该领域的研究目前仍处于起步阶段、尚未形成最终定论，但现有的阶段性临床数据表明，肌酸在孕产妇群体中依然展现出了良好的安全性和极佳的机体耐受度。
---
### [19:41](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1181s) 一水肌酸的黄金标准与避坑指南
面对货架上琳琅满目的肌酸形态——如盐酸肌酸（Creatine HCl）、肌酸软糖、各种复合肌酸等，坎多博士旗帜鲜明地打破了商家的营销包装，坚定推崇最质朴的**一水肌酸（Creatine Monohydrate）**：
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 优质肌酸甄选三要素决策流程
accDescr: 图表展示了选购肌酸时需要满足的三个标准：一水肌酸分子式、德国CreaPure专利原料以及NSF等第三方检测认证。
subgraph Selection ["科学挑选肌酸的三大硬核标准"]
A["化学形态：一水肌酸<br>(Creatine Monohydrate)"] --> B["原料溯源：CreaPure 认证<br>(德国专利生产高纯度原料)"]
B --> C["质量安全：第三方纯度认证<br>(如 NSF 认证，排除重金属与污染物)"]
end
C --> D["人体利用效果最优<br>性价比最高且具备百年安全实证"]
```
1. **分子结构的天然同源性**：一水肌酸本质上只是一个肌酸分子结合了一个水分子。进入人体后水分子迅速解离，释放出的肌酸分子与人体肝脏、大脑自身合成的肌酸分子在结构上完全等同。
2. **科学实证的代际垄断**：公众听到的所有关于肌酸卓越安全性与有效性的科研成果，全都是建立在自 1832 年被发现以来那“古老而平淡无奇”的一水肌酸之上的。包括盐酸肌酸在内的新型营销产物虽然也有一定试验支持，但在任何一项严谨的头对头人体对比实验中，从未有任何一种新型肌酸能证明自己比一水肌酸“更安全”或“更有效”。
3. **消费者选购的“三重标准”**：
- 认准成分表中的一水肌酸（Creatine Monohydrate）；
- 优先选择带有德国原产 **CreaPure** 标识的原料，其代表着业内顶尖的高精纯度标准与质控严苛度；
- 必须具备 **NSF（美国国家卫生基金会）** 等独立第三方机构的认证标志。第三方检测能出具权威的分析证书（COA），确保原料中绝无铅、砷等重金属污染或违禁添加残留物。
---
### [21:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1290s) 肌肉补充的剂量微调：50 岁分水岭与全身需求
在围绕肌肉剂量的实际称量演示中，坎多博士向主持人确认，对绝大多数成年人而言，日常维持剂量每天 5 克（即标准的一平勺）已非常扎实有效。但他提出了一个重要的临床修正细节：**50 岁以上的人群应当适当提高摄入量，建议增至 7 到 8 克**。
这是因为人体随着年龄增长，下肢骨骼肌中的内源性肌酸流失速度最快、储备受损程度最高，而下肢力量恰恰决定了老年阶段的跌倒风险与生活自理能力，因此老年群体需要稍高一些的剂量来充分填补赤字。
关于服药频次，虽然部分运动学研究显示只在“力量训练日”补充肌酸也能维持肌肉效益，但坎多博士强烈主张“每天规律摄入”。肌酸在人体内绝非肌肉专属，骨骼、免疫细胞的大脑神经系统每天都在持续消耗肌酸；为了满足全身其他生命器官的日常分配，保持每日摄入的连贯性至关重要。
---
### [22:43](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1363s) 摄入后“头晕心慌”的生化谜题：甲基转移与肾上腺素激增
主持人谈到了自己服用较大剂量肌酸时的亲身体验：有时不仅不会感到精力充沛，反而会产生一种轻微的头晕、发飘甚至心神不宁（Jittery）的感觉。坎多博士对此给出了清晰的生化解释，并指出这是临床中屡见不鲜的真实生理反应：
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: 空腹大剂量肌酸引发神经兴奋与心慌的机制
accDescr: 流程图展示了空腹大剂量摄入肌酸后，体内原本用于自身合成肌酸的甲基被释放，促使机体过量合成肾上腺素，从而导致头晕和心慌震颤。
subgraph Mechanism ["甲基池释放与神经兴奋传导"]
M1["空腹 / 脱水状态下<br>单次大剂量摄入肌酸"] --> M2["外源补给充盈<br>抑制自体肝脏肌酸合成"]
M2 --> M3["原本消耗的大量'甲基基团'<br>被闲置并释放入体内游离池"]
M3 --> M4["游离甲基加速去甲肾上腺素甲基化<br>超量合成肾上腺素 (Epinephrine)"]
M4 --> M5["交感神经兴奋与战斗应激<br>心慌震颤、头晕、神经过敏"]
end
```
- **人体最大的甲基清除者（Methyl Scavenger）**：人体在内源性合成肌酸时，需要消耗体内大量的“甲基供体”（Methyl groups）。甲基是维持人体神经递质合成、基因表达调控最核心的生化通货。
- **甲基释放与肾上腺素合成连锁反应**：当一个人在**空腹**或**机体缺水**状态下，一次性灌入大剂量的肌酸补充剂，肝脏就会立刻暂停自身繁重的肌酸合成工作。这瞬间省下了原本要被肌酸合成消耗的大量甲基。
- **肾上腺素的意外超标**：这些被省下来的游离甲基进入人体循环寻找出路，首选去向便是参与合成**去甲肾上腺素向肾上腺素（Epinephrine）**的转化。体内肾上腺素水平的急剧拉升，会直接激发机体的“战斗或逃跑”（Fight or Flight）交感应激反应。这就是为什么部分敏感人群在猛喝肌酸后，不仅没有获得平静的耐力，反而感到莫名心跳加速、坐立不安、神经过敏或伴随轻度眩晕恶心。
---
### [23:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1424s) 微剂量分服（Microdosing）破解副作用的实操法则
为了彻底解决单次大剂量带来的头晕、胃肠蠕动激惹、腹胀以及一过性水钠潴留带来的体重虚增，坎多博士分享了他目前极为推崇的**微剂量分次补充法（Microdosing）**。他自己的日常科研与实践总结出了一套极佳的耐受方案：
- **全天分散摄入**：将全天所需的剂量拆分成每次 2 至 3 克，早晚各一次，或随餐服用。在胃中有食物缓冲和机体水分充盈的状态下，甲基转移动态会变得极度平缓。
- **训练水壶点滴补充法**：坎多博士透露，他个人每天至少摄入 10 克肌酸。他最喜欢、也是大众极少听闻的操作法是：将 5 克一水肌酸直接冲入训练水壶中，在进行举重阻抗或有氧训练的过程中一口一口间断饮尽；晨起再搭配食物摄入其余部分。
- **千人验证的卓越耐受度**：主持人和坎多博士一致认同，把大剂量拆碎后，怪异的心慌和胃肠刺激完全消失。坎多博士强调，其实验室已对超过 1,000 名受试者进行了严格的跟踪测算，证实这种微剂量分段摄入法既能完美达成机体细胞的肌酸蓄积，又能杜绝各类不良反应，是普通大众与健身者最平稳可靠的补充方式。
### [24:51](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1491s) 肌酸的口感体验与日常摄入方式
在现场品尝肌酸粉时，史蒂文·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）忍不住吐槽它其实“没什么味道”，达伦·坎多博士（Dr. Darren Candow）随即笑着附和道，纯肌酸粉确实“既寡淡又无聊”，不过目前许多补剂品牌都在尝试推出不同风味的版本。坎多博士指出，纯肌酸粉最大的优势在于其极高的兼容性，你可以随意将它混入酸奶、果汁或任何日常饮食中。许多人还会把肌酸加入晨间咖啡里；虽然学界对咖啡因与肌酸的相互作用存在微弱争议，但坎多博士明确表示，只要咖啡因摄入量控制在 350 毫克以下——这相当于绝大多数普通咖啡或茶的含量——就完全没有冲突。最核心的原则在于选择一种能让自己“长期保持规律习惯”的摄入方式。
- **咖啡因安全上限**：混合肌酸摄入时，咖啡因控制在 350 毫克以下即可安全兼容。
- **适宜搭配**：可融入酸奶、果汁、温水或咖啡，关键在于依从性与日常持续性。
---
### [25:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1538s) 骨骼健康的剂量难题与生物学机制
谈及骨骼健康时，坎多博士向史蒂文抛出了一个剂量竞猜。史蒂文原本猜测维持骨骼所需的剂量可能与肌肉差不多（约 7 克），但坎多博士直言，人体在这个维度上陷入了“剂量困境”（dosing dilemma）。临床实验中证实对骨骼有益的最低剂量并非肌肉所需的 3 到 5 克，而是高达 8 至 12 克。更关键的前提在于**必须配合抗阻运动**——医学文献中从未有任何一项研究显示，在不运动的前提下单靠吃肌酸就能让骨骼受益。而在针对绝经后女性的长期研究中，8 至 12 克的肌酸配合负重力量训练，成功减缓了髋关节区域骨矿物质密度的流失速度。虽然肌酸并不能直接增加骨密度、无法作为骨质疏松的彻底治愈手段，但它改善了骨微结构，显著降低了老年跌倒发生髋部骨折（从而被迫卧床半年或进入长期看护）的灾难性风险。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 肌酸调节骨代谢的协同机制
accDescr: 展现肌酸如何一方面刺激成骨细胞，另一方面抑制破骨细胞，从而维持骨骼结构完整性
subgraph Stimulation["促成骨作用"]
A["摄入肌酸 (8-12g/天) + 抗阻力量训练"] --> B["成骨细胞（Osteoblasts）能量充盈"]
B --> C["骨生成活性上升（如同马力欧吃下蘑菇）"]
end
subgraph Inhibition["抗骨流失作用"]
A --> D["抑制破骨细胞（Osteoclasts）"]
D --> E["减少骨质重吸收与流失"]
end
C & E --> F["延缓髋部骨密度下降，维护骨微结构稳定"]
```
坎多博士用一个生动的游戏比喻解释了肌酸护骨的底层生理机制：“就像初代任天堂游戏里的超级马力欧吃到能量蘑菇一样”，肌酸能够为负责构建骨骼的成骨细胞提供澎湃能量；同时，它还能抑制分解骨质的破骨细胞活性。这种一增一减的协同作用，极大改善了骨代谢的良性循环，在维持骨骼微观结构完整性方面的效果，在某种程度上甚至媲美骨质疏松患者常用的处方药物双膦酸盐（Bisphosphonate）。
- **骨骼有效剂量**：每日 8 至 12 克，远高于维持肌肉所需的 3 至 5 克。
- **核心协同要素**：必须结合负重抗阻训练，静坐不动单服肌酸无骨骼获益。
- **临床核心价值**：减缓绝经后妇女髋部骨质流失率，降低致命性骨折风险。
---
### [28:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1686s) 大脑的能量危机与血脑屏障的剂量门槛
当话题转向大众关注的焦点——肌酸对大脑的作用时，史蒂文猜测剂量大概需要 10 克。坎多博士解释，大脑是一个重约 2 公斤、但在静息状态下却消耗全身 20% 能量的高能耗器官。在正常状态下，健康的大脑与肝脏类似，本身具备自主合成肌酸的能力，自给自足，通常并不急需外源性补充。然而，一旦遭遇“代谢应激”（metabolic stress）——无论是被半夜吠叫的宠物吵醒、通宵备考的大学生、连续倒时差的国际运动员，还是连轴转 24 小时的高压急诊室医生，大脑的神经元就会急剧透支能量储备。
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: 不同生理状态下大脑对肌酸的需求差异
accDescr: 对比健康平静状态与极端代谢应激状态下大脑对肌酸剂量的需求跳跃
subgraph Normal["静息与健康状态"]
N1["大脑自主合成肌酸"] --> N2["自给自足，无需外源大剂量补充"]
end
subgraph Stressed["严重代谢应激（剥夺睡眠/跨时区/极端高压）"]
S1["能量急剧耗竭"] --> S2["血脑屏障转运阻力极高"]
S2 --> S3["需急性冲击剂量（20-30g）强行渗透补充"]
end
```
针对大脑的补充难题在于**血脑屏障（Blood-Brain Barrier）**的存在，外源肌酸极难渗透穿透进入脑组织。如果在睡眠充足、生活规律的非应激状态下，每日 10 克左右已足够作为兼顾各系统的“安全底网”；但面对严重的代谢应激和睡眠剥夺，所需的剂量就会呈现爆发式阶梯上升。核磁共振脑成像（MRI）研究表明，短期内需要至少 20 克的急性冲击剂量才能观察到脑内肌酸含量的有效提升。
- **静息大脑能耗**：占人体总体重仅约 2%，却消耗整个人体 20% 的静息能量代谢。
- **脑内合成特性**：健康状态下脑组织可自行合成维持运转所需的基线肌酸。
- **屏障限制**：普通低剂量难以穿透血脑屏障，高应激状态下需要更高的浓度梯度驱动转运。
---
### [30:16](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1816s) 应对极端睡眠剥夺：从 20 克到 30 克的神经保护策略
坎多博士提到了去年德国开展的开创性临床试验：研究人员让年轻受试者连续 21 小时完全处于睡眠剥夺状态，并在急性期给予他们高达 30 克的肌酸。核磁共振检测结果证实，如此大剂量的冲击成功提升了受试者大脑中的肌酸水平，并显著抵消了睡眠严重匮乏对认知机能造成的损害。有趣的是，在后续研究中将剂量降至每公斤体重 0.2 克（约 14 克）时，这种对睡眠剥夺的急性保护效应便不复存在。这表明当大脑陷入极限应激时，必须通过 20 至 30 克的超大剂量才能强行击破血脑屏障的吸收瓶颈。
在讨论现代社会的现实应用时，坎多博士指出，绝大多数现代人都处于慢性压力或突发应激之中。他分享了自己的日常摄入法则：平时在加拿大维持每天至少 10 克的剂量，以此作为覆盖肌肉、骨骼和基线抗压的“安全保护网”（Safety Net）；但这次飞越不同时区来到伦敦录制播客、面临倒时差与长途飞行的急性生理压力，他当天直接将摄入量提升到了 20 至 25 克。他特别强调，肌酸与蛋白质不同，即便摄入 20 到 30 克也只是小小几勺粉末，完全不会带来摄入数百克蛋白质那样的胃肠负担。从面临期末周连考五门的学生，到昼夜节律被彻底打乱的跨国机组人员，再到在数万观众面前高强度奔跑巡演 3 小时后精神完全虚脱的泰勒·斯威夫特（Taylor Swift）等演艺名流与顶尖运动员——在这些金钱也无法阻止昼夜节律紊乱与中枢神经耗竭的极限场景中，超大剂量的急性肌酸补充正展现出不可替代的神经保护潜能。
- **德国睡眠剥夺实验数据**：连续 21 小时无眠状态下，单次给予 30 克肌酸能维持脑代谢稳定；降至 14 克则失去保护效果。
- **达伦·坎多个人方案**：日常基准 10 克覆盖肌肉与骨骼；跨时区或高压应激当天急性加量至 20–25 克。
- **适用高压人群**：跨国轮班飞行员、高负荷医护、备考冲刺学生及巡回演出的高强度表演者。
### [33:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2034s) 压力环境下的肌酸与大脑认知功能
Dr. Darren Candow 指出，当人们面临极端高压情境时——比如身处世界杯决赛，承受着巨大的精神压力与心理负荷——肌酸的作用便开始显现。尽管目前科学界仍有许多细节尚未完全解明，但核心结论非常明确：当你处于高度压力时期，摄入稍多一点的肌酸是完全安全且合理的，目前没有发现任何不良反应。如果你本身就在为了肌肉、骨骼和大脑健康而服用肌酸，基本上已经全方位覆盖了这些需求。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 压力状态下肌酸对大脑的支持机制
accDescr: 展示外界压力导致脑内肌酸消耗后，通过外源性肌酸穿透血脑屏障恢复认知能力的路径。
subgraph S1["高压与剥夺状态"]
A["高负荷压力 / 剥夺睡眠"] --> B["大脑内肌酸储备下降"]
end
subgraph S2["外源性肌酸干预"]
C["摄入大剂量肌酸"] --> D["穿透血脑屏障"]
D --> E["充当认知“安全网”"]
end
subgraph S3["认知表现恢复"]
B -.->|"需要能量代偿"| E
E --> F["维持反应速度与记忆"]
E --> G["恢复基线认知水平"]
end
```
当主持人 Steven Bartlett 询问这种大脑益处是否会有明显的体感（例如“感觉自己像睡足了一样”）时，Candow 坦言服用者很可能在主观上“毫无感觉”。它的真正价值体现在随后的高难度任务中：例如通宵熬夜后需要参加期末考试、做复杂的拼图推理、或是面对极其消耗脑力的认知测试。Candow 强调，肌酸并不会把大脑强化成“超级大脑”，而是充当一道“安全网”——将因压力、熬夜或疲劳而耗尽的脑内肌酸水平拉回正常基线，维持大脑生物能量学平衡。
- 高压、熬夜或长时间认知负荷会导致脑内肌酸加速消耗，外源补充有助于维持脑力续航。
- 在遭遇脑震荡、抑郁症或阿尔茨海默病等病理状态时，患者脑内的肌酸含量普遍显著偏低。
- 华尔街高压工作者或每天通勤堵车2小时的上班族，长期面临压力级联反应，脑部合成的肌酸往往供不应求。
---
### [34:49](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2089s) 现场斯特鲁普测试（Stroop Test）实测
为了直观证明肌酸对大脑耐力的支持，Candow 现场让 Steven Bartlett 进行了一项经典的“斯特鲁普测试”（Stroop Test）。测试中，文字本身是一个颜色名称，但显示的字体颜色却完全不同，受试者必须以最快速度大声读出“字体的实际颜色”而非文字内容。Candow 笑称自己通常读到第二行就会出错，并“提前致歉”，因为这项任务极其消耗脑力。
Steven Bartlett 在尝试快速指认几组后便出现卡顿并出现失误，不由得感叹“这太容易把人绕晕了，我今天肯定还没吃肌酸”。Candow 随即揭晓了一项极具代表性的研究细节：在实验中，受试者被要求连续不间断地进行长达 90 分钟的斯特鲁普测试。对于正在备考医学院 MCAT、期末考或处于睡眠剥夺状态的人群而言，这种长达一个半小时的高强度抗干扰测试会带来极度的大脑疲倦。而在测试前后各给予 20 克肌酸的受试者，在反应速度和认知表现上展现出了统计学意义上的显著改善。
- **斯特鲁普测试机制**：通过字义与显示颜色的冲突制造认知干扰，极度考验大脑的工作记忆、抑制控制与专注力。
- **经典实验设计**：受试者持续进行长达 90 分钟的高压斯特鲁普测试。
- **肌酸干预剂量**：实验中采用了测试前后补充 20 克高剂量肌酸的方案，显著减缓了认知疲劳引起的反应迟钝。
---
### [38:06](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2286s) 播客赞助支持：Flight Cast 与 Bon Charge 红光牙刷
Steven Bartlett 在节目中插入介绍了本期节目的赞助产品。首先是他亲自参与打造的播客托管与增长平台 Flight Cast（flightcast.com/doac）。他谈到传统播客分发流程极其繁琐且割裂，创作者需要把庞大的音视频文件分别重复上传至 YouTube、Spotify 等不同平台，且难以获得深度的数据洞察；Flight Cast 整合了多平台一键分发、深度数据分析、AI 智能辅助以及增长工具，旨在为创作者提供时间上的巨大解放与竞争优势。
随后，Steven 展示了一款由 Bon Charge 制造的红光牙刷（boncharge.com/doac）。他表示自己此前一直是该品牌红光面罩和红外桑拿毯的忠实用户，而这款牙刷将声波清洁技术与红光及近红外光（NIR）相结合，能够将护肤领域抗炎促循环的技术直接带入口腔护理中，有效促进牙龈血液循环、缓解牙龈酸痛与红肿，且无需改变日常习惯即可无缝替代现有牙刷。
---
### [40:13](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2413s) 慢性炎症、运动损伤与阿尔茨海默病的前沿突破
话题转向身体系统性炎症与衰老的关系。Candow 结合自己 49 岁的切身体会指出，人体在 30 岁左右运动后往往恢复极快、浑身不痛，但到了 40 岁以后，全身系统性炎症水平明显上升，晨起酸痛、关节不适与关节炎风险显著增加，这种慢性炎症正是加速衰老的重要诱因。肌酸具有显著的抗炎与抗分解代谢作用，但其机制与扑热息痛（Acetaminophen）或布洛芬（Ibuprofen）直接阻断炎症通路不同：
| 运动类型 / 场景 | 肌酸抗炎表现与机制 | 临床与实践意义 |
|:--- |:--- |:--- |
| **超长耐力运动**（如铁人三项 Ironman） | 赛前连续 5 天每天补充 20 克肌酸，体内炎症标志物显著下降 | 加快极端体能消耗后的身体恢复，降低赛后患病概率，优化运动表现 |
| **抗阻力量训练** | 力量训练本身引发的是急性反应，肌酸能显著降低肌肉微损伤标志物 | 发挥抗分解（Anti-catabolic）作用，保护肌纤维，加速力量恢复 |
| **阿尔茨海默病（AD）人群** | 每天 20 克高剂量持续干预 8 周，脑内肌酸浓度上升约 11% | 维持脑细胞生物能量供应，改善记忆与认知，并显著提升握力（生存关键预测指标） |
Candow 重点介绍了 Matt Taylor 和 Aaron Smith 于去年发表的阿尔茨海默病单臂临床研究。这项包含 20 名患者的地标性研究表明，每日补充 20 克肌酸、持续 8 周后，阿尔茨海默病患者的大脑肌酸水平上升了 11%，其记忆力与认知指标均得到改善。Steven Bartlett 补充指出，该试验中患者还获得了适度的肌肉量增长，握力平均增加了 1.9 公斤——而握力正是痴呆症患者生存率的关键预测指标。Candow 表示，尽管细胞和啮齿动物层面的神经保护证据更为充沛、人体研究仍处在起步阶段，但肌酸在神经退行性疾病领域的潜力无疑为未来的干预治疗带来了巨大的希望。
### [42:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2548s) 肌酸对心理健康与抑郁症的辅助治疗潜力
《精神病学与脑科学杂志》（*Journal of Psychiatry and Brain Science*）发表的研究显示，肌酸能显著改善相关受试者的认知测试得分。Darren Candow 博士指出，虽然当前部分研究的局限性在于缺乏严格的安慰剂对照组，但这些成果明确证实了肌酸可以作为一种高效的“辅助治疗手段（adjunct）”。在心理健康领域，来自美国犹他大学（由 Perry Renshaw 等人领导的科研团队）的证据最为扎实。肌酸本身不能作为单一独立的抗抑郁药物使用，但若与选择性 5-羟色胺再摄取抑制剂（SSRIs）、认知行为疗法（CBT）或在医学监督下的脱氧麻黄碱干预联合应用，肌酸可显著改善抑郁和焦虑症状。
从生理机制来看，肌酸能够优化脑生物能量代谢，调节神经传递（neuromodulation），并在动物实验中被证实可提升脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）的表达水平，而 BDNF 对促进大脑神经可塑性至关重要。这也为肌酸未来用于治疗创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）等临床疾病提供了广阔前景。针对流行病学数据与临床试验的对照，研究展现出极具说服力的成果：
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 肌酸对心理与神经健康的干预机制与临床获益
accDescr: 展示临床抑郁症中肌酸缺乏的病理状态，以及肌酸在多靶点干预下的协同改善机制与治疗效果。
subgraph Pathology["病理状态与脑能量受损"]
A["抑郁/焦虑/脑震荡/阿尔茨海默病"] --> B["大脑基础肌酸储备显著降低"]
B --> C["脑能量代谢稳态破坏"]
end
subgraph Mechanism["肌酸干预通路"]
C --> D["肌酸补充介入"]
D --> E["改善脑生物能量与神经传递"]
D --> F["上调 BDNF 蛋白（增强神经可塑性）"]
end
subgraph Outcome["临床研究效果"]
E & F --> G["协同 SSRIs / CBT 改善症状"]
E & F --> H["重度抑郁症女性患者 8 周缓解率翻倍"]
end
```
- **流行病学调查**：盖得体育科学研究所（Gatorade Sports Science Institute）以及 PubMed 收录的一项针对逾 20 万名成年人的大型队列研究发现，日常饮食中肌酸摄入量最低的人群，其抑郁症状的发生率最高。
- **脑内基线变化**：临床抑郁症和焦虑症患者的脑内基线肌酸储备普遍出现显著降低，这与脑震荡或阿尔茨海默病患者体内的代谢破坏极为相似。
- **重度抑郁双盲实验**：在针对重度抑郁症（MDD）女性患者的临床试验中，患者在日常抗抑郁药基础上每日额外补充 5 克肌酸，在为期 8 周的疗程内其临床完全缓解率（remission rate）直接“翻了一倍”。
---
### [44:39](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2679s) 肌酸的天然食物来源与改善睡眠实验
如果个人倾向于不摄入补剂，天然食物中肌酸的最佳来源绝大多数为动物性蛋白，特别是海鲜和红肉。鲱鱼（herring）是自然界中肌酸浓度最高的食物之一，三文鱼和牛肉也富含肌酸。相比之下，牛奶和乳制品中的肌酸含量极低，如果想仅凭喝牛奶摄取足够剂量的肌酸，量大到“必须把一整头泽西牛产的奶全部喝光”才可能达标。因此，天然获取必须依赖动物肉类。
关于肌酸与睡眠的关系，Candow 博士团队针对年轻健康女性进行了一项严谨的研究。受试者在训练日每天服用 5 克肌酸，结果发现相比安慰剂组，她们在训练日实际平均多睡了整整 1 个小时。学术界对此存在两种假说碰撞：一种理论认为既然肌酸改善了大脑生物能量与修复能力，大脑可能需要更少的睡眠时间；而该实验的实际结果则提示，或许肌酸使受试者在高强度训练中输出更高体能，从而驱动了更强的大脑自我稳态调节机制来恢复精力。目前学界正准备在男性群体中重复该实验，如果肌酸被确证能普遍提高睡眠时长与质量，那将彻底改变健康领域的认知，因为全世界几乎每个人都会举手赞同自己“需要更多的睡眠”。
---
### [46:01](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2761s) 健康工具箱理论：力量训练与肌酸的角色
针对市场上铺天盖地关于肌酸的夸大宣传，Candow 博士主张区分“真实预期收益”与“虚假炒作”。为了清晰梳理健康干预的优先级，他提出了生动的“工具箱（Toolbox）”类比：当面对身体健康计划时，最重要的永远是先明确各种工具的功能，而非将单一补剂奉为万灵药。
```mermaid
flowchart LR
accTitle: 生活方式健康干预的工具箱架构
accDescr: 将力量训练、有氧运动、睡眠及肌酸等分别比作锤子、螺丝刀与多功能扳手，展现各自的功能与配合。
subgraph CorePillars["核心基石工具"]
H["重锤 (The Hammer)"]:::highlight --> T1["力量训练 (Weight Training)"]
S["核心辅助工具"] --> T2["有氧耐力训练 / 睡眠"]
M["基石测量尺"] --> T3["优质蛋白质摄入"]
end
subgraph VersatileAdjunct["多功能整合工具"]
W["多功能活动扳手"]:::wrench --> C["肌酸 (Creatine)"]
C -.-> B1["肌肉组织生长与力量"]
C -.-> B2["骨骼矿物质健康"]
C -.-> B3["脑能量与神经保护"]
end
classDef highlight fill:#f96,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
classDef wrench fill:#6cf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px;
```
在生活方式的工具箱中，“最核心、最不可或缺的锤子（Hammer）”是抗阻力量训练，因为若只能选择一种运动模式，力量训练不仅能提供有氧运动带来的几乎全部健康收益，还能提供去脂体重（瘦体重）和身体机能的提升；有氧运动和睡眠则是必不可少的螺丝刀和卷尺。肌酸则是工具箱里的“多功能活动扳手”，它功能广泛且沉甸甸的，不仅能辅助增强肌肉力量，还能兼顾骨骼健康与大脑认知保护，但它必须放置在整体生活方式的工具箱里协同运作，绝不能代替力量训练等核心支柱。
---
### [48:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2892s) 破除力量训练迷思：轻重量力竭、心血管收益与极简处方
大众对力量训练普遍存在认知偏差，其中最大的误区莫过于“必须举大重量才能增加肌肉量”。Candow 博士澄清，近年诸多著名学者的科研成果已经彻底推翻了这一论调：使用较轻的重量，只要动作做到接近力竭（effort to fatigue），其刺激骨骼肌生长的效果与举大重量完全相同。唯有以纯粹追求最大绝对力量为目标时，大重量训练才具有不可替代性。这意味着训练者具有充分的灵活性——周一喝完咖啡、精力充沛时可以挑战大重量；而在感到肌肉酸痛或疲倦的日子里，换用轻重量做到力竭同样能获得十足的增肌效果。
谈到力量训练与有氧耐力运动的取舍，有氧运动固然能延长寿命，但它无法为肌肉骨骼系统提供足够的机械载荷与力量刺激（即便冲刺间歇训练也只能起到部分作用）。力量训练只要动作编排得当，不仅能改善线粒体健康，还能有效提高最大摄氧量（VO2 max）。当然，如果长期单调地采用“极大重量、极低次数”进行不当训练，毛细血管密度或线粒体健康可能会受到不利影响，从而损伤心血管代谢参数。因此理想方案是双重兼顾。面对绝大多数普通大众，Candow 博士给出了极具操作性且极简的日常运动指导：
- **有氧运动基本线**：建议每周累计进行 150 分钟中等强度活动，相当于一周 7 天、每天只需完成约 21 到 22 分钟的快走，并建议在能力范围内逐步提升运动强度。
- **力量训练最低有效频次**：每周仅需进行 2 天或以上的抗阻训练，就足以收获关键健康益处；训练安排完全无需细分到“周一练胸肌和二头肌、隔天练腿”的复杂分化，采用兼顾各大肌群的全身性循环训练方案即可高效达标。
### [50:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3047s) 肌肉随年龄衰退的残酷现实：抗阻训练是防线
Dr. Darren Candow 强调，无论你是选择周一、周三、周五进行全身训练，还是将其拆分，只要保持一定的训练量或训练频率，就能带来极其显著的益处——这一点随着年龄增长愈发关键。他指出一张直观的图表：横纵坐标清晰揭示了衰老对肌肉造成的灾难性影响。在20到40岁之间，人体的肌肉量处于顶峰状态；但一旦迈过40岁大关，走向60岁、80岁乃至100岁，肌肉量的流失速度呈现出灾难性的断崖式加速。在久坐不动、缺乏运动的普通人群中，40岁后肌肉量平均每年以约1%的速度衰减，力量流失更快，每年达到1%至3%。
如果坚持进行阻抗力量训练，肌肉量的下降曲线就会被彻底拉平，进入一个相对稳定的平台期。Dr. Candow 郑重强调：“尽管我们今天重点探讨的是肌酸，但如果你今天只能选择做一件事，那一定是运动。”而且唯有负重或抗阻训练能够真正保留并维持肌肉质量。肌肉不仅仅关乎体型，更决定了晚年的生活自理能力与生活质量——它让你在年迈时依然能抱起孙辈、能独自上下楼梯、能维持日常身体功能。即便有人到了60岁、80岁甚至100岁才开始健身，他也明确表示“永远不会太晚”，任何时候起步都能带来深远的健康益处。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 衰老过程中肌肉量的衰减与干预效果
accDescr: 展现久坐人群从40岁起每年1%的肌肉流失，以及抗阻训练配合肌酸蛋白质带来的平台期与增益保护。
subgraph 衰老自然趋势["久坐不动的自然衰退"]
A["20-40岁：肌肉量巅峰期"] --> B["40岁之后：断崖式衰退"]
B --> C["肌肉量：每年流失约 1%"]
B --> D["力量：每年流失 1% - 3%"]
end
subgraph 运动与营养干预["科学干预方案"]
E["抗阻/负重力量训练"] --> F["肌肉流失趋于平缓（进入平台期）"]
F --> G["协同强化：加入肌酸与优质蛋白"]
G --> H["最大化保留瘦体重与运动功能"]
end
```
### [52:28](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3148s) 营养与运动的黄金法则：肌酸与蛋白质的“力量倍增器”
如果说运动是“国王”，那么营养就是与之相伴的“王后”，两者在整个人生阶段都必须相辅相成。当把力量训练与肌酸结合时，收益会更上一层楼；如果再额外补充高品质蛋白质，效果则会达到全新高度。Steven Bartlett 询问蛋白质与肌酸搭配是否称得上“力量倍增器”，Dr. Darren Candow 给出了非常肯定的回答：多项研究已证明，高品质蛋白质联合肌酸摄入，在促进瘦体重（Lean tissue mass）增长与增强肌肉力量表现方面，效果明显超越单一补充。
针对普通人是否摄入足够蛋白质的问题，Dr. Candow 认为公众无需过度焦虑，当前该话题在舆论中略有被过度神话的倾向。普通人只要每天摄入每公斤体重1.2到1.6克的蛋白质即可——以一个70公斤的人为例，每天大约需要84到115克蛋白质。绝大多数人只要保持健康意识就能轻松达标；即使是每周进行5至6天高强度训练的健身者，每磅体重摄入1克（约每公斤2.2克）也已经是生理上限。过量摄入的蛋白质并不会全部转化到肌肉组织，而是会被身体分流用于合成激素、血细胞等其他生理组织。对于纯素食者和素食主义者，只要摄入总量稍多一些以补齐必需氨基酸，同样可以获取足够且优质的蛋白质支持。
- 推荐蛋白质摄入基准：每日每公斤体重约 1.2 至 1.6 克（70公斤成年人约 84–115 克）。
- 极高强度训练上限：大约每磅体重 1 克（约 2.2 克/公斤），超出部分不会合成更多肌肉，而是用于其他生理代谢。
### [53:56](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3236s) 赞助商插播：关于内容创作障碍与 Stan Store
Steven Bartlett 分享了许多人迟迟未能开始创作内容或打造个人品牌的原因。这不仅耗时费力，更涉及深刻的心理障碍：过分在意他人的看法、怀疑自己的表达是否愚蠢，最终导致决策瘫痪，社媒账号荒废。作为投资者，他介绍了旗下公司 Stan Store 研发的全新 AI 工具“Stanley”。该工具能够分析创作者的主页风格、语气、历史数据以及表现最佳的爆款帖子，为创作者量身定制选题、直接生成内容，或提供灵感启发，帮助人们打破心理壁垒，实现受众积累。
### [54:57](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3297s) 雌激素与肌酸代谢：更年期女性与青少年的补充前景
话题转入更年期女性的生理转变。Dr. Darren Candow 揭示了一个鲜为人知的生物学机制：动物实验表明，雌激素（Estrogen）与肌酸代谢深度交织，它直接参与合成肌酸所需的关键酶。不仅如此，雌激素还对大脑生物能量代谢和肌肉代谢产生深远影响。当女性从围绝经期（Perimenopause）过渡到绝经后（Postmenopause）阶段时，体内的雌激素水平大幅下降，因此无论饮食结构如何，肌酸在维持骨骼强度、肌肉质量以及改善认知功能方面都扮演着不可替代的角色。他甚至提出前瞻性设想：如果年轻的绝经前女性及早通过补充肌酸充实体内组织储备，或许能够在步入老年时有效延缓这一生理衰退的速率。
当被问及青少年儿童补充肌酸是否安全时，Dr. Candow 明确表示，现有的科学证据表明在推荐剂量下是完全安全的。多项权威综述显示，肌酸有助于改善青少年的身体平衡、敏捷度以及身体成分。对于儿童而言，建议每日摄入至少1克以优化骨骼健康与肌肉发育。不过，家长在给孩子补充前仍建议咨询医师。至于婴儿期的肌酸干预，澳大利亚学者 Stacey Ellery 正展开相关前沿探索，但目前人体临床数据仍相对有限。
### [56:48](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3408s) 服用时机终结争议与肌酸软糖的真实效果
针对大家最关心的服用问题，Dr. Darren Candow 梳理了肌酸无可挑剔的安全档案。经过数百项随机对照试验（RCT）的检验，去年一项覆盖超过25,000个案例的综合研究进一步证实，即使多年来每日摄入超过10克，肌酸依然展现出卓越的安全性和耐受性。至于大众长久争论的“何时服用肌酸最好”，Dr. Candow 透露他的团队两天前刚有一篇论文被接收，彻底为此盖棺定论：服用的具体时间根本无关紧要。无论是早起随餐、训练前、训练中、训练后，还是睡前服用，效果都没有本质差异，晚间服用也已被证实完全不会干扰睡眠质量。
不仅时间灵活，肌酸的摄入方式同样可以自由拆分。如果不想一次性咽下大量粉末，完全可以分散到全天分次小剂量服用。多年前的研究甚至显示，每30分钟摄入1克直到累计20克，相比单次大剂量，身体反而保留了更多的肌酸。关于市面上流行的“肌酸软糖（Creatine Gummies）”，现场还展开了试吃互动。Dr. Candow 指出，软糖的制造工艺确实可能影响肌酸的稳定性，但只要通过严格的第三方检测，其效用完全可靠。例如现场展示的美国品牌 Create，是首个通过严格随机对照试验证实能显著提升排球运动员运动表现的软糖产品，因其便携和口感，深受年轻运动员以及老年群体的欢迎。
- 摄入时机自由：晨起、练前、练中、练后或睡前均可，对睡眠无任何负面影响。
- 剂量拆分策略：无需一次性摄入，可全天多次分散小剂量摄入，留存率甚至可能更高。
- 肌酸软糖选购关键：制造工艺复杂，必须认准通过正规第三方检测（Third-party tested）的可靠品牌。
### [58:54](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3534s) 补剂形态的便利性与选购避坑指南
对于咀嚼能力或味觉感受有所退化的群体而言，肌酸软糖等新型形式展现出了极高的便利性与实用价值。消费者完全可以把它直接摆在办公桌上，随时取用，彻底摆脱了用温水冲调传统白色粉末的繁琐步骤。各大保健品公司也正在不断探索更契合日常生活的补充形式。然而，在挑选产品时，核心底线始终不能放松：必须确保品牌经过严苛的第三方独立检测（third-party tested），采用高品质肌酸原料，并且产品内部确实含有足量的活性肌酸成分。
谈及市售补剂的质量问题，Steven 提到健身博主 James Smith 曾制作过一期测评视频，对市面上多款现成的肌酸产品进行了实测抽检，震惊地发现其中许多产品甚至根本不含任何肌酸成分。Darren Candow 博士对此深有感触地指出，当时有高达 90% 的被测产品未达标，仅有极少数合格（其中一款检测出的肌酸含量仅有可怜的 1.5 克）。面对花钱买到“零肌酸”假货的乱象，消费者在购买时必须认真做功课：
- 仔细查看外包装上是否清晰印有第三方检测认证的官方标识（Logo）。
- 若产品包装上缺乏权威的第三方质量认证，强烈建议坚决不要购买或食用。
---
### [59:46](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3586s) 肌酸领域的里程碑研究与有效剂量
当被问及在肌肉、蛋白质和肌酸的科研生涯中有哪些具有转折意义的重大研究时，Candow 博士梳理了该领域的几个关键历史节点：
1. **1992 年里程碑式研究**：该研究首次明确证实单次摄入 5 克肌酸能显著提高血液中的肌酸浓度；而若在一天内多次补充 5 克剂量，则能全天维持高浓度状态。这一发现奠定了 5 克作为经典有效剂量的科学地位。
2. **每日 3 克长期饱和实验**：研究证明如果不想服用 5 克，每天仅摄入 3 克同样是最低且极为有效的剂量——只需连续服用 1 个月，骨骼肌内的肌酸浓度就能达到完全饱和状态。
3. **针对绝经后女性的 2 年期临床试验**：Candow 博士团队针对绝经后女性进行了长达两年的深入实验，给予受试者按体重计算的每天 0.14 克/公斤剂量的肌酸。结果清晰显示，该方案不仅显著提升了肌肉运动机能，还在抑制骨质流失、保护骨骼健康方面起到了实质性作用。
---
### [01:00:44](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3644s) Candow 博士的私人补剂清单与长寿关注点
除了每日必备的肌酸，Candow 博士大方分享了自己日常遵循的全面补剂方案。他特别提到自己最近才纠正了一个摄入习惯——过去他常在空腹时服用益生菌，但最新认知表明益生菌与早晚正餐一同服用吸收效果更好。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: Candow 博士的日常补剂体系
accDescr: 展示 Candow 博士日常摄入的基础补剂、特定营养素及前沿关注物质的完整清单
subgraph Core["基础与代谢支持"]
A["益生菌<br/>（早晚随餐服用）"]
B["镁剂 (2~4 种形态)<br/>（日间支持认知，睡前助眠）"]
C["维生素 D<br/>（每日 2,000 国际单位 IU）"]
end
subgraph Performance["机能与肌肉修护"]
D["Omega-3 脂肪酸<br/>（每日约 4 克，运动后服用一份）"]
E["肌酸 + 蛋白质<br/>（蛋白粉或饮食摄入）"]
F["铁剂<br/>（因少吃红肉而间歇性补充）"]
end
subgraph Longevity["前沿抗衰与保底"]
G["综合维生素<br/>（自幼养成的日常安全网）"]
H["前沿关注：NAD+ 前体<br/>（随年龄下降，密切观察其临床转化）"]
end
Core --> Performance --> Longevity
```
- **益生菌**：早晚随餐服用，不再空腹摄入。
- **镁（Magnesium）**：日常摄入两到四种不同形态的镁；白天服用有助于认知与大脑功能，睡前服用一份则促进神经放松与深度睡眠。
- **维生素 D**：每日稳定补充 2,000 国际单位（IU）。
- **Omega-3 脂肪酸**：每日摄入约 4 克，其中一份专门固定在运动训练后补充，以获取最佳吸收与抗炎效益。
- **蛋白质与肌酸**：通过膳食和高品质蛋白粉确保充足蛋白质，配合肌酸维持体内储备。
- **间歇性铁剂**：由于平时很少吃红肉，会不定期补充铁质作为膳食弥补。
- **综合维生素（Multivitamin）**：童年受 Flintstones 儿童维生素启蒙，至今仍将其作为日常营养的“安全兜底层”。
- **前沿关注焦点（NAD+）**：作为深度参与细胞能量代谢的关键辅酶前体，NAD+ 在人体老化过程中会不可逆地大幅下降。Candow 博士正保持高度关注，紧跟相关临床证据的进展。
---
### [01:01:55](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3715s) 老年群体的觉醒与肌酸的减脂真相
Steven 留意到，Candow 博士与 Rhonda Patrick 博士对话视频的评论区中，高赞留言几乎被 60 岁、71 岁、82 岁甚至 53 岁面临阿尔茨海默病风险的老年人占据。Candow 博士解释称，得益于社交媒体传播科学证据的威力，公众认知已经彻底打破了“肌酸只是年轻小伙子增肌变壮专属品”的刻板印象。随着岁月流逝，老化人体面临着肌肉流失（肌少症）、力量骤降、骨量丢失以及大脑神经萎缩的重重威胁，而现代医学已反复证明肌酸对这些退行性问题均有显著的干预效益。
关于肌酸能否直接帮助减脂，Candow 博士给出了精准的科学界定：
- **并非直接燃脂剂**：肌酸对减脂的作用是“间接（indirect）”的，并非直接分解脂肪的特效药。
- **间接代谢增益**：通过提高瘦体重（Lean Mass）来拉升全天基础能量代谢率与热量消耗；虽然动物实验观察到肌酸对脂肪细胞层面有些许有益反应，但人体真正的体脂下降，本质上归功于瘦体重改善带来的整体代谢健康飞跃。
---
### [01:03:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3794s) 习惯建立机制：让补剂无感融入日常动线
知道肌酸有益与日复一日坚持摄入之间存在巨大鸿沟。Candow 博士指出，解决依从性问题的核心在于“找到能融入生活动线的载体”：无论放进晨间咖啡、拌进希腊酸奶，还是直接嚼软糖，只要来源真实可靠、便于长期坚持即可。
Steven 深表赞同并分享了自己的实操心得：环境线索决定行为习惯。他把所有补剂直接铺在视线与物理动线的必经之路上——早上一进办公室，补剂就在办公桌正中央；进录音棚前，绿幕休息室里已备齐当日所需；在家里，补剂则直接立在咖啡机旁。Candow 博士补充道，自家的补剂罐也是常年放在厨房操作台面和储藏室最显眼处，如果把补剂随手塞进车库或偏僻抽屉，人类的本能往往是转头彻底忘到九霄云外。
---
### [01:04:18](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3858s) 感知生效的迟滞性与应激时刻的超大剂量应用
与摄入咖啡因后几分钟就能体会到的心跳加速和即刻提神不同，肌酸带来的生理改变是潜移默化且滞后的：
- **肌肉表现**：通常在规律服用 3 到 5 克数周甚至整整一个月后，训练者才会猛然察觉“原本只能做 8 次的动作现在能轻松完成 10 次”、“训练重量有所突破”或“组间与练后疲劳恢复速度大幅提升”。
- **骨骼与大脑**：骨骼密度的微观改变完全无法凭借肉眼或感官察觉；而在脑力方面，日常补充对健康人的感知较为微妙，但遭遇严重“代谢应激”时却极为显著。
- **时差与倒时差**：Candow 博士根据自身经验（N=1 自我实验）透露，在遭遇严重时差反应（Jet Lag）时，服用较高剂量的肌酸能非常明显地减轻大脑迟钝与疲惫感。
针对脑力认知的干预时机，Candow 博士分析了两种截然不同的科研范式：
- **长期蓄积法**：通过为期一周的高剂量冲击期（Loading Phase）让身体和神经组织彻底饱和，在此基础上测试认知表现。
- **急性应激单次大剂量法（德国睡眠剥夺实验）**：研究人员让受试者连续 21 小时不睡觉，仅在剥夺前给予一次性极高剂量的肌酸冲击。实验结果令人惊叹，受试者在次日极其严苛的认知测试中表现出了极佳的抗疲劳与脑力代偿能力。
- **实际应用建议**：如果明知周五有极端高压任务、前一晚注定只能睡 1-2 个小时，临时采取高剂量肌酸作为紧急对冲手段具有实践价值；但绝不能盲目教条，许多大众误以为每天都需要长期生吞 20 到 30 克，这完全脱离了正常人的生活需求与身体实际。
### [01:06:19](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3979s) 超大剂量的神经元风险与达伦·坎道博士的个人健康日常
在谈及极高剂量肌酸补剂时，达伦·坎道博士指出，医学界尚不清楚超大剂量是否会导致脑神经元吸水膨胀，若真如此，长期来看可能会带来潜在的负面影响。此外，长期大剂量摄入是否会下调人体自身的肌酸合成机制，目前仍需更多研究探索，因此他绝不建议普通人长期连续摄入超大剂量。
转向个人生活方式时，坎道博士透露了自己的日常健康作息。他将健身视为一种“信仰般的习惯”（religious）：
- **力量训练与有氧交替**：每周保持 3 到 4 天抗阻力量训练，通常安排在周一、周三和周五；周二和周四则配合 20 到 30 分钟的中等强度有氧运动或动感单车（spin class），周末则倾向于户外徒步（hiking）。
- **饮食与咖啡因控制**：饮食上坚持严格的营养均衡。博士坦言自己在睡眠方面面临很大挑战，由于体内代谢咖啡因的速度较慢，他严格规定中午 12 点之后绝不摄入任何咖啡因，以保障夜间睡眠质量。他始终将循证科学研究的成果身体力行地融入日常。
---
### [01:07:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4052s) 肌酸研究的前沿探索：从“脖子以下”跃升至“脖子以上”
坎道博士对未来肌酸的研究方向展现出极大的热情。他指出，过去的研究大多聚焦在“脖子以下”（肌肉、骨骼与运动表现），而现在科学界正全面转向探索“脖子以上”的大脑保护。
其中最令他兴奋的课题是肌酸对脑震荡（concussion）和创伤性脑损伤（TBI）的预防保护机制。例如 UFC 终极格斗冠军赛选手或拳击手（如穆罕默德·阿里曾经历的头部创伤）若在遭受重击前摄入肌酸，是否能有效减少 CTE（慢性创伤性脑病）或迟发性脑损伤？啮齿动物实验已经证实，在头部遭受创伤前预先补充肌酸，能够显著加快脑震荡后的恢复进程。坎道博士认为，对于任何参与高碰撞风险运动的人群，肌酸几乎应该被当作一种“预防性护盾”（prophylactic）来服用。
```mermaid
flowchart TD
accTitle: 肌酸研究的演进与脑部保护应用
accDescr: 展示肌酸研究从传统骨骼肌肉拓展至大脑神经保护、脑震荡防御及神经退行性疾病的路径
subgraph Traditional["传统研究范畴：脖子以下"]
A["骨骼肌力量与体积"]
B["骨密度与骨骼健康"]
C["抗阻力运动表现"]
end
subgraph Neurological["前沿探索领域：脖子以上"]
D["预防性脑震荡保护（UFC/拳击）"]
E["降低迟发性脑损伤 / CTE 风险"]
F["阿尔茨海默病与抑郁症干预"]
end
Traditional -->|科研重心拓展| Neurological
```
这项最早于 1832 年就被发现、曾长年被认为“波澜不惊，已知透彻”的古老营养素，如今展现出在抑郁症、阿尔茨海默病以及神经保护方面完全始料未及的深远潜力，重新焕发出惊人的科研生命力。
---
### [01:08:31](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4111s) 未解的剂量谜题与个体化差异
当被问及未来是否会转向其他课题时，坎道博士坦言五年前或许会考虑，但现在绝对不可能。即使在骨骼肌领域，科研人员也依然无法确切给出针对每个人的“最佳绝对剂量”——无论是 10 克、12 克还是 15 克，目前给出的都只是参考估算值，最优补剂方案仍有待未来二十年的深入挖掘。
在个体剂量差异方面，坎道博士解释道：
- **体型与体重基础**：体型更大的人（例如 150 公斤对比 50 公斤）肌肉组织更多，因此肌酸的储存容量更大，按相对体重计算所需的摄入量往往更高。
- **心理压力水平**：处于高压状态下的人，大脑天然的能量合成机制难堪重负，可能需要补充更高剂量的肌酸以维持脑部代谢。
- **实用建议**：普通大众既可以参考通用的推荐量，也可以根据自身体重进行科学换算，两者都行之有效。
---
### [01:09:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4192s) 给家人的健康寄语与“衰老”的灾难性本质
对于想要说服父母或亲友服用肌酸的听众，坎道博士将肌酸比作健康工具箱中的一把关键工具：它能助人更长寿、生活质量更高，并在步入晚年后依然保持行动自主能力。他形象地反驳了那种“把一切享受都留到退休后”的消极心态：“你甚至可能根本活不到退休，为什么不从当下开始投资健康？”
谈及对“衰老”的定义，坎道博士用了“灾难性的”（catastrophic）一词。刚迈入 40 岁门槛的他深有感触：身体各部位开始频频发酸作痛，肌肉量也变得更难维持，身体承受压力的生理韧性骤降。生物学意义上的衰老就是人体机能的全面崩解与退化（deterioration）。他强调，所有健康探索的核心目的，正是为了遏制这种退化，让人在无疾无痛中保持年轻活力。
---
### [01:11:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4287s) 终极目标、肖申克的救赎与对死亡的坦诚恐惧
在播客的传统环节中，面对上期嘉宾留下的“什么是现实？”这一宏大哲学拷问，作为天主教徒的坎道博士给出了坚定而接地气的回答：现实绝非楚门的世界或模拟游戏，因为人所经历的喜怒哀乐与身体感知是如此真切。
谈及职业生涯的终极目标，他最看重的是能否在学生心中留下不可磨灭的深远影响，并帮助他人延长健康寿命、摆脱病痛与痛苦。看到曾经风华正茂的老人因行动受限而不敢旅行、被困家中，他感到无比痛心。他引用电影《肖申克的救赎》中摩根·弗里曼的经典台词：
> “忙着活，或忙着死（Get busy living or get busy dying）。”
坎道博士认为，随着现代科技以及人们对营养、锻炼、睡眠和“笑声”认知的提升，人类有望健康活跃地活到 120 甚至 130 岁。在被主持人追问投身抗衰老与肌酸研究的深层心理诱因时，他坦率承认，这一切的底层动机源于自己对死亡纯粹而巨大的恐惧：“我百分之百怕死得要命，一想到这事我的大脑就会当机。我骨子里其实想永远活下去。”尽管他深知长生不老并非现实，但这种对消亡的本能敬畏，成为了驱使他穷尽一生探寻生命延续之道的强大内驱力。
### [01:13:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4439s) 对死亡的忌讳与对生命的热爱
达伦·坎多（Darren Candow）坦言自己内心深处一直对死亡抱有一种忌惮与回避，他甚至半开玩笑地推测这或许与自己从小接受的罗马天主教背景有关。当主持人史蒂文·巴特利特（Steven Bartlett）惊讶地确认他是否真的连谈论都不愿谈论时，坎多解释道，自己在理智上完全理解死亡的现实性，但情感上却极力抗拒去细想，因为他对现实生活怀有太多的热忱与激情，根本不想让“生命随时可能终结”这种念头占据心智。
史蒂文随即追问他是否相信人死后会有灵魂归宿，坎多明确表示自己坚信死后会升入天堂。史蒂文顺势打趣道，既然天堂听上去是一个极佳的去处，那为什么还会如此抗拒死亡呢？坎多笑着回应：“天堂确实很棒，但我只是想在人间多待一些时间，因为在这个世界上，我还有太多未竟的事业和心愿想去完成。”
### [01:14:36](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4476s) 延长健康寿命的真正意义与访谈结语
史蒂文对坎多教授的到访致以由衷的谢意。他提到，自己以往采访过的许多健康与抗衰领域的专家，在节目中都会反复引用坎多发表的学术研究，如今能够直接请到这些开创性成果的源头学者面对面探讨，是一件非常难得且令人振奋的事。史蒂文由衷赞许坎多多年来的科研贡献，并指出大众如今最迫切的愿望其实是延长“健康寿命”（Healthspan），即在尽可能长的时间里维持高质量、无疾病困扰的生活状态。
史蒂文感慨道，当今社会正面临着一场健康危机——许多人自四五十岁起就不得不长期依赖药物维生，甚至在人生的最后二三十年里彻底丧失了自理能力，无法从事自己真正热爱的事情。而坎多关于肌酸与肌肉、骨骼及大脑健康的研究，恰恰赋予了普通人一个主动选择的工具，只要大家愿意去实践，就有机会显著改善生命质量。在深情的致谢之后，史蒂文以幽默轻松的语调向观众告别，并推介了平台算法根据用户行为推荐的下一期精彩视频内容。
- **核心观点**：健康寿命（Healthspan）的价值在于延长能够自主生活、保持活力的年限，避免在晚年陷入数十年的病痛与失能状态。
- **科研价值**：针对肌酸、抗阻训练与衰老机制的实证研究，为大众提供了对抗肌肉流失、骨质疏松与认知衰退的可行干预方案。
## Notable quotes
> [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=0s) 在我开始吃肌酸之前，我就已经在变秃了。 — Darren Candow
> [08:14](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=494s) 在 100 次案例中，有 99 次都是假阳性。 — Darren Candow
> [12:32](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=752s) 大家看着我这位研究肌酸 25 年且虔诚服用的学者，肯定会想：‘看吧，他就是吃肌酸吃秃的！’但天晓得，在开始吃肌酸之前我就已经在秃顶了！ — Darren Candow
> [25:38](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=1538s) 就像初代任天堂游戏里的超级马力欧吃到能量蘑菇一样 — Darren Candow
> [34:49](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=2089s) 这太容易把人绕晕了，我今天肯定还没吃肌酸 — Steven Bartlett
> [50:47](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=3047s) 尽管我们今天重点探讨的是肌酸，但如果你今天只能选择做一件事，那一定是运动。 — Darren Candow
> [01:09:52](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4192s) 你甚至可能根本活不到退休，为什么不从当下开始投资健康？ — Darren Candow
> [01:11:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4287s) 忙着活，或忙着死（Get busy living or get busy dying）。 — Darren Candow
> [01:11:27](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4287s) 我百分之百怕死得要命，一想到这事我的大脑就会当机。我骨子里其实想永远活下去。 — Darren Candow
> [01:13:59](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk&t=4439s) 天堂确实很棒，但我只是想在人间多待一些时间，因为在这个世界上，我还有太多未竟的事业和心愿想去完成。 — Darren Candow
## Mentioned
Darren Candow, Steven Bartlett, University of Regina, International Society of Sports Nutrition, Stanford University, Stacey Ellery, CreaPure, NSF, Gatorade, Flight Cast, Bon Charge, Taylor Swift, Matt Taylor, Aaron Smith, Perry Renshaw, Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Stan Store, Stanley, Create, James Smith, Rhonda Patrick, Flintstones, UFC, Muhammad Ali, Morgan Freeman, 肖申克的救赎 (The Shawshank Redemption)
## Video description
What is creatine really doing to your brain? Top Creatine Researcher Dr Darren Candow reveals why 5g won’t reach your brain, how creatine may reverse sleep deprivation, and the 5 myths stopping millions from taking it!
Dr Darren Candow is a professor and Director of the Ageing Muscle and Bone Health Laboratory at the University of Regina, with 175 published research papers. He is a fellow and incoming Vice-President of the International Society of Sports Nutrition and was named on Stanford University's Top 2% Scientists list in 2025.
He explains:
◼ The 5 myths stopping you from taking creatine, and why they're all wrong
◼ How much creatine you really need for muscle, bone, brain and sleep deprivation
◼ How adding creatine to your antidepressant can double your remission rate
◼ Why you lose 1% of your muscle every year after 40 and what to do about it
◼ Why creatine protects your brain from stress, sleep loss and cognitive decline
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:26 What is the mission that you're on?
00:04:14 Why has creatine exploded?
00:06:30 Are we deficient in creatine?
00:08:14 Does creatine damage your kidneys?
00:10:32 If I have creatine in my muscle, am I more likely to gain muscle?
00:11:50 Should women take creatine?
00:12:31 Will creatine cause hair loss?
00:13:36 Creatine causes muscle cramps?
00:16:28 How effective is creatine in gaining muscle mass?
00:18:08 Is the "loading phase" unnecessary?
00:19:06 Is there anyone that shouldn't take creatine?
00:19:41 Whats the best type of creatine to take?
00:21:31 The Dosing Dilemma - How much to take for each benefit?
00:22:43 Does creatine cause dizziness?
00:24:49 Taste test
00:25:38 The best dosage for bone health
00:34:20 What are the brain benefits of creatine?
00:36:51 Anything else to know about creatine's impact on the brain?
00:38:06 Ads
00:40:13 Does creatine help with inflammation?
00:41:28 Using creatine for Alzheimer's
00:42:45 Does creatine have an impact on our mental health?
00:44:39 What are foods I can eat that would supply creatine?
00:45:03 Study that showed creatine improved young athletes' sleep
00:47:43 The importance of weight training
00:48:12 What are the misconceptions about weight training?
00:50:58 Why is exercise more important as we get older?
00:52:46 Combining protein and creatine
00:53:55 Ads
00:54:56 How creatine helps menopausal and post-menopausal women
00:56:00 Is creatine safe for kids and people in general?
00:57:09 What's the best time to take creatine?
00:58:15 What do you think of creatine gummies?
01:00:44 What supplements do you take other than creatine?
01:02:52 Are there any direct weight benefits to creatine?
01:04:18 What differences will I notice when taking creatine?
01:06:42 Whats your health routine?
01:08:31 Do different people need to dose differently?
01:10:45 How do you define ageing?
01:12:04 What is your goal?
01:13:05 Fear of death
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[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk7RAkFN4vk)
Source quotes
[0:00] Darren Candow: 在我开始吃肌酸之前，我就已经在变秃了。
[8:14] Darren Candow: 在 100 次案例中，有 99 次都是假阳性。
[12:32] Darren Candow: 大家看着我这位研究肌酸 25 年且虔诚服用的学者，肯定会想：‘看吧，他就是吃肌酸吃秃的！’但天晓得，在开始吃肌酸之前我就已经在秃顶了！
[25:38] Darren Candow: 就像初代任天堂游戏里的超级马力欧吃到能量蘑菇一样
[34:49] Steven Bartlett: 这太容易把人绕晕了，我今天肯定还没吃肌酸
[50:47] Darren Candow: 尽管我们今天重点探讨的是肌酸，但如果你今天只能选择做一件事，那一定是运动。
[69:52] Darren Candow: 你甚至可能根本活不到退休，为什么不从当下开始投资健康？
[71:27] Darren Candow: 忙着活，或忙着死（Get busy living or get busy dying）。
[71:27] Darren Candow: 我百分之百怕死得要命，一想到这事我的大脑就会当机。我骨子里其实想永远活下去。
[73:59] Darren Candow: 天堂确实很棒，但我只是想在人间多待一些时间，因为在这个世界上，我还有太多未竟的事业和心愿想去完成。
Source quotes
[4:14] Dr. Darren Candow: If Batman, which gets all the press, is ATP, Robin is creatine. Creatine comes to the rescue, it's his best friend to help maintain these levels.
[11:52] Dr. Darren Candow: I was going bald before I started taking creatine.
[16:28] Dr. Darren Candow: A lot of people take creatine for huge increases in muscle... creatine yes, can with weight training improve muscle mass, but it has more robust evidence for muscle performance.
[25:38] Dr. Darren Candow: If you do not exercise, there's never been a study ever shown to have bone benefits... in postmenopausal females, creatine seemed to reduce the rate of bone mineral density loss around the hip region.
[30:03] Dr. Darren Candow: I take 10 g a day at minimum to check off muscle... that checks off bone for the most part... Now, since I've just flown different time zones, today I'm taking 20 to 25 g based on this acutely. And then when I go back to a non-stressed environment, back to Canada, I'll go back to my regular 10.
[37:06] Dr. Darren Candow: It doesn't boost the brain. It likely just brings those levels back up to normal levels before stress and it might give you a little bit more.
[48:12] Dr. Darren Candow: On average, it's about 1% per year after the age of 40... You lose strength at about 1 to 3% even faster. Now, if we were to maintain resistance training, that muscle mass would plateau.
Original transcript
[0:00] A healthy brain likely doesn't need any
[0:02] creatine. But what if you're stressed?
[0:04] What about sleep deprivation? Night
[0:06] shift workers, university students
[0:08] cramming for a midterm, then all of a
[0:09] sudden the healthy brain becomes a
[0:11] metabolically stressed brain. And most
[0:13] people fall into the stressed
[0:15] environment, and that's where creatine
[0:16] comes to the rescue. And we'll talk
[0:18] about how much, but the more stressed it
[0:20] is, the higher the dose seems to come
[0:22] into play.
[0:23] >> And is there anyone that shouldn't take
[0:24] creatine?
[0:25] >> Well, I published over 120 papers just
[0:27] on creatine alone. We've done at least
[0:29] 30 to 40 studies in our lab, and I can't
[0:31] find anybody that can't or shouldn't
[0:34] take creatine. So, for example, at
[0:35] recommended dosages, creatine can not
[0:37] only have potential anti-cancer
[0:39] properties, it really speed up
[0:40] rehabilitation, and there's a lot of
[0:42] hope, especially around Alzheimer's.
[0:43] >> And what about kids?
[0:44] >> The current body of evidence suggests
[0:46] they want to get at least 1 g per day
[0:48] because in children they want to have
[0:49] optimization for bone health as well as
[0:51] muscle development. And so, I'm
[0:52] fascinated that this nutrient,
[0:54] discovered in 1832, like boring for the
[0:56] longest time as having these profound
[0:58] benefits we never even thought would
[0:59] happen. And [music] so, your viewers
[1:00] today will be surprised about some of
[1:02] the things I'm going to talk about,
[1:03] including microdosing.
[1:05] >> And we've got this thing here in front
[1:06] of us. This is the dosing dilemma. You
[1:08] know, I want to talk about how much I
[1:09] need to take for all these [music]
[1:10] things. And I want to talk about
[1:11] nutrition, protein, weight training,
[1:12] etc. But before that, you've got five
[1:14] myths in front of you. Can you reveal
[1:16] one by one what they are?
[1:17] >> So, this is Oh, I can't believe you did
[1:19] this one to me. Creatine causes hair
[1:21] loss. I was going bald before I started
[1:24] taking creatine. Myth number two. Oh, so
[1:26] this is by far the biggest myth, and
[1:29] that is
[1:32] >> This is super interesting to me. My team
[1:34] give me this report to show me how many
[1:35] of you that watch this show subscribe,
[1:37] and some of you have told us, according
[1:38] to this, that you are unsubscribed from
[1:40] the channel randomly. So, favor to ask
[1:42] all of you, please could you check right
[1:44] now if you've hit the subscribe button
[1:45] if you are a regular viewer of the show
[1:46] and you like what we do here. We're
[1:48] approaching quite a significant landmark
[1:50] on this show in terms of a subscriber
[1:51] number. So, if there was one simple,
[1:53] free thing that you could do to help us,
[1:55] my team, everyone here, to keep this
[1:57] show free, to keep it improving year
[1:59] over year and week over week, it is just
[2:01] to hit that subscribe button and to
[2:02] double check if you've hit it. Only
[2:04] thing I'll ever ask of you.
[2:05] Do we have a deal?
[2:06] If you do it, I'll tell you what I'll
[2:07] do. I'll make sure
[2:09] every single week, every single month,
[2:11] we fight harder and harder and harder
[2:12] and harder to bring you the guests and
[2:13] conversations that you want to hear.
[2:15] I've stayed true to that promise since
[2:16] the very beginning of The Diary of a
[2:17] CEO, and I will not let you down. Please
[2:20] help us. Really appreciate it. Let's get
[2:22] on with the show.
[2:24] >> [music]
[2:26] >> Dr. Darren
[2:28] Candow.
[2:29] >> What is the mission that you're on in
[2:32] your life?
[2:33] >> I think right now would be to promote
[2:36] health and make people live longer free
[2:37] of disease. It's fascinating how we've
[2:40] transcended our understanding of weight
[2:41] training, and now weight training is
[2:43] seeming to have these profound effects
[2:45] that cardiovascular exercise has, and it
[2:47] gives you a bit more. So, really
[2:48] focusing now on the benefits of lifting
[2:50] things around the house and how exercise
[2:53] and then, of course, nutrition, we're
[2:54] going to talk about creatine, but also
[2:56] how other macronutrients, especially
[2:58] protein, come into play. And then when
[3:00] you combine those two, are we doing
[3:01] enough to optimize longevity? And we
[3:04] hope that we are. Yeah.
[3:06] >> And so, what are the reference points
[3:07] you're drawing on? How do you know the
[3:09] things you know? Are you doing your own
[3:10] research?
[3:11] >> Yeah. So, I did my graduate school in
[3:13] Canada, cell biology degree, and then I
[3:15] moved into my master's and PhD looking
[3:17] in kinesiology. So, it's interesting
[3:19] that I fell into creatine
[3:20] supplementation research by accident. I
[3:22] was doing my master's on an amino acid
[3:24] called glutamine, and at the time, about
[3:26] 20-30 years ago, glutamine was the
[3:28] biggest rage. Everybody was taking this
[3:30] non-essential amino acid and hoping that
[3:32] it would have body composition
[3:34] improvements. Uh and I sort of
[3:36] determined it was worthless in young
[3:38] healthy individuals from a body
[3:40] composition uh standpoint. And at the
[3:41] same time, a good colleague of mine was
[3:44] doing creatine.
[3:45] And I started to notice these young
[3:46] biological males were getting bigger,
[3:48] stronger, faster. And then another
[3:50] study, bigger, stronger, faster.
[3:53] And then when you go to the research on
[3:55] creatine, it was very stimulating in a
[3:56] sense that we're now improving things
[3:59] that we know with aging go down. So then
[4:02] I turn my focus completely to healthy
[4:04] aging and trying to get, you know,
[4:06] grandparents and great-grandparents and
[4:08] your parents to live longer free of
[4:09] disease. But wait, let's start young.
[4:12] Start as early as you can and move
[4:13] forward, yeah.
[4:14] >> And so you got really compelled by
[4:15] creatine. I want to talk about all these
[4:16] things, um nutrition, protein, weight
[4:18] training, etc. But on the subject of
[4:20] creatine, what was it that compelled you
[4:22] so much to start you did start doing
[4:24] your own research on creatine.
[4:25] >> I did and I started to take creatine.
[4:26] So, you know, it was this natural
[4:28] metabolite that we're synthesizing in
[4:30] the liver and brain. If you take a
[4:32] little bit more, not a lot, just a
[4:34] little bit more than what we're probably
[4:36] taking in from the food uh sources such
[4:38] as red meat and seafood, can it have
[4:40] benefits and sure enough it's now the
[4:42] most researched supplement out there.
[4:43] It's overtaken protein and caffeine uh
[4:45] from an ergogenic perspective. And it's
[4:48] gone global, not just for males, but of
[4:50] course uh females and centenarians and
[4:52] elderly. So, it's very fascinating the
[4:55] explosion in this research part.
[4:57] >> What is the sort of um I don't
[4:59] evolutionary backdrop, but I guess
[5:00] physiological backdrop of why humans
[5:03] need creatine, but also why they might
[5:04] not be getting optimal amounts.
[5:06] >> Yeah, that's a great question. So, uh
[5:08] adenosine triphosphate or ATP is the
[5:10] energy currency of all our cells and
[5:12] think of your muscle doing work or
[5:14] shoveling the driveway or walking,
[5:16] you're using your muscles and you need
[5:18] to maintain that level of energy to to
[5:20] maintain exercise. Well, creatine comes
[5:23] to the rescue to help maintain your
[5:25] energy currency. So, if Batman, which
[5:27] gets all the press, is ATP, Robin is
[5:31] creatine. Creatine comes to the rescue,
[5:33] it's his best friend to help maintain
[5:35] these levels. Now, when you exercise at
[5:37] a high intensity, you know, sprinting,
[5:39] weightlifting, those ATP stores do
[5:42] become jeopardized and that's why
[5:43] creatine sort of sacrifices itself uh to
[5:46] come to the rescue. So, that's why
[5:48] anaerobic sports The World Cup just
[5:49] started. These individuals will be using
[5:52] a lot of creatine stores in their
[5:53] muscle. The question is, do they have
[5:55] enough? And if they had more, could they
[5:57] play better?
[5:58] >> And so, do our body makes creatine
[5:59] naturally?
[6:00] >> That's correct. It is making about 1 to
[6:02] 3 g a day, but only in two areas. So,
[6:04] this will be quite shocking for people.
[6:06] We're only actually making it in the
[6:08] liver and the brain. We don't make it in
[6:10] skeletal muscle, but you store 95% in
[6:13] our muscle. So, when it's being made in
[6:15] the liver or brain, the brain will keep
[6:17] it there, but in the liver it will get
[6:19] transported in the blood up to your uh
[6:21] skeletal muscle. The question is, well,
[6:23] what if we need more? And that's where
[6:25] dietary creatine from red meat or
[6:27] seafood or supplementation comes into
[6:29] play.
[6:30] >> So, are we deficient in creatine?
[6:33] >> There are small populations with,
[6:36] unfortunately, they were born with the
[6:37] inability to synthesize creatine. Uh,
[6:40] they would have a deficiency, and they
[6:41] are required to take supplementation.
[6:44] The other unique population is vegans
[6:45] and vegetarians. So, vegan and
[6:47] vegetarian diet is extremely healthy.
[6:49] The downfall though is they're not
[6:51] getting any dietary creatine, cuz
[6:53] creatine is only found in animal-based
[6:54] flesh. So, red meat, seafood, and
[6:56] poultry. They're naturally synthesizing
[6:59] about 1 to 2, maybe even 3 g a day
[7:01] through amino acids in their food, but
[7:04] vegans and vegetarians respond literally
[7:07] the best on the planet, because now
[7:08] they're taking in a supplement to allow
[7:10] that in.
[7:11] >> And is it thought that historically we
[7:12] would naturally have consumed more
[7:13] creatine?
[7:14] >> That's a good point. So, back, you know,
[7:16] hunter and gatherer age, a lot of meat,
[7:17] they were consuming quite a bit through
[7:19] dietary products. Just say if you only
[7:21] wanted to get 3 g of creatine through
[7:23] food, you'd have to eat quite a bit of
[7:25] meat to do that. And then it comes into
[7:26] the dilemma of what if you don't eat
[7:28] meat, or you just can't afford it, you
[7:30] know.
[7:31] >> [clears throat]
[7:32] >> Creatine has exploded over the recent
[7:33] last couple of years. I I I saw a stat
[7:35] that said,
[7:36] I think in women it had gone up to about
[7:38] 3% of women take the creatine, and um,
[7:41] in men it's slightly higher.
[7:42] It's still a little bit lower in terms
[7:44] of consumption in women from the stats
[7:46] that I saw. And I think that in part is
[7:48] because there's still some prevailing
[7:50] myths about creatine. When I when I
[7:51] speak to some of my friend people know
[7:53] that I interview a lot of health experts
[7:55] and scientists and PhDs on that have
[7:57] done research on supplements. They ask
[7:59] me the first question I get asked a lot
[8:00] is what are the supplements should I
[8:01] definitely take?
[8:02] >> Yes.
[8:02] >> And when I mention creatine, it's always
[8:04] met with a certain set of rebuttals
[8:06] because there's some prevailing myths.
[8:08] You've got some myths.
[8:09] >> Yes.
[8:10] >> About creatine on the cards in front of
[8:12] you. Can you reveal one by one what they
[8:13] are?
[8:14] >> So, this is definitely the number one
[8:16] myth. Creatine damages your kidneys. So,
[8:19] when you take in creatine to the body,
[8:21] it gets stored as creatine, but when you
[8:22] metabolize it, sort of sort of thinking
[8:25] leaking from the muscle, it gets leaked
[8:27] out as creatinine. And most people
[8:29] watching is like, oh, that was on my
[8:30] blood requisition form. And right below
[8:32] creatinine was something called eGFR.
[8:35] So, glomerular filtration rate is an
[8:37] estimation of your kidney health. So,
[8:39] the problem is when individuals on
[8:41] creatine supplementation, they go to
[8:43] their doctor for their annual blood
[8:44] work, their creatinine might be a little
[8:46] bit elevated, and that's only from the
[8:48] breakdown of the the compound. And then,
[8:51] unfortunately, their filtration rate is
[8:53] lower. So, then their doctor gets really
[8:55] surprised, and they're like, stop taking
[8:57] creatine because it's hurting your
[8:58] kidneys.
[8:59] What typically happens they go back or
[9:01] stopping creatine, and then they check
[9:02] their kidneys again, and it's fine. So,
[9:04] I would say 99 [snorts]
[9:05] out of 100 times
[9:07] that it's a false positive. So, this is
[9:09] by far the biggest myth. And there's
[9:11] been randomized control trials for
[9:13] several years showing that creatine
[9:14] causes no detrimental effects to the
[9:15] kidneys.
[9:16] >> I had exactly that twice on my blood
[9:18] tests.
[9:18] >> Yes. And if you're also creatinine could
[9:20] be elevated if you're on a high meat
[9:21] diet, a little bit dehydrated. So, those
[9:23] that are exercising is very very
[9:25] elevated. So, always tell your doctor
[9:27] you're on creatine supplementation
[9:28] because your creatinine could be a
[9:30] little bit higher.
[9:30] >> Okay.
[9:31] >> Yep. Myth number two. Creatine makes you
[9:34] retain water. So, this is really
[9:36] important. And I think this is one of
[9:38] the main reasons females were really
[9:40] hesitant to take creatine. If you take
[9:43] too much too soon, it can lead to an
[9:45] increase in water retention.
[9:47] So, you've probably heard of the
[9:48] creatine loading phase. This is where
[9:50] supplement companies want you to take
[9:51] about 20 or 30 g a day for about 5 or 7
[9:53] days. That has been shown to increase
[9:56] water retention acutely. So, maybe it'll
[9:58] reside there for about 3 to 5 days, but
[10:01] after that, when you go on a maintenance
[10:02] phase of about 3 to 5 g a day, uh that
[10:05] water retention goes away. So,
[10:07] in the initial stages, if done
[10:09] improperly or too much, it can cause a
[10:11] little bit of water retention. The good
[10:13] news for everybody watching is after
[10:15] about the first week, that water's
[10:17] inside our muscle. So, now we're
[10:19] volumizing the size of our muscle, sort
[10:22] of like a balloon here is full of water.
[10:24] Now, after a while, the water's now
[10:26] going into our muscle, it's a lot bigger
[10:28] compared to a deflated balloon or muscle
[10:30] that didn't have any water. So, creatine
[10:32] is osmotic. Water likes to follow
[10:35] creatine, so by taking it into the
[10:37] muscle, it gets a lot bigger, and that's
[10:38] good because a swollen muscle stimulates
[10:41] protein synthesis to get bigger and
[10:43] stronger.
[10:44] >> Oh, really? A swollen muscle stimulates
[10:46] protein synthesis?
[10:47] >> Synthesis, yeah. So, when you have water
[10:48] coming in, that's a really good thing.
[10:51] And creatine does that, and that's one
[10:52] of the main mechanisms why it works.
[10:54] >> So, what does that mean? Does that mean
[10:55] that if I have creatine in my muscle,
[10:56] I'm more likely to gain muscle?
[10:58] >> That is potentially the the factor
[11:00] because when you're having or trapping
[11:01] water, it turns on all these signaling
[11:03] pathways that are involved in protein
[11:05] synthesis. And And one of the biggest
[11:07] robust evidence is that creatine
[11:09] increases lean tissue mass and regional
[11:10] muscle thickness with weight training
[11:12] over time.
[11:13] >> Oh, wow. Okay.
[11:13] >> Yeah.
[11:14] >> Yeah, cuz a lot of people are concerned
[11:15] that they're going to put on lots of
[11:16] weight and be bloated with creatine.
[11:18] >> The interesting there is if you take
[11:19] smaller more microdosing, there's hardly
[11:21] any effect. And this might come
[11:23] surprising, but if you did a 6-week
[11:24] study,
[11:26] pre and post after creatine, you only
[11:27] increase mass by 0.86 kg.
[11:30] >> Oh, wow.
[11:31] >> And the majority of that is lean mass.
[11:33] So, at the end of the day, you know, a
[11:34] pound and a half is not a lot.
[11:36] >> Lean mass.
[11:37] >> Lean mass, yeah.
[11:38] >> Which is
[11:39] >> We think of lean mass, most people think
[11:41] of it as muscle, but lean mass in our
[11:42] body that includes water, connective
[11:44] tissue, organs, as well as skeletal
[11:46] muscle. And about 50% of our lean mass
[11:48] is muscle.
[11:49] >> Okay.
[11:49] >> Yeah.
[11:50] >> Great.
[11:50] >> Okay, myth number three.
[11:52] Creatine is only for men. Uh this is
[11:54] 100% false. When you go through the
[11:58] totality of all the evidence, uh females
[12:01] respond extremely robustly to creatine
[12:03] supplementation. They get profound
[12:04] benefits in strength, endurance, and
[12:06] performance. They lose a little bit of
[12:08] body fat. So, there's another idea that
[12:11] people thought water retention was
[12:12] causing an increase in in fat mass.
[12:15] We've done some meta-analysis now
[12:16] showing that creatine reduces fat mass.
[12:18] Uh females [snorts] get an increase in
[12:19] lean mass as well. Uh and um happy this
[12:22] one came up because from our lab with
[12:25] bone health, females do respond very
[12:27] favorably with creatine and bone. And we
[12:29] can talk about that as well.
[12:32] Myth number four.
[12:33] Oh, I can't believe you did this one to
[12:35] me. Creatine causes hair loss.
[12:38] So, obviously looking at me and uh I'm a
[12:41] prolific uh creatine researcher and
[12:42] taking creatine religiously for like the
[12:44] last two and a half decades, people
[12:46] would look at me and say, "Well,
[12:48] obviously looking at him, creatine
[12:49] caused this." And I was going bald
[12:51] before I started taking creatine. This
[12:54] myth came from a study in rugby players
[12:56] decades ago uh where creatine about 20
[12:59] 25 g a day for 7 days increased a
[13:01] hormone called DHT. It's a precursor for
[13:03] testosterone, which unfortunately has
[13:06] been linked to hair follicle loss and
[13:07] thinning. Uh
[13:09] but the ironic thing is when creatine
[13:11] was given to these young males, the
[13:13] hormone went up, but it was still within
[13:15] the biological range, and no measure of
[13:17] hair follicle thinning or loss uh was
[13:20] done. The cool thing is just a few years
[13:22] ago, they decided to put this uh theory
[13:24] to the test, and 5 g in young males for
[13:26] about 6 to 8 weeks of training caused no
[13:28] uh detrimental effect from hair
[13:30] thinning, follicle loss. So, my
[13:32] appearance was probably based on
[13:34] something else. So, there's no evidence
[13:35] to that as well. Myth number five,
[13:38] creatine causes muscle cramps. No, I
[13:40] think this is so over played. When
[13:42] creatine is taken into the body and
[13:44] water will follow it, now you're super
[13:47] hydrating the muscle. So, one of the
[13:49] main issues with muscle cramps is it
[13:50] could be, you know, dehydration in the
[13:52] muscle. Some people have heard of sodium
[13:54] potassium, that's why Gatorade was
[13:56] invented. But if anything, sodium
[13:58] decreases muscle cramps and it super
[14:00] hydrates. So, in the hotter
[14:02] environments, June, July, August,
[14:03] creatine is going to be one of your best
[14:05] friends.
[14:06] >> So, those are the five myths we took
[14:08] there about weight training. What is
[14:09] this very curious graph? It seems to
[14:12] show that creatine
[14:15] helped gain muscle mass through
[14:18] a training regime?
[14:20] >> Oh, yes. So, this is actually showing
[14:22] now that when you take creatine
[14:23] supplementation, you're actually gaining
[14:25] an improvement in training volume. So,
[14:27] when you go in the weight room, you look
[14:29] at the load you're lifting by the reps
[14:31] by the sets. So, it actually goes up.
[14:33] And then when you don't, obviously it
[14:35] would go down over time as well. So, the
[14:37] cool thing here is that one of the main
[14:39] reasons you get an enhancement in
[14:40] performance is that creatine seems to
[14:43] enhance training capacity. So, a lot of
[14:45] people say I've taken creatine, now I
[14:46] got an increase in the number of reps or
[14:49] sets that I can perform. That probably
[14:51] leads to a stimulation over time.
[14:52] >> So, this is a 8-week study?
[14:54] >> That is an 8-week study, very short term
[14:56] as well. So, you can see that the number
[14:58] of weeks came down when they weren't
[15:00] taking creatine and then when they
[15:01] started to take it, it went up as well.
[15:03] And this leads to another important
[15:05] point. So, and it's often not talked
[15:07] about, when you take creatine for at
[15:09] least a month, people say, "Well, how
[15:11] long does it stay in my muscles if I go
[15:13] on vacation? What if I can't take
[15:15] creatine?" And in skeletal muscle, it
[15:17] takes about a month for those elevated
[15:18] levels to come back down.
[15:21] In the brain, we don't have a lot of
[15:23] evidence, but it's speculated it takes
[15:25] about anywhere between 5 weeks to about
[15:28] 3 months for those elevations to come
[15:29] back down.
[15:30] >> And this essentially means that if I
[15:31] take creatine, I will be able to train
[15:34] harder.
[15:34] >> Harder or longer or more frequent. So,
[15:38] one of the things with creatine it
[15:39] allows the muscle to recover quicker.
[15:40] So, you might be able to get back to the
[15:42] you know, if an athlete's trained twice
[15:44] a day.
[15:45] So, either one of those seems to be one
[15:46] of the most possible mechanisms.
[15:48] >> And why is there a big dip in the middle
[15:50] of this graph?
[15:50] >> So, that is actually showing where the
[15:51] individuals would train and then without
[15:54] creatine and then take it over time as
[15:55] well.
[15:56] >> Oh, okay. So, that's that's stopped.
[15:57] >> It's a de-training and then taking it
[15:59] again. Correct.
[16:00] >> Okay. So, they stopped taking it.
[16:01] >> Uh taking it at the at week four and
[16:03] then that's where the elevations go up.
[16:06] >> Oh. [snorts]
[16:06] >> Yeah. So, it goes to show that when you
[16:08] have creatine, everything is elevated.
[16:10] If you stop taking it, it takes about 4
[16:13] weeks to come back down, but you'll
[16:14] notice that it was at the same level as
[16:15] the placebo.
[16:17] And then when they take it again, they
[16:18] get a rebound effect. So, I think this
[16:20] has application for people who have
[16:21] injured themselves and they now need to
[16:23] go back and start training. If you take
[16:24] creatine, it can accelerate the
[16:26] rehabilitation program.
[16:28] >> Hm.
[16:29] And it does it I guess because it makes
[16:31] your training volume increase
[16:32] >> Correct.
[16:33] >> it makes your muscle mass gain increase?
[16:35] >> It can gain it gain increase in muscle
[16:37] mass. It's not great. That's probably
[16:39] going to be a bit surprising to a lot of
[16:40] people. A lot of people take creatine
[16:41] for huge increases in muscle. You get an
[16:44] increase in lean mass by about 1.2 kg.
[16:47] But as I I said previously, remember
[16:49] only half of that is skeletal muscle.
[16:51] So, creatine yes, can with weight
[16:53] training improve muscle mass, but it has
[16:55] more robust evidence for muscle
[16:56] performance.
[16:57] >> Is there anything else we need to know
[16:58] about creatine's link to muscle mass?
[17:00] >> I think one of the big things is that it
[17:02] decreases something called protein
[17:04] breakdown. So, that might allow the
[17:06] muscle to maintain its integrity or
[17:08] recover quicker.
[17:10] But overall, when you combine creatine
[17:12] with a standard weight training program,
[17:14] you should expect a greater increase
[17:15] than weight training alone, absolutely.
[17:17] And that is that's across all ages,
[17:19] which is really important.
[17:21] >> Okay. And the studies you've done in
[17:23] your own lab, what are those? How wide
[17:25] varying are those? And how many have you
[17:27] done?
[17:27] >> We've Oh god, we've done at least 30 to
[17:29] 40 studies
[17:31] um in our lab. I've published over 120
[17:32] papers just on creatine alone.
[17:34] >> Wow.
[17:34] >> And the interesting thing is that from
[17:36] young individuals to middle age to older
[17:39] adults, we see a very common uh theme
[17:41] that combined with weight training uh
[17:43] creatine about 5 g or more. Uh we use
[17:46] typically a little bit more. Seems to
[17:48] have uh beneficial effects on muscle
[17:49] mass, uh muscle strength, as well as
[17:52] performance, absolutely.
[17:53] >> Can you show me what 5 g looks like?
[17:55] >> absolutely. So, this would be a standard
[17:58] 5 g dose.
[17:59] >> Which is one scoop for you.
[18:00] >> One scoop. Now, keep in mind that can be
[18:03] found in in meat or seafood, but you're
[18:06] going to require a lot.
[18:07] >> Yeah, okay. So, 5 g is one scoop.
[18:09] >> One scoop.
[18:10] >> And you're saying we don't necessarily
[18:12] need to do this loading phase that
[18:13] bodybuilders would
[18:15] >> Correct. So, the loading phase is the
[18:16] most rapid way to saturate your muscles.
[18:18] Now, that's very beneficial, but that
[18:20] would be four scoops. So, four scoops is
[18:23] a loading phase per day and is very
[18:25] effective, but the issue is can it cause
[18:28] some adverse GI tract irritation, things
[18:30] like that. That's where anecdotal people
[18:31] report that. But a lot of people from a
[18:33] muscle perspective will start with just
[18:35] 5 g a day and that's very beneficial.
[18:37] >> And at 5 g a day, what benefits am I
[18:38] getting?
[18:39] >> Five Oh, across from a skeletal muscle
[18:40] perspective, you get a whole plethora.
[18:42] So, you definitely get an increase in
[18:43] lean tissue mass or muscle size. Uh and
[18:46] then again, muscle performance, uh
[18:47] muscle strength, power, and endurance.
[18:49] And the other one that never gets a lot
[18:51] of press, which should, is functional
[18:52] ability. Uh an older adult to sit to
[18:54] stand. Uh this has applications getting
[18:56] off the toilet, out of the bed, out of a
[18:58] car. So, as we get older, we're losing
[19:00] muscle strength and performance, as well
[19:02] as functionality, and creatine and
[19:03] weight training seems to come to the
[19:05] rescue there.
[19:06] >> And is there anyone that shouldn't take
[19:07] creatine?
[19:08] >> You know,
[19:10] I can't find anybody that can't or
[19:12] shouldn't. The safety profile is
[19:14] exceptional. If they have pre-existing
[19:16] medical conditions, they definitely need
[19:17] to speak to their their doctor. Besides
[19:19] that, I'm not seeing any reason a
[19:21] healthy individual can't take or
[19:22] shouldn't take creatine.
[19:23] >> And pregnant women?
[19:24] >> So, that's an interesting colleague of
[19:26] mine, Dr. Stacey Ellery out of
[19:27] Australia, is now finally looking at
[19:29] human trials with pregnancy, going into
[19:32] breast milk, into the fetus. So, it's
[19:35] still in its infancy. The jury's still
[19:36] open. As it currently stands, it seems
[19:38] to be relatively safe and well
[19:40] tolerated.
[19:41] >> Okay. So, not all creatine is made the
[19:44] same.
[19:44] >> That's right. Correct.
[19:45] >> There's lots of different types of
[19:45] creatine. People Some people take
[19:47] creatine gummies.
[19:48] I mean, I have some different types of
[19:50] creatine here. Creatine monohydrate,
[19:52] creatine hydrochloride.
[19:54] >> Okay.
[19:54] >> I remember looking when I was in a shelf
[19:56] a couple of months ago and seeing like
[19:58] five or six different types of creatine.
[20:00] What is the the optimal type of creatine
[20:03] to take and why?
[20:04] >> So, by far, creatine monohydrate.
[20:06] And that goes against all the new
[20:08] marketing forms. So, creatine
[20:10] monohydrate is simply creatine linked to
[20:12] one water molecule. When you take it
[20:14] into the body, the water molecule
[20:15] dissolves, is identical to what's being
[20:18] produced in the liver and the brain.
[20:20] All the evidence that you ever hear
[20:22] about the safety and efficacy of
[20:23] creatine is based on the old, boring,
[20:25] from 1832 creatine monohydrate. There's
[20:28] [snorts] new marketed forms of creatine
[20:29] such as hydrochloride, which does have
[20:31] evidence behind it. There's many other
[20:33] forms, but the only downfall with all
[20:36] these marketed forms is it's never been
[20:38] shown to be safer or more effective than
[20:40] creatine monohydrate. The other big
[20:43] thing for your viewers is make sure it
[20:44] has CreaPure or some form of creatine
[20:47] monohydrate on the label. And then and
[20:50] that is also third-party tested.
[20:52] >> CreaPure?
[20:52] >> CreaPure's from Germany. It has the
[20:54] highest standard of qualification and
[20:58] scrutiny. And then NSF certified or
[21:00] another third-party certified. So, those
[21:02] are the three things that I personally
[21:03] would look for. Monohydrate, CreaPure is
[21:06] the type, and then NSF certified or
[21:08] third-party certification.
[21:09] >> Which is that little logo at the bottom?
[21:10] >> That little logo here at the bottom,
[21:11] that's right.
[21:11] >> And what does that mean?
[21:12] >> So, NSF is the National Sanitation
[21:14] Foundation. It's a third-party
[21:15] organization that will independently
[21:17] take the the supplement and then
[21:19] third-party test and then you get a
[21:20] certificate of analysis to make so there
[21:22] there's no contaminants like lead or
[21:24] arsenic or things like that. So, that's
[21:26] something for the consumers watching to
[21:27] definitely be aware of when you go to
[21:29] the store.
[21:30] >> And we've got this thing here in front
[21:32] of us. This is the dosing dilemma. Um we
[21:34] talked about muscle there.
[21:36] Have we checked muscle off or is there
[21:37] anything else to cover?
[21:38] >> No. So, how many scoops do you think is
[21:40] optimal for skeletal muscle?
[21:42] >> [snorts]
[21:43] >> Oh,
[21:44] uh skeletal muscle.
[21:45] >> Yeah. Your bicep, your tricep, you know,
[21:48] Arnold Schwarzenegger.
[21:49] >> 5 g 5 g?
[21:51] >> 5 g? So, that's only going to be one
[21:52] little scoop.
[21:53] >> Okay.
[21:54] >> Okay. That's probably very viable and
[21:57] you're correct. Across the lifespan, 5 g
[21:59] has been shown to be effective, but
[22:01] here's a little bit of caveat. If you're
[22:03] over the age of 50, maybe you want to
[22:05] have a little bit more. Because as we
[22:07] get older, the creatine in our lower
[22:10] legs is more jeopardized, and therefore
[22:12] you might need a bit more.
[22:14] >> Okay.
[22:14] >> Okay. But, this is without the loading
[22:16] phase. So, this is if you just want to
[22:17] take a little bit per day.
[22:19] >> And you have to take it consistently.
[22:21] >> Good question. So, ideally, yes. There
[22:23] is evidence that you can just take it on
[22:24] the training days, but we haven't talked
[22:26] about the brain yet. And the reason why
[22:29] I think you should take it every day is
[22:30] it likes to go to other tissues on a
[22:32] daily basis.
[22:33] >> So, that's about 7 g? How much is that?
[22:35] >> So, 7 or 8 g, and that seems to be very
[22:37] safe and viable dose to be shown to be
[22:40] effective for improving muscle mass.
[22:41] >> Okay.
[22:42] >> And performance.
[22:43] >> I I do have an issue sometimes when I
[22:45] take a little bit more creatine, which
[22:47] is I feel
[22:48] I wouldn't say light-headed, but I get a
[22:50] little bit dizzy almost.
[22:52] >> 100%.
[22:52] >> What is that?
[22:53] >> So, there is a mechanism, so creatine is
[22:55] the biggest methyl scavenger in the body
[22:57] and without boring your viewers, but
[22:58] methyl groups are used for everything.
[23:00] They're also used to synthesize
[23:01] something called adrenaline and our
[23:03] neurotransmitters. You know, the things
[23:04] that we get excited about. So, when you
[23:06] take in too much creatine, typically on
[23:08] an empty stomach or in a dehydrated
[23:09] state,
[23:10] >> [snorts]
[23:10] >> that will spare methyl groups in the
[23:12] body to be used because you're taking so
[23:14] much in. And then it says, "Where can I
[23:15] go?" So, since creatine is now being
[23:17] taken in through a supplement, these
[23:19] methyl groups are available in your body
[23:21] to go elsewhere to do work and they like
[23:23] to synthesize adrenaline. And that's why
[23:25] you feel more uh um energetic, so to
[23:27] speak.
[23:27] >> When you say synthesize adrenaline, what
[23:29] does that mean?
[23:29] >> Yeah, that means you're creating more of
[23:31] the hormone called epinephrine. And
[23:33] that, you know, you hear about fight or
[23:34] flight or you're nervous or whichever it
[23:36] is, it gives you a little bit more of
[23:37] that. So, that's why sometimes you feel
[23:39] a little bit jittery or things like
[23:40] that.
[23:41] >> Hm. [clears throat] Yeah, sometimes I
[23:42] can feel a little bit sick as well if I
[23:43] do too much.
[23:44] >> Yeah, and so that's where it's sort of
[23:46] the new area of interest for me is this
[23:47] microdosing based on that. So, we're
[23:49] starting to see some evidence now that
[23:51] if you take smaller amounts all
[23:53] throughout the day, it does not have any
[23:55] adverse effects. If anything, it seems
[23:57] to be a little a little bit more
[23:58] tolerable. Um so, you could take a few
[24:00] grams in the morning, a few grams in the
[24:02] evening, or whichever. I think one of
[24:04] the best uh ways to take it that never
[24:06] gets any press is I put 5 g in my water
[24:09] bottle during my workout.
[24:11] >> Mhm.
[24:11] >> And so, now [clears throat] I'm
[24:12] consuming a little bit of creatine as I
[24:14] do my weightlifting or cardio and then
[24:16] I'll consume a little bit in the morning
[24:18] as well. So, I take about 10 g a day at
[24:20] minimum on on a daily basis. Other
[24:22] people will take more or less, but
[24:24] that's just how I get it in, you know.
[24:25] >> I find that if I do take a little bit in
[24:26] the morning and then a little bit later,
[24:28] it's much better.
[24:29] >> 100%
[24:30] >> And I don't get any weird feelings.
[24:32] >> And uh it seems to be more consistent
[24:34] and appreciated for individuals because
[24:37] if you do or are susceptible to any uh
[24:39] fluctuations in weight gain, water
[24:40] retention, or GI tract irritation, those
[24:42] things definitely go away. And we've got
[24:44] we've assessed over a thousand
[24:46] individuals in my lab and that seems to
[24:48] be a very viable approach.
[24:51] Not a lot of taste to it, is there?
[24:53] >> [laughter]
[24:53] >> It's not the best tasting thing in the
[24:54] world, is it?
[24:55] >> very bland, very boring. Um but there's
[24:58] other companies trying to make it more
[24:59] flavorful, things like that. The cool
[25:00] thing is with creatine, you can put it
[25:02] in anything. You can put it in yogurt,
[25:04] a juice, whichever it is. You can now
[25:06] put it in coffee. There's a little bit
[25:08] of controversy over the dose of
[25:10] caffeine. I think anywhere lower than
[25:12] 350 mg is fine, and that's going to be
[25:14] most standard coffees or teas as well.
[25:16] So, whichever allows you to become
[25:18] consistent is is a great way to do it,
[25:20] yeah.
[25:21] >> There should be a button just down below
[25:23] here, and if it says subscribe, you're
[25:25] already subscribed. If it says subscribe
[25:27] bar, that means you're not yet. And if
[25:29] you're not subscribed, please could you
[25:30] do us a favor and hit that button. It
[25:31] helps to show more than you know, and
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[25:37] so much.
[25:39] Okay, so bone, tell me what I need to
[25:40] know about creatine.
[25:41] >> Okay, so now we talked about muscle, how
[25:42] many do you think for the skeleton here?
[25:45] >> Um, about the same.
[25:46] >> Okay.
[25:47] >> Seven.
[25:47] >> Unfortunately, the lowest dose ever has
[25:50] been shown to have bone benefits is 8 g
[25:53] all the way up to 12. So, now we're in a
[25:55] dosing dilemma already. We just started.
[25:57] We have a little bit disconnect between
[25:59] muscle and bone. 3 to 5 g seems to be
[26:01] really good for muscle, a little bit
[26:02] more is fine, but bone needs to be a
[26:05] little bit more, and that's primarily
[26:06] based on some of our work from our lab
[26:08] where we've shown that about 8 to 12 g a
[26:11] day with exercise, and that's crucial.
[26:13] If you do not exercise, there's never
[26:15] been a study ever uh shown to have bone
[26:17] benefits, but if you do perform weight
[26:19] lifting, one of the very cool things in
[26:21] postmenopausal females is that creatine
[26:23] seemed to reduce the rate of bone
[26:25] mineral density loss around the hip
[26:27] region.
[26:28] So, it didn't increase bone density, but
[26:30] it decreased bone density loss, and it
[26:33] also seemed to maintain or improve the
[26:36] structure of the bone a little bit more.
[26:38] So, that has profound beneficial
[26:39] effects, especially as we get older. If
[26:41] those individuals on creatine were to
[26:43] fall, maybe they might not fracture
[26:45] their hip. And as we both know it, if
[26:47] you fracture your hip, you're going to
[26:48] be placed in long-term care, or you're
[26:49] going to be inactive for at least 6
[26:51] months. So, creatine has some bone
[26:53] benefits. They're not great. They don't
[26:56] improve bone density, so they're not
[26:57] going to be an osteoporotic cure, but
[26:59] there is something there, especially if
[27:01] you're prone to osteoporosis or
[27:03] osteopenia.
[27:03] >> And what's the mechanism that's just
[27:05] stopping bone loss?
[27:06] >> Yeah, it's very interesting. So, if you
[27:09] understand a 24-hour cycle that creatine
[27:11] sort of stimulates these bone-building
[27:13] cells to become more energized. Think of
[27:15] Super Mario, the original Nintendo, when
[27:17] he got the mushroom maybe he came
[27:18] energized. Creatine does that as well.
[27:20] And then on the flip side, creatine
[27:22] seems to decrease the osteoclast or bone
[27:25] breakdown cells. So, by a synergistic
[27:28] mechanism, it seems to cause this
[27:30] turnover to go a little bit better,
[27:31] causing the bone to maintain its
[27:33] structure. It's very similar to a
[27:34] bisphosphonate that someone would be
[27:36] taking to maintain their bone health.
[27:38] >> A bisphosphonate?
[27:39] >> Yeah, it's a drug that a lot of
[27:40] individuals will take if they're prone
[27:42] to bone loss. Obviously, creatine's not
[27:44] a drug, but it has some of those similar
[27:46] properties.
[27:46] >> So, we've got muscle. I need to take
[27:48] about 7 or 8 g to get those benefits.
[27:50] >> Yeah. With bone, it's a little bit more.
[27:51] >> A little bit more. You don't mean
[27:53] additionally.
[27:54] >> No, in in total. So, now this is where
[27:55] we get into the daily dosing dilemma.
[27:57] We've gone from 3 to 5 g or a little bit
[27:59] more for muscle. Bone is maybe 8 to 10
[28:02] or a little bit more. So, what do you
[28:03] think on the brain, the hottest topic?
[28:06] >> 10?
[28:06] >> 10, okay. So, that would be, you know,
[28:08] two scoops.
[28:10] >> I'm just assuming this increases.
[28:11] >> Yeah. So, the interesting thing here is
[28:13] that the brain will naturally make its
[28:16] own creatine, very similar to the liver.
[28:19] So, since the brain is actually making
[28:21] its own creatine, it may not require as
[28:23] much or any on a daily basis. So, here's
[28:26] the brain, obviously, and in different
[28:28] regions, creatine is being synthesized
[28:30] and being used all throughout. So, this
[28:32] organ
[28:34] is about 2 kg, but uses 20% of our daily
[28:37] energy at rest. So, just think about
[28:40] that. 20% of the amount of energy we're
[28:42] consuming from food or using is being
[28:44] used by the brain. But what if you're
[28:45] stressed? Sleep deprivation, your dog
[28:48] got you up in the middle of the night to
[28:49] pee and you couldn't fall back to sleep.
[28:51] Uh university students cramming for a
[28:53] midterm. Um now all the countries look
[28:55] at the World Cup, they're going to be up
[28:57] stressed, you know, different time
[28:58] zones. Then all of a sudden the healthy
[29:00] brain becomes a metabolically stressed
[29:02] brain. So your guess about 10 g on
[29:05] average is fine because the brain on a
[29:08] non-stressed day is naturally making it
[29:10] is enough and [snorts] it's healthy. But
[29:12] now we get into a more difficult What
[29:15] about those metabolic stressors? So
[29:17] again, all the neurons in the brain are
[29:18] being used. So what about sleep
[29:20] deprivation?
[29:22] >> The 10 g?
[29:22] >> For sleep deprived?
[29:24] >> You tell
[29:24] >> When was the last time you slept 10
[29:26] straight hours?
[29:29] >> [laughter]
[29:30] >> It's been a while.
[29:31] >> a while for even you to pause there. You
[29:33] know, that's that's alarming cuz you're
[29:35] thinking
[29:36] when was the last time I got a really
[29:37] good night's sleep?
[29:38] >> Mhm.
[29:39] >> What if you were up for 24 hours?
[29:42] >> Gosh.
[29:42] >> An ER doctor.
[29:44] Traveling different time zones, all
[29:46] these come into play.
[29:47] >> Yeah.
[29:48] >> Remember on a healthy brain, you know,
[29:50] adequate sleep, uh prob the brain is
[29:52] actually making enough. But when you're
[29:54] stressed,
[29:55] night shift workers, uh military pilots,
[29:58] ER doctors, whichever it is, that's
[30:00] where the brain starts to rely on
[30:01] supplementation.
[30:03] So unfortunately for the brain, creatine
[30:05] really struggles to get through the
[30:07] blood-brain barrier.
[30:08] But if it does, now you might need
[30:10] longer or higher dosages. So what about
[30:13] sleep deprived?
[30:15] >> I have no idea.
[30:16] >> Okay, so let's say there's five.
[30:20] There's 10. What do you think?
[30:23] >> It's going to be more, isn't it?
[30:24] >> It's going to be a lot more.
[30:26] Here's 15.
[30:28] Couple studies showed some benefits.
[30:31] Now let's do 20. Remember that loading
[30:33] phase?
[30:33] >> Mhm.
[30:35] >> The best overall studies currently right
[30:37] now that use an MRI for the brain
[30:39] have showed about 20 g seems to have
[30:43] some effect acutely.
[30:45] But the two studies last year out of
[30:47] Germany even showed this.
[30:49] There's 25.
[30:52] And here's 30.
[30:54] So a classic study was done last year
[30:56] when they gave
[30:58] 30 g to a group of young individuals who
[31:01] volunteered to be sleep deprived for 21
[31:03] hours.
[31:04] And that level of creatine increased
[31:07] creatine levels in the brain and it
[31:08] offset some of the negative effects.
[31:10] Remember that was an acute episode of 21
[31:13] hours of sleep deprivation. They've done
[31:15] a subsequent study going down to about
[31:17] 0.2 g or about 14 g. It didn't have the
[31:19] same effect.
[31:21] So remember a healthy brain likely
[31:23] doesn't need any creatine, but a
[31:25] stressed brain likely does. And the more
[31:28] stressed it is, the higher the dose
[31:29] seems to come into play. There's a lot
[31:32] of nuances with the brain. Obviously we
[31:33] just showed different regions, which we
[31:35] don't have a lot of information, but
[31:36] overall it seems that 20 g seems to be
[31:40] the most viable dose when the brain is
[31:41] stressed. We basically need to start
[31:43] dumping out quite a bit more.
[31:46] So when you get from this area on, the
[31:49] brain healthy likely doesn't benefit
[31:51] from any type of supplementation cuz
[31:53] it's making its own. But in these areas
[31:55] when you're stressed, it likely does.
[31:58] The area of nuance or why it's become so
[32:00] popular is I think most people fall into
[32:03] the stressed environment.
[32:05] And if they're not getting enough
[32:07] creatine through their diet
[32:09] and or supplementation, that's why this
[32:11] big explosion on let's take more to sort
[32:14] of check off all the boxes. So I take 10
[32:18] g a day at minimum to check off muscle,
[32:20] right? That checks off bone for the most
[32:23] part. And I'm pretty sure over time 10 g
[32:25] would do the most part for stress. Now,
[32:29] since I just flown different time zones,
[32:31] today I'm taking 20 to 25 g based on
[32:34] this acutely.
[32:36] And then when I go back to a
[32:37] non-stressed environment, back to
[32:38] Canada, I'll go back to my regular 10.
[32:40] So, I look at the 10 g dose or a little
[32:42] bit more as kind of being like a safety
[32:46] net.
[32:47] If you're only taking three to five, you
[32:48] definitely will get muscle benefits.
[32:50] Will you eventually get brain benefits?
[32:53] There's a small chance, but taking a
[32:56] little bit more, and remember the cool
[32:57] thing for your viewers, we're not
[32:58] talking about protein. If we were
[32:59] talking about protein, the entire thing
[33:01] would be hundreds of grams. We're only
[33:02] talking about maybe 20 g. And that may
[33:05] only need to be done acutely. You know,
[33:07] when you're really going through
[33:08] metabolic stress. Look at university
[33:09] students.
[33:10] Five final exams, hardly any sleep for a
[33:12] week. This is where this would come into
[33:14] play. I look at flight attendants or
[33:16] pilots. They all fly from Canada to
[33:19] Europe, and then they go back home.
[33:21] Their circadian rhythms are all over the
[33:23] place. So, I think of all these
[33:25] scenarios. The area that I was
[33:27] surprised, I watched one of the episodes
[33:28] of The Eras Tour. And you know, [snorts]
[33:30] money can't stop circadian rhythms. So,
[33:32] as much as Taylor Swift would have, I
[33:34] was marveled by 3 hours of performance
[33:37] in 90 to 100,000 people of all her
[33:39] running around. And then when you see
[33:40] her, they're totally gassed. They
[33:42] finished the concert, they're totally
[33:43] mentally exhausted. That's a situation
[33:46] where this could come into enhanced
[33:47] performance. Then you think of
[33:50] celebrities, you think of
[33:52] athletes. These a lot of high-pressure
[33:54] things. Like, imagine being in the World
[33:56] Cup final. The pressure, the mental
[33:58] capacity. That's where creatine seems to
[34:00] come into play. There's a lot of
[34:02] nuances. We still don't know a lot. So,
[34:05] I think the big take home for people is
[34:07] that if you're going through periods of
[34:08] stress, a little bit more is okay.
[34:11] We don't know any adverse effects. We
[34:12] don't think there are any.
[34:14] But again, if you're just taking
[34:15] creatine for muscle, bone, and the
[34:17] brain, you're likely going to be
[34:18] checking off all those boxes.
[34:20] >> And when we start getting the the brain
[34:21] benefits up at this end,
[34:22] >> Right.
[34:23] >> what are those brain benefits that they
[34:24] were recorded in the studies? Is it I'm
[34:26] going to feel like I slept, or is it
[34:28] something more internal?
[34:29] >> You likely won't feel anything.
[34:31] >> Oh, okay.
[34:32] >> However, when you get to tasks the next
[34:35] day, so for example, you're up all
[34:36] night, you take a high dose creatine,
[34:38] then you have to go write the final or
[34:39] the midterm or you can't remember. It's
[34:41] those things when your memory and and
[34:44] and doing puzzles or basic tasks.
[34:46] Or what about a Stroop test?
[34:49] >> What's a Stroop test?
[34:50] >> So, I'm going to get you to do this. I
[34:51] apologize in advance.
[34:53] >> Uh-huh.
[34:53] >> It's one of the most fatiguing things
[34:55] that you can do and it was one of the
[34:58] most robust studies to show the efficacy
[35:00] behind creatine. So, all I simply want
[35:02] you to do is you can see that there's
[35:04] words and then corresponding letters,
[35:05] but you'll notice that the color is
[35:08] incorrect. So, up here you would see,
[35:10] you know, you have red, blue, green,
[35:12] blue, black. But the Stroop test is now
[35:15] looking at the bottom part.
[35:17] >> Okay.
[35:18] >> So, I've tried it. I can only get the
[35:20] line two without making a mistake.
[35:22] >> Okay.
[35:22] >> Okay. So, I want you to do this
[35:25] out loud but as fast as possible.
[35:28] >> And am I reading the words or the color?
[35:30] >> You're reading the color.
[35:31] >> Okay. So, the first one is green, yeah?
[35:33] >> Uh yes.
[35:34] >> Okay, fine.
[35:35] You want to do it as fast as possible?
[35:36] >> as possible.
[35:37] >> Okay.
[35:38] >> So, let's see how you do.
[35:39] >> Gosh, this is confusing already. I hit
[35:40] the second one and I got it wrong in my
[35:41] head. Depends how much creatine you're
[35:42] taking.
[35:43] I don't think I've had creatine today.
[35:44] >> Okay.
[35:45] >> Okay.
[35:46] Green, red, yellow, green, blue, black,
[35:49] orange, red,
[35:51] blue,
[35:53] green, blue, pink, black, gray, yellow,
[35:58] red, blue, green. Ah,
[36:01] >> There you go. See?
[36:02] >> I failed.
[36:02] >> The study that they did, get this, they
[36:04] had to do this for 90 straight minutes.
[36:07] >> Oh, wow.
[36:08] >> So, you can imagine how fatiguing that
[36:10] is for someone studying for the MCAT for
[36:12] medical school or, you know, midterms
[36:15] being sleep deprived. And you're not
[36:16] sleep deprived and you struggled and you
[36:18] got slower. Now you have to do this for
[36:20] 90 minutes.
[36:21] >> Wow.
[36:22] >> this classic study they gave 20 g of
[36:23] creatine before they did the test and
[36:25] then after and it really improved their
[36:27] ability with speed and cognition there.
[36:30] So, it's just a simple example to show,
[36:32] "Wow, our brain is seeing one thing. We
[36:34] got to maintain memory and cognition and
[36:37] creatine can help maintain some of those
[36:39] factors." So, you won't feel anything
[36:41] but performance of activities like that
[36:44] come into play.
[36:45] >> Do you know how much it improved the
[36:46] performance on the Stroop
[36:47] >> I would have to get the graph, but it
[36:49] did prove statistically significant,
[36:50] yeah.
[36:51] >> What else is there for me to know about
[36:53] the impact that creatine can have on the
[36:54] brain?
[36:55] >> Yeah.
[36:55] >> You know, I think as a as a podcaster
[36:57] who sometimes sits here for many, many
[36:59] hours interviewing people on a range of
[37:00] subjects. I'm always trying to find if
[37:02] there's any way that I can perform
[37:03] better mentally.
[37:04] >> Yeah. So, it doesn't boost the brain. It
[37:06] likely just brings those levels back up
[37:08] to normal levels before stress and it
[37:11] might give you a little bit more. So,
[37:13] there's been populations Alzheimer's
[37:14] disease, clinical depression,
[37:16] concussion.
[37:17] When those populations are evident, one
[37:20] of the biggest
[37:21] factors is that they have reduced
[37:23] creatine in their brain. So, maybe
[37:24] supplementation can get through the
[37:26] blood-brain barrier. The brain says, "I
[37:27] need help." And that's why you see some
[37:29] improvements there as well. So, I like
[37:30] to think of the brain that creatine can
[37:32] act as a safety net. Um and it certainly
[37:35] won't cause any detrimental effects, but
[37:37] it's always good to have that because
[37:38] you never know when I give you a Stroop
[37:40] test. Like I'm going to find you
[37:42] tomorrow, give you this and say, "You're
[37:43] going to be practicing all night. Will
[37:44] you perform better?" But that's just an
[37:46] example of something that we go through
[37:48] on a daily basis. If someone's working
[37:50] on Wall Street or whichever it is,
[37:51] they're really high-stress demand, you
[37:53] know, stuck in traffic for 2 hours.
[37:55] These all add up and it's a cascade of
[37:57] stressors that unfortunately most people
[37:59] go through. And now that we have a
[38:00] nutrient that is being made in the
[38:02] brain, but during times of stress, it
[38:04] likely needs a little bit of help.
[38:07] >> For the last couple of years, I've been
[38:08] working on something that I realized
[38:09] every podcaster listening to this, but
[38:11] actually probably every creator
[38:12] listening to this might just need.
[38:14] Podcasting is difficult for many
[38:15] reasons, and one of them is that these
[38:17] hosting platforms don't give you much
[38:18] information. And also, because they're
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[38:21] through every single platform uploading
[38:23] it to YouTube and then taking the same
[38:25] big old video file and uploading it to
[38:27] Spotify's platform. It takes huge
[38:29] amounts of time and that friction means
[38:31] most of us don't do it. That is the
[38:32] problem we set out to solve and so we
[38:34] built something called Flight Cast which
[38:35] you can find at flightcast.com and today
[38:38] Flight Cast is also one of our show
[38:40] sponsors and some of the world's biggest
[38:41] podcasters are now using our platform to
[38:44] run their shows because it gives you an
[38:46] edge. It saves you time. It gives you
[38:48] analytics most people won't typically
[38:50] get. It allows you to use AI to be more
[38:53] informed on your show and it has growth
[38:55] tools that other hosting platforms don't
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[40:13] What about inflammation in the body? So
[40:15] what is inflammation and is there a link
[40:17] between creatine supplementation and
[40:18] inflammation?
[40:19] >> There is. So I unfortunately I'm 49. So
[40:22] at the age of 40 I have this systemic
[40:25] inflammation that went up. And we all
[40:27] know this because around the age of 30
[40:28] were you know you can work out and
[40:30] nothing hurts and then all of a sudden
[40:31] you wake up one day when you're in your
[40:32] 40s and 50s and things hurt. And so
[40:35] systemic inflammation is happening all
[40:37] the time and unfortunately it
[40:39] accelerates aging. We're more sore more
[40:41] often and it can lead to a lot of
[40:43] arthritis or or joint pain and things
[40:45] like that. Creatine does have
[40:47] anti-inflammatory effects but a big
[40:49] distinction. Creatine is not like
[40:51] acetaminophen or ibuprofen which
[40:52] directly as a drug effect blocks that
[40:55] but it has been shown to decrease
[40:56] markers of inflammation specifically
[40:59] during long duration exercise. So this
[41:02] is an important distinction. Weight
[41:03] training is too acute.
[41:05] But when you do Ironman triathlon things
[41:07] like that those individuals who took
[41:09] creatine 20 grams a day for 5 days
[41:11] beforehand they had reductions in
[41:13] inflammation markers. So that might
[41:15] allow that individual to recover quicker
[41:17] not get ill and then perform more
[41:19] optimally. From a weight training
[41:20] perspective we see that it decreases
[41:22] markers of muscle damage. So it has
[41:24] these anti-inflammatory and
[41:25] anti-catabolic effects as well.
[41:27] >> Interesting.
[41:28] >> Yeah.
[41:29] >> And what about people that have
[41:30] neurodegenerative disorders?
[41:32] >> Yes. So Alzheimer's is is the area we're
[41:34] really starting to focus on and a couple
[41:36] of single arm studies came out last year
[41:38] by Matt Taylor and Aaron Smith showing
[41:40] that 20 grams a day for 8 weeks did
[41:43] increase brain creatine levels in
[41:44] Alzheimer's patients and it seemed to
[41:46] improve measures of memory and cognition
[41:48] there as well. So again using the same
[41:50] mechanisms it decreases inflammation and
[41:52] maintains brain bioenergetics and it
[41:55] might actually have a neural protection
[41:57] effect as well. There's evidence in cell
[41:59] cultures and in rodents that there's
[42:01] some lines there but in humans we're
[42:02] still in the in the infancy. But if it
[42:05] can have any benefit to any neurological
[42:07] disease it's huge and there's a lot of
[42:08] hope especially around Alzheimer's.
[42:09] >> There was an 8-week trial in Alzheimer's
[42:11] patients that also showed modest muscle
[42:13] gains and a 1.9 kg increase in hand grip
[42:16] strength,
[42:17] which is a key predicator of survival in
[42:19] dementia patients.
[42:20] Um, which was a landmark study of 20
[42:22] Alzheimer's patients found that taking
[42:24] 20 g of creatine daily for 8 weeks
[42:26] increased brain creatine levels by 11%
[42:28] and significantly improved the cognitive
[42:30] test scores they showed. That's the
[42:32] Journal of Psychiatry and Brain Science.
[42:34] >> And that one's really exciting and I
[42:36] think more future uh studies will come
[42:37] out. The limitation with those is that
[42:39] there was no placebo to compare to, but
[42:41] again, it's just showing that yes,
[42:42] creatine can be used as an effective
[42:44] adjunct, yeah.
[42:45] >> And because there is impact on our
[42:48] brain, is there impact on our mental
[42:49] health with creatine?
[42:51] >> Excellent point. So, the best lines of
[42:52] evidence here come from clinical
[42:54] depression and anxiety. Uh, the group
[42:56] out of Utah in the United States have
[42:57] clearly shown that creatine in addition
[43:00] to other therapies, so this is
[43:01] important. Creatine by itself has never
[43:03] been shown to be a stand-alone, but with
[43:05] SSRIs or cognitive behavior therapy or
[43:07] methamphetamine use in populations under
[43:09] medical supervision, the addition of
[43:11] creatine seemed to improve symptoms and
[43:13] it's likely going back to all the ones
[43:15] we've already talked about where it
[43:17] improves uh bioenergetics, it improves
[43:19] uh neuro uh transmission or
[43:21] neuromodulation,
[43:22] uh but it also in animals has been shown
[43:25] to improve a protein called BDNF.
[43:27] Uh, so this protein is involved in brain
[43:29] plasticity. So, there's a whole bunch of
[43:32] emerging evidence and hope that creatine
[43:34] one day will be used uh as a treatment
[43:38] in the toolbox for a lot of these
[43:40] clinical uh issues. PTSD also comes to
[43:42] my mind.
[43:43] >> There was a study in Gatorade Sports
[43:44] Science Institute and Pub which Pub Med
[43:46] published that said a a study of over
[43:48] 200,000 adults found that those who
[43:50] consumed the least amount of creatine in
[43:52] their daily diet had the highest rates
[43:54] of depressive symptoms.
[43:55] >> Yes, that's correct. And the common
[43:57] denominators, those with clinical
[43:58] depression or anxiety, when you measure
[44:00] their baseline creatine stores, very
[44:01] similar to concussion or Alzheimer's,
[44:03] they're reduced. So, therefore,
[44:05] obviously, this
[44:06] condition or series of conditions is
[44:09] causing a disruption at the brain
[44:11] bioenergetic level and creating levels
[44:13] are decreasing.
[44:13] >> There's another input that said, "In a
[44:15] clinical trial of women with major
[44:17] depression, adding 5 g of creatine to
[44:19] their daily antidepressant
[44:20] >> Yes.
[44:21] >> doubled their remission rate over 8
[44:23] weeks."
[44:23] >> That's correct, yes. And that group is
[44:25] from uh Perik Renshaw's group out of
[44:27] Utah. Uh they do great work. Our hope,
[44:30] and I'm collaborating uh with some
[44:31] colleagues now to look at creatine as a
[44:32] standalone treatment versus placebo,
[44:35] could it have some beneficial effects
[44:37] there? So, that's very exciting to come
[44:39] out.
[44:39] >> If I really don't want to be
[44:40] supplementing with creatine, is there
[44:42] what are the foods that I can eat that
[44:44] are high in creatine naturally?
[44:45] >> They're primarily uh animal based, so
[44:47] seafood and red meat. Um you know,
[44:49] herring is going to have one of the
[44:50] highest concentrations, uh salmon, uh as
[44:53] well as beef. Uh very small amounts in
[44:56] milk and dairy, so you'd have to drink
[44:57] all the the milk in the Jersey cow to
[44:59] get a sufficient amount. So, uh it
[45:01] definitely comes down to animal-based
[45:02] flesh, yeah.
[45:03] >> There's some of the studies that I that
[45:04] I love that I've I think I've heard you
[45:06] talk about before. One of them was um
[45:07] young athletes who took 5 g of creatine
[45:09] daily slept an average of 1 hour longer
[45:11] >> Yes.
[45:11] >> on training days.
[45:12] >> Yeah, we did that study a few years ago
[45:14] in uh uh young biological females who
[45:16] were healthy. And on the days that they
[45:18] trained and took creatine,
[45:20] this is interesting because they
[45:21] actually slept an hour longer uh
[45:24] compared to the placebo. So, this is a
[45:26] very interesting fact. So, creatine, you
[45:29] know, we now know it has brain
[45:31] bioenergetics, and there's two
[45:32] arguments. If it's making the brain
[45:35] recover, wouldn't you need less sleep,
[45:37] right? Now, in this study, it showed
[45:39] that improved. So, maybe these
[45:41] individuals trained at a higher capacity
[45:43] and allowed the brain to have more
[45:45] homeostasis to come back. So, this is an
[45:47] area uh a study that needs to be
[45:48] replicated in males as well to see can
[45:50] creatine improve sleep quantity, and if
[45:52] it is, I think that's a game changer. I
[45:55] I think everybody on the planet would
[45:56] raise their hand and say, "Hey, I need
[45:58] more sleep."
[45:58] >> Is there anything else we haven't
[45:59] covered as it relates to creatine?
[46:01] >> You know, the expected gains versus the
[46:04] hype gains. I think there's evidence
[46:06] there that creatine can have a
[46:08] an effect. I I think it's getting
[46:10] overhyped especially around the brain
[46:12] for what it can do. It's one tool in the
[46:14] toolbox and I think it it's one of those
[46:16] things that I'd like to show or you
[46:17] know, talk about for sure, yeah.
[46:19] >> Well, what do you mean by that?
[46:21] >> So, if you think of the toolbox when it
[46:23] comes to a plan, whenever you need to go
[46:25] fix things, you simply say, "Where's my
[46:27] toolbox?" You can't do anything without
[46:28] a plan. And the way I like to preface
[46:30] this is the most popular tool in
[46:32] anybody's toolbox is the hammer.
[46:35] Now,
[46:36] from a lifestyle perspective, what do
[46:38] you think the hammer represents? What
[46:40] would you decide that the hammer
[46:41] represents?
[46:42] >> Um as in like a
[46:44] >> Is it weight training? Is it cardio? Is
[46:46] it creatine? Is it protein? Is it sleep?
[46:49] >> Sleep.
[46:50] >> Okay. So, I say weight training is going
[46:53] to be the hammer.
[46:54] >> Okay.
[46:54] >> Okay.
[46:56] Now, what about the screwdriver? Always
[46:59] need a screwdriver.
[47:00] >> C- creatine.
[47:02] >> No, I think aerobic training or sleep
[47:04] comes way before creatine.
[47:06] >> Okay.
[47:07] >> But [clears throat] most people say,
[47:07] "Hey, I can fix a lot of things with
[47:09] that." Now, remember, we have a nice big
[47:11] toolbox.
[47:12] I like to think of creatine as the
[47:14] multifactorial wrench or screwdriver.
[47:17] Because creatine has profound benefits
[47:19] for muscle, a little bit for bone, of
[47:22] course, brain and other areas of the
[47:23] body. So, you can hit something with
[47:25] this.
[47:26] You can open it up and fix something
[47:28] with this. It's heavy. You can also pull
[47:30] out the measuring tape. Your argument,
[47:32] sleep. This could be protein, whichever
[47:35] it is. So, when you put all these things
[47:37] in your toolbox, you're now having a
[47:39] greater comprehensive plan to improve
[47:42] health.
[47:43] >> So, you said weight training was the
[47:45] hammer.
[47:45] >> Hammer. I like to consider if you were
[47:47] to choose one modality of exercise,
[47:49] weight training is a little bit superior
[47:51] to cardio. You get pretty much all the
[47:53] same benefits of cardiovascular exercise
[47:55] and then you get more with obviously an
[47:57] increase in lean tissue mass and
[47:58] performance. Uh weight training if done
[48:00] effectively can actually improve
[48:01] mitochondrial health. You can actually
[48:03] improve VO2 max if done correctly uh and
[48:05] you don't need a lot of it. So, I think
[48:07] we've switched from just doing cardio to
[48:10] now incorporating weight training to be
[48:11] effective.
[48:12] >> So, weight training.
[48:13] >> Yes.
[48:14] >> What are the the sort of misconceptions
[48:15] about weight training and why are you so
[48:18] positive about it?
[48:19] >> Yeah, [clears throat] I think one of the
[48:20] biggest myths is that you always need to
[48:23] lift heavy to put on muscle mass.
[48:25] And well-renowned researchers in this
[48:27] area have clearly shown now that lighter
[48:28] weights if performed to a lot of effort,
[48:30] almost to fatigue, if done correctly,
[48:33] you can get as the same increases in
[48:34] muscle mass as then compared to lifting
[48:36] heavy weights. However, if your goal is
[48:38] just to get stronger, lifting heavy is
[48:39] always there. So, I think this is a cool
[48:41] thing for people. Some days if you have
[48:43] a little bit of soreness or you don't
[48:45] have a lot of energy, you can lift
[48:46] lighter weights but just to fatigue,
[48:48] whereas other days you come in Monday,
[48:49] you've had your coffee, whichever it is,
[48:51] you're ready to go, you can lift heavy.
[48:52] So, I think there's not one concrete
[48:55] way, there's a little bit of variety
[48:56] here as well.
[48:57] >> And why are you putting it above
[48:58] cardiovascular work?
[48:59] >> Yeah, I think the benefits there is that
[49:02] cardiovascular exercise will make you
[49:03] live longer and and healthier. But the
[49:06] downfall with cardiovascular exercise,
[49:08] it doesn't stimulate strength or the
[49:10] musculoskeletal system as much as we
[49:12] we'd hope. So, improving muscle mass and
[49:14] that is very difficult to do with
[49:15] cardio. Maybe sprint interval training
[49:16] will do that, but the cool thing with
[49:18] weight training is you get
[49:19] cardiovascular benefits, but you also
[49:21] get those profound musculoskeletal
[49:22] benefits. So, if I was to tell anybody
[49:25] if there's one form of exercise to do is
[49:26] weight training, but you got to do
[49:28] cardio as well. So, do both.
[49:30] >> And if I just do weight training, what
[49:31] am I missing from not doing cardio
[49:33] training?
[49:34] >> Yeah, if you do weight training
[49:35] improperly where you're lifting heavy
[49:37] heavy weight with low repetitions all
[49:38] the time, you're likely going to
[49:39] jeopardize capillary density or
[49:41] mitochondrial health. These are things
[49:43] that sort of move blood flow to and from
[49:45] your muscles. You could decrease VO2 max
[49:48] or a fitness parameter for uh metabolic
[49:50] health fitness. So, at the end of the
[49:52] day, everybody should be doing both.
[49:54] But, if you only have time to do weight
[49:56] training or cardio, you still benefit
[49:58] cuz the majority of the population
[49:59] doesn't do any.
[50:00] >> And how how much how often do you think?
[50:03] >> Yeah, it's amazing that it's a small
[50:04] amount. So, let's just do cardio. Most
[50:06] countries will say 150 minutes of
[50:08] physical activity at a moderate level
[50:10] over a week. Uh I'm I'm okay with that.
[50:12] I'd like it to be higher. I'd also like
[50:14] the intensity to be a bit higher. So,
[50:17] when you tell an average individual 150
[50:18] minutes a week, most people will say,
[50:20] "Well, I'm going to do 70 or I'm going
[50:21] to do 30. I'm going to hold the couch
[50:23] down and watch Netflix." So, we give
[50:25] them 150 and we say, "You know, if you
[50:26] can do 21 minutes or two 22 minutes a
[50:29] day for 7 days a week, that's going to
[50:31] be a brisk walk or whichever." We'd like
[50:33] to be at a higher intensity if possible.
[50:35] Now, when it comes to weight training,
[50:37] this might be surprising, but 2 days a
[50:38] week or more is all you basically need
[50:41] and you can do a whole body routine. So,
[50:43] you don't need to go in there and just
[50:45] do chest and biceps Monday and then legs
[50:47] Tuesday. You can, but if you say, "I
[50:49] want to do whole body training Monday,
[50:50] Wednesday, Friday," that is great as
[50:52] well. So, a little bit of volume or
[50:54] frequency goes a long way, especially as
[50:57] we get older. That's the key.
[50:59] >> Why especially as we get older?
[51:00] >> Well, based on this graph here, it's
[51:01] clearly showing a detrimental effect.
[51:04] So, if you can see here, you know, you
[51:07] have muscle mass on the the x-axis or
[51:09] the y-axis and then you're having all
[51:11] the catastrophic effects as we get
[51:13] older. So, unfortunately, you know, 20
[51:16] and 30 looks great.
[51:17] >> When you're 20 and 40 years old.
[51:19] >> When you're 20 and 40 years old or all
[51:21] the way from 20 to 40, you can see,
[51:22] great. That's probably the area that
[51:24] you're going to have the most muscle.
[51:25] >> Yeah.
[51:26] >> But, look what happens 40, age 60, 80,
[51:30] and if you live to be 100.
[51:33] It's catastrophic. You're losing muscle
[51:35] mass at an accelerated rate. On average,
[51:38] it's about 1% per year after the age of
[51:41] 40.
[51:42] >> Even if you're training.
[51:43] >> So, if you're training, you're
[51:44] maintaining that. So, this is the
[51:46] average sedentary inactive population.
[51:48] You lose strength at about 1. or 1 to 3%
[51:51] even faster. Now,
[51:53] if we were to maintain resistance
[51:54] training, that muscle mass would
[51:56] plateau.
[51:57] So, I can't stress this enough. Although
[51:59] we focus on creatine, if you were to
[52:01] choose one thing to do today is
[52:03] exercise. And the only form of exercise
[52:05] that really maintains muscle is weight
[52:07] bearing or uh resistance training.
[52:10] And if that's the case, you're going to
[52:11] have way more muscle later on in life,
[52:13] so you can pick up the grandkids. You
[52:15] can walk those stairs. You can do more
[52:16] functionality things later on in life.
[52:18] >> Can you not just do I don't know, 60
[52:20] years old start training then?
[52:22] >> You can absolutely, and you get profound
[52:24] benefits. You can be 80 or 100 and you
[52:25] still get benefits. It's never too late
[52:27] to start.
[52:28] But one of the things we've already
[52:29] talked about is if you do weight
[52:31] training and add in a little bit of
[52:33] creatine,
[52:34] it gets a bit higher. If you added in
[52:36] protein, it gets even higher. So, again,
[52:38] nutrition, you know, if exercise is
[52:41] king, the queen is going to be
[52:43] nutrition. They go hand in hand all
[52:44] throughout lifespan. You got to have
[52:46] both.
[52:46] >> And on the subject of protein, you're
[52:47] saying that can when combined with
[52:49] creatine, it's a
[52:51] um force multiplier.
[52:52] >> It's It's a force multiplier when it
[52:53] comes to performance and lean tissue
[52:55] mass. So, there's been a few studies
[52:56] when you combine uh a high quality
[52:58] protein with creatine, they have been
[53:00] shown to increase lean tissue mass and
[53:01] muscle performance a little bit more
[53:02] than each alone, yeah.
[53:04] >> Does the average person get enough
[53:05] protein through their diet?
[53:06] >> You know, I think nowadays we do. And
[53:09] And I think this is over hyped as well.
[53:11] I think if you're getting about 1.2 to
[53:12] 1.6 g per kilogram. So, you know, if
[53:15] you're 70 kg, that's going to be on
[53:17] average about 84 to about 115 g of
[53:20] protein. I think we're so conscious now
[53:22] of the health benefits of protein uh
[53:24] that most people are. I think if you're
[53:26] training really intensely five, six days
[53:28] a week and you take a gram per pound,
[53:30] that's probably the max. But a lot of
[53:32] times when you take an excess protein,
[53:33] it doesn't go to your body area that
[53:36] you're probably hoping. It doesn't all
[53:37] go to your muscle. It's used for other
[53:38] things like hormones and uh blood cells,
[53:40] things like that. But I think nowadays
[53:42] most people are likely getting enough
[53:43] protein. The question is, are they
[53:45] getting enough high-quality protein? So,
[53:48] vegans and vegetarians can definitely
[53:49] get enough protein. They might just need
[53:51] to eat a little bit more to get all
[53:52] those essential amino acids, which we
[53:54] need.
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[54:57] >> Menopause.
[54:57] >> Yes.
[54:58] >> We talked a little bit briefly about
[55:00] menopause, bringing both together the
[55:02] subjects of muscle, but also of
[55:04] creatine.
[55:04] >> Yes.
[55:05] >> How How does those two things impact
[55:08] a woman's journey through menopause?
[55:09] >> Yeah. So, we know from animal cells that
[55:11] estrogen is highly involved in creatine
[55:13] metabolism. Estrogen seems to be
[55:15] implicated in the enzymes that are
[55:16] needed to make creatine. And then
[55:18] estrogen also has
[55:20] a huge impact on
[55:21] not only brain bioenergetics, but muscle
[55:23] metabolism, as well. So,
[55:25] as the the female goes from a
[55:26] premenopausal stage to perimenopausal
[55:29] stage to the postmenopausal transition,
[55:31] if estrogen is decreasing,
[55:34] and then independent of their diet, we
[55:35] think creatine has bone effects and
[55:38] muscle effects and of course we've
[55:39] talked about the cognitive effects
[55:40] there. So, from a whole skeleton
[55:42] perspective I think everybody should be,
[55:44] but of course the perimenopausal,
[55:46] postmenopausal transition is good. And
[55:48] then that brings up a question about
[55:50] what about really young premenopausal
[55:52] females, you know, optimal health? What
[55:54] if we built up their tissues more? Maybe
[55:56] that would offset the rate of this
[55:57] decline over time as well. So, that's
[55:59] what we're hoping to get to.
[56:00] >> Is creatine safe for kids?
[56:02] >> So, it's interesting you bring that up
[56:03] and the current body of evidence
[56:05] suggests yes at recommended dosages.
[56:07] Good researchers in the United States
[56:09] put out multiple reviews looking at
[56:11] creatine in adolescent children and
[56:14] teenagers. Improves balance, agility,
[56:16] body composition. If anything, they want
[56:18] to get at least 1 g per day because in
[56:20] children they want to have an
[56:21] optimization for bone health as well as
[56:23] muscle development. But again, if any
[56:26] parents are watching, obviously talk to
[56:27] their medical practitioner, but all the
[56:29] current reviews currently says suggest
[56:31] that it's safe.
[56:33] >> And we're talking about We're not
[56:34] talking about babies here. We're talking
[56:35] about
[56:35] >> Yeah, we're talking about adolescents
[56:37] all the way into teenage years. When it
[56:38] comes to baby or infancy, out of
[56:40] Australia Stacy Allison is starting to
[56:42] do that work there as well, but we don't
[56:44] have a lot of data in humans yet, but
[56:45] that is an area to to pay attention to
[56:47] for sure. Yeah.
[56:48] >> What is the most important thing we
[56:49] haven't talked about that we should have
[56:50] talked about, doctor?
[56:51] >> Yeah, I think one of the big things is
[56:53] the safety profile of creatine. There's
[56:55] been, you know, hundreds of randomized
[56:57] controlled trials now on creatine. The
[56:59] safety profile is is exceptional.
[57:01] >> [snorts]
[57:01] >> Last year they put out a study looking
[57:03] at over 25,000 cases and creatine even
[57:06] over 10 g a day for many years has been
[57:08] very, very safe and effective. One area
[57:10] that comes up is
[57:12] what about the timing? Does it matter
[57:14] when I take it? And And the cool thing
[57:16] is we just got a paper accepted two days
[57:18] ago putting the nail in the coffin on
[57:20] this. And at the end of the day you can
[57:22] take creatine at any time of the day.
[57:24] You can take it in the morning with
[57:25] breakfast. You can take it right before
[57:27] workout. I take some during. You can
[57:29] take it after go to bed. It doesn't
[57:31] matter when you take it as well.
[57:32] >> So, you can take it right before sleep.
[57:34] >> You can.
[57:34] >> And it won't impact your sleep.
[57:35] >> No, uh currently we haven't exactly
[57:38] assessed the effect on sleep, but uh
[57:40] another study looked at it in the
[57:41] evening and it had no detrimental effect
[57:43] there as well.
[57:43] >> And what else? What else is the other
[57:45] questions that you get messaged with or
[57:47] asked most often, doctor?
[57:48] >> Yeah, can I spread out creatine all
[57:50] throughout the day? So, for example, we
[57:52] have like if we were to take creatine in
[57:54] a gummy form or a candy, you can
[57:56] actually have, you know, one or two of
[57:58] these every hour all throughout the day.
[58:00] You can have it uh uh periodically. So,
[58:02] you don't have to take creatine all at
[58:03] once. You can take it in smaller amounts
[58:05] all throughout the day. And if anything,
[58:07] there's been a study uh a few years ago
[58:08] showing that 1 g every 30 minutes up to
[58:11] 20 g dose uh seemed to retain more in
[58:13] the body and that was beneficial as
[58:15] well.
[58:15] >> What do you think of these gummies?
[58:17] >> You know, there's only been a few
[58:18] companies that have actually shown some
[58:19] validity and reliability. Um as long
[58:21] [snorts] as they're third-party tested,
[58:22] they're very, very effective. You want
[58:23] to try one?
[58:24] >> Are they Are they third-party tested?
[58:26] >> They're third-party The green ones, yep.
[58:27] And the bottom ones, third-party tested,
[58:29] yep.
[58:30] >> What but you know, the stuff that makes
[58:31] it a gummy, is that stuff Is that stuff
[58:33] good for you?
[58:34] >> So, the issue there is does the
[58:35] manufacturing trying to keep the uh
[58:37] creatine together uh influence it? It
[58:39] can, and there's only been a few uh uh
[58:41] companies out there. The one you're
[58:42] eating is by Create from the United
[58:43] States.
[58:44] They have had uh multiple trials.
[58:46] They're the first uh company that
[58:48] actually look at uh randomized control
[58:49] trial to show improvements in volleyball
[58:51] players with the gummies.
[58:52] Children love them. Older adults, this
[58:54] has become an area of interest where uh
[58:56] chewing ability or taste sensation has
[58:58] gone down, uh they seem to be very
[59:00] convenient and effective. Uh you can
[59:02] have these at your desk, whichever. You
[59:03] don't need the white powder to mix. So,
[59:05] there The companies are coming up with
[59:07] more viable ways to get creatine in
[59:08] there. But to your point, you always
[59:10] want to make sure the company's
[59:11] third-party tested. It uses a
[59:13] high-quality creatine, and it actually
[59:15] has a source of creatine in there as
[59:16] well.
[59:17] >> Cuz I remember [snorts] watching a
[59:18] YouTube video by a guy called James
[59:19] Smith who's been on the show before.
[59:21] >> Yeah.
[59:21] >> And he did some testing on
[59:22] >> Yes.
[59:22] >> the off-the-shelf creatine um and found
[59:25] that a lot of them didn't contain any
[59:26] creatine.
[59:26] >> 90% and there was only a few and the one
[59:28] that you did uh consume it did. Yeah,
[59:30] 1.5.
[59:31] >> How isn't that crazy that you can go buy
[59:33] creatine and it has no creatine in it?
[59:34] >> Yeah, so that's why I think for the
[59:35] consumers watching you got to do a
[59:37] little bit of homework and look at those
[59:39] three things. Make sure third-party
[59:40] tested it has a logo clearly on the
[59:42] packaging. If it doesn't, I would
[59:44] strongly advise you not to consume it.
[59:46] >> Of all the of all the studies that
[59:48] you've encountered on all the subjects
[59:50] we've talked about muscle, protein,
[59:51] creatine, are there studies that were
[59:53] pivotal in how you think about these
[59:55] subjects?
[59:55] >> Yeah, there was. So the the landmark
[59:57] study came out in 1992
[59:59] uh and it clearly showed that 5 g
[60:01] elevated creatine in the blood. But if
[60:03] you took multiple 5 g dosages it
[60:05] maintained that throughout the day. So
[60:07] this is where the dose of 5 g seems to
[60:09] be very very viable. And the other one
[60:11] showed that "Hey, I don't want to take
[60:13] five. What if I only want to take 3 g?"
[60:16] So 3 g seems to be the lowest most
[60:17] effective dose and you just need to take
[60:19] that for 1 month and you'll saturate
[60:21] your muscles. So again, you have options
[60:23] to take as little amount or high amount
[60:25] as as as you want over time. But I think
[60:27] one of the biggest studies is that we
[60:29] did was the 2-year trial in
[60:30] postmenopausal women where we gave 0.14
[60:33] g of creatine and it really seemed to
[60:35] improve or have an effect on bone
[60:36] preservation as well as muscle
[60:38] performance. So these are the the
[60:39] studies that seem to come to my mind.
[60:41] We've done quite a few but they seem to
[60:43] be the landmark ones, yeah.
[60:44] >> And what are the supplements that you
[60:46] take outside of creatine?
[60:47] >> Yes, for sure. So on a daily basis it's
[60:49] a probiotic with food in the morning and
[60:51] evening and that's something I just
[60:52] recently learned. I was taking it on an
[60:53] empty stomach. My probiotic I take two
[60:56] to four forms of magnesium, one before
[60:58] bed and then one in the day 38 for
[61:00] cognition and function. I take
[61:03] 2,000 international units of vitamin D.
[61:06] >> [snorts]
[61:06] >> I always take protein on a sufficient
[61:07] basis as well. And then I take about 4 g
[61:10] of omega-3 fatty acids and I always take
[61:12] one of the omega-3 fatty acids post
[61:14] exercise cuz that seems to be the best
[61:16] time to take it.
[61:17] >> So omega-3, magnesium, vitamin D.
[61:19] >> Vitamin D, probiotics, of course
[61:21] creatine and protein I take powder and
[61:24] or through dietary food. Every now and
[61:26] then I don't eat a lot of red meat, so
[61:28] I'll take iron, but not on a consistent
[61:30] basis.
[61:31] >> And you know
[61:31] >> And I'm hoping the new one
[61:34] is this is an area of controversy, NAD.
[61:36] This is the you know, it's a precursor
[61:38] for a main enzyme that's highly involved
[61:40] in metabolism. There's been evidence to
[61:42] suggest it goes down with aging, so my
[61:44] eye is closely on that to see if that's
[61:47] going to be something to come up in the
[61:48] play.
[61:49] And a multivitamin, you know, started
[61:50] with Flintstones vitamins as a kid and I
[61:52] take a multivitamin daily as a safety
[61:54] net.
[61:55] >> I noticed that when I looked at your
[61:56] video in the interview you did with Dr.
[61:58] Rhonda Patrick, a lot of the comments
[62:00] were from [clears throat] people in
[62:01] their 60s, 70s, and 80s. And I wondered
[62:04] why that was. If you just I was just
[62:05] looking at the top three or four
[62:06] comments and it's a 71-year-old, it's an
[62:09] 82-year-old, it's a 53-year-old who's
[62:12] contending with Alzheimer's.
[62:14] Why is that?
[62:15] >> Yeah, I think it's the awareness and
[62:17] education now and social media's really
[62:19] helped with this getting our
[62:21] evidence-based research out to the
[62:22] public and the awareness that creatine
[62:24] is just not for young males to get
[62:26] bigger, stronger, faster. If anything,
[62:28] when you go to an aging body and they're
[62:30] predisposed to age-related muscle loss,
[62:32] strength loss, functionality, bone loss,
[62:34] and atrophy in the brain, creatine has
[62:36] been shown to have effects there as
[62:37] well. So, I think a lot of older
[62:39] individual populations are becoming more
[62:41] aware of the effects of creatine and of
[62:43] course as we produce more research, it
[62:45] gets out to the public more often. So,
[62:46] I'm really excited and encouraged that
[62:48] creatine has sort of taken on a life of
[62:50] its own in the last decade.
[62:52] >> And are there direct weight benefits if
[62:55] I'm trying to cut fat by taking creatine
[62:57] or is it indirect?
[62:58] >> It's indirect. So, it seems that if you
[62:59] increase lean mass, it might stimulate
[63:01] energy expenditure or turnover. And then
[63:04] in animal models, it has been shown to
[63:05] have some beneficial effects from a
[63:07] cellular perspective on fat, but at the
[63:09] end of the day if you are seeing a
[63:10] reduction in fat, it's likely that
[63:12] you're improving your metabolic health
[63:13] with lean tissue mass.
[63:14] >> Do Do think much about how to get these
[63:16] habits to stick? Because I imagine
[63:18] there's lots of people that are aware by
[63:19] now that creatine is a useful thing to
[63:21] take, but for whatever reason they still
[63:24] don't take it.
[63:25] >> Exactly, and I think that's one of the
[63:26] biggest reasons people don't. So, we got
[63:28] to come up with ways to maintain
[63:30] consistency, and I think whatever
[63:32] vehicle you want to choose to maintain
[63:34] that in the in the run of the day is the
[63:36] best. So, if it's putting in your coffee
[63:37] in the morning, cuz you won't forget it,
[63:38] great. If it's putting a little bit in
[63:40] Greek yogurt, if it's using the gummies,
[63:41] whichever it is, as long as it's a
[63:43] viable source of creatine that makes it
[63:45] very practical and consistent for you,
[63:47] that's the best way.
[63:48] >> Yeah, I found that having it en route to
[63:51] where I'm going
[63:51] >> Yes.
[63:52] >> being really, really important. So, when
[63:53] I come to my office in the morning, it's
[63:54] all on my desk.
[63:55] >> Yes.
[63:56] >> Um so, I have the supplements just on my
[63:57] desk, and actually even before I walked
[63:59] into the studio today, in the green room
[64:01] that I have, it's on the green room.
[64:02] >> Right.
[64:02] >> When I'm at home, it is [clears throat]
[64:04] where the coffee machine is.
[64:05] >> Correct, yeah.
[64:06] >> And that has radically helped me. Um
[64:08] otherwise, if it wasn't within my my
[64:10] routine, it would wouldn't happen.
[64:12] >> have a jar on the counter with all our
[64:13] other supplements. It's in the pantry,
[64:15] it's close by, because if it's in the
[64:16] garage, you're like, I forgot about it.
[64:18] >> I think the other thing is, with some
[64:20] things like creatine, it's hard to
[64:21] really notice the difference sometimes.
[64:24] >> Uh excellent point, yeah. This is not
[64:25] like caffeine, you know, with some
[64:26] immediate effect. So, unlike uh
[64:29] caffeine, creatine takes a while to
[64:30] notice the effects, and they come
[64:31] indirectly. You don't
[64:33] immediately notice a massive increase in
[64:35] energy or alertness. It's like after a
[64:37] week of weight training, or even two,
[64:38] you're like, "Wow, I did more
[64:39] repetitions. I could do more weight. Uh
[64:41] I recover quickly." is one that we hear
[64:44] uh quite often. You'll never notice with
[64:46] with your bone, but we have uh heard
[64:48] anecdotally with cognition, especially
[64:50] sleep deprivation, people do notice the
[64:51] effects. And I'm an N of 1, but I notice
[64:54] jet lag goes down quite a bit uh when I
[64:56] take a high dose of creatine.
[64:58] >> And you know, when you start taking it,
[65:00] if you start taking it today,
[65:01] >> Yes.
[65:01] >> if I start taking, say, 3 to 5 g of
[65:03] creatine today, am I going to notice the
[65:04] differences today?
[65:06] >> No, it'll probably With 3 to 5 g, you'll
[65:08] probably notice it in a few weeks, if
[65:10] not to a month, from a muscle
[65:11] perspective. From a brain perspective,
[65:13] that low, you're likely not going to
[65:15] notice any effect because the brain is
[65:17] probably making enough, but if you're
[65:18] really metabolically stressed, then you
[65:21] might notice some memory or cognitive
[65:23] benefits after a few days, but at such a
[65:25] low dose, you need to be a little bit
[65:27] patient. But again, 3 g could saturate
[65:29] your skeletal muscle in 30 days, so it's
[65:31] not that long of a wait.
[65:32] >> And on the cognitive side, the cognitive
[65:34] benefits that were observed when doing
[65:35] these strict tests,
[65:37] had they been taking it previously, or
[65:39] was it just administered on that
[65:40] particular day when the test happened?
[65:42] >> one was in a week in advance with a
[65:43] loading phase, so they really saturated
[65:45] the body to try to get the effects.
[65:47] >> Okay, so they were taking it for some
[65:48] time.
[65:49] >> But on the sleep deprivation study from
[65:50] Germany, they just gave it one bolus
[65:52] mega dose for 21 hours of sleep
[65:54] deprivation, and those individuals did
[65:56] perform better from a a number of tests
[65:58] like this the next day. So, if you're
[65:59] like, "Wow, I got something coming up
[66:01] Friday. Unfortunately, I'm not going to
[66:03] get any sleep at best one or two hours,"
[66:05] then a high dose might come into play,
[66:07] and then you can go back to your more
[66:08] consistent routine. I think what
[66:10] happened or is happening is a lot of
[66:12] individuals versus now thinking I need
[66:14] to take 20 or 30 g on a daily basis
[66:16] based on those studies, and I'm like,
[66:18] "Wait a minute, are you getting enough
[66:19] sleep the next day?" Because at that
[66:21] dose, we don't know if the neuron will
[66:24] swell with water, and if that's the
[66:27] case, is that potentially causing any
[66:29] detrimental effects in the long term?
[66:31] So, again, I would not
[66:34] recommend taking a mega dose for
[66:35] consistently over time. Could that
[66:37] down-regulate your natural synthesis?
[66:39] These are all questions that we need to
[66:40] look at, yeah.
[66:41] >> So, outside of the realm of creatine,
[66:43] outside of the realm of muscle, outside
[66:45] of the realm of, I guess, nutrition
[66:46] generally, what are you doing to keep
[66:48] yourself healthy? What is what is your
[66:50] routine?
[66:50] >> Yeah, so I'm religious with exercise, so
[66:52] I try to exercise at least three to four
[66:54] days a week with weight training, and
[66:56] add in at least 20 or 30 minutes of
[66:58] either moderate intensity cardio or like
[67:01] a spin class. I personally like to do
[67:03] alternating days. So, I'll do weight
[67:05] training like maybe Monday, Wednesday,
[67:06] Friday, and then cardio Tuesday,
[67:07] Thursday, and then on the weekends
[67:09] hiking, things like that.
[67:11] Um pretty religious with nutrients as
[67:13] well. Try to eat a really balanced diet.
[67:15] And my god, my failure is getting enough
[67:18] sleep. So, I've had to cut caffeine out
[67:20] quite a bit by past noon to allow me.
[67:22] I'm probably a slower metabolizer
[67:24] um with caffeine. So,
[67:26] uh I try to really optimize
[67:28] evidence-based research, take it into my
[67:30] daily life, and then try to promote it
[67:31] that way, yeah.
[67:32] >> And is there anything you're
[67:33] particularly excited about in the work
[67:34] and research that you do?
[67:35] >> I'm super fascinated with the movement
[67:37] from the neck up. I think we know a lot
[67:39] about the neck down with creatine and
[67:41] exercise or other nutrients. I'm
[67:43] fascinated with the ability What about
[67:44] concussion?
[67:46] You know, can an uh the UFC fighter take
[67:48] creatine before they get hit? Could that
[67:51] decrease CTE or concussion or brain
[67:53] trauma later on in life? I think of
[67:55] boxing, Muhammad Ali, uh things like
[67:57] that. So,
[67:58] there's evidence in in and rodents that
[68:00] if you take creatine before head trauma,
[68:02] it really speeds up concussion recovery.
[68:04] So, I'm fascinated with that as well,
[68:05] like almost a prophylactic. Anybody
[68:07] involved in head trauma, I think you
[68:08] should definitely look at creatine as
[68:10] something to be taken just in case you
[68:12] get hit. And then, of course, everything
[68:13] with Alzheimer's or other areas of
[68:16] depression. So, I'm fascinated that this
[68:18] nutrient, which was, you know, 1832 it
[68:21] was discovered, boring for the longest
[68:24] time because we thought we knew
[68:25] everything, and now it's taken a life of
[68:26] its own and it's having these profound
[68:28] benefits we never even thought would
[68:29] happen, yeah.
[68:31] >> A lot of [snorts] people consider you to
[68:32] be the sort of leading expert on this
[68:33] subject for many reasons.
[68:35] Do you think there'll be a time where
[68:36] you you stop researching creatine and
[68:38] you move on to something else?
[68:39] >> You know, that's interesting. I would
[68:40] have said yes about 5 years ago, but now
[68:43] No, there's too much to do even with
[68:45] skeletal muscle. If you were to say,
[68:47] "What's the best dose Darren to take?"
[68:48] I'd say, "I have no clue."
[68:50] Every creatine researcher said, "I don't
[68:52] know." We still don't know the best dose
[68:54] that every person can take that will
[68:57] check off all the boxes, especially in
[68:58] the brain. We're just giving an estimate
[69:00] that I take 10, maybe you take 12, some
[69:03] of you might take 15, but at the end of
[69:05] the day we still don't know the best
[69:07] supplementation protocol, the best dose.
[69:10] Uh so there's so many areas. So for the
[69:11] next 20 years I bet you'll still be
[69:13] focusing on creatine with other things
[69:14] as well, yeah.
[69:15] >> And on that doses, is that
[69:17] different for different people?
[69:19] >> Excellent question. So the thought was
[69:21] that the larger you are, yeah, you have
[69:23] more storing capacity in your muscle for
[69:25] creatine. So it makes sense if you're 50
[69:27] kg and 150 kg, you're going to have
[69:30] greater storing capacity. So the dose on
[69:32] a relative basis is likely higher there
[69:34] as well. The more stressed the person
[69:36] is, it's likely they're going to require
[69:37] more because their natural machinery in
[69:39] the brain can't keep up. So it is very
[69:42] individualistic.
[69:43] I think we give a general
[69:45] recommendations to make it easy, but
[69:47] again, some people can take it very
[69:48] scientifically and base it on body
[69:50] weight and you can't go wrong with both,
[69:51] yeah.
[69:52] >> I bet there's a lot of people that are
[69:53] this far into the conversation and their
[69:55] their central question is, right, I've
[69:56] got loved ones
[69:57] >> Mhm.
[69:58] >> that I really really want to start um
[70:00] considering
[70:01] >> Right.
[70:01] >> creatine supplementation for whatever
[70:02] reason. It could be cognitive benefits,
[70:04] muscular benefits, whatever, all the
[70:05] things we've talked about.
[70:07] They might end up sending this
[70:08] conversation to their loved ones.
[70:10] >> Right.
[70:10] >> Something that I do sometimes when I
[70:11] when I have episodes that are
[70:12] particularly moving for me.
[70:14] If their loved ones are now listening,
[70:15] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[70:16] >> and you had to make a case to their
[70:17] loved ones about why they should take
[70:20] >> creatine,
[70:21] >> Yeah.
[70:22] >> what would you say?
[70:23] >> I would say creatine is one tool in that
[70:25] health promotion um toolbox that might
[70:28] help you live longer and better and
[70:31] allow you to maintain activities later
[70:32] on in life which you wouldn't have been
[70:34] able to do and unfortunately that leads
[70:36] us accelerated aging in a poor way to
[70:38] go. It's like it's like saying I'm going
[70:39] to save everything for retirement. My
[70:41] question is why? You might not make it
[70:43] to retirement. So that's one of the
[70:45] things, yeah.
[70:45] >> Aging.
[70:46] >> Yes.
[70:47] >> What is aging in your definition of the
[70:49] word?
[70:49] >> It's catastrophic. Unfortunately, I'm
[70:51] going through it. You know, I've noticed
[70:53] ever ever since I hit the fourth decade,
[70:54] things hurt a lot more and muscle mass
[70:56] to retain a little bit harder.
[70:58] Um so unfortunately think of the body's
[71:01] ability to withstand stress is not as
[71:03] high and things start to break down
[71:05] quite fast. So, we all know, you know,
[71:08] things hurt more, we've lost muscle
[71:09] mass, I can't run as fast. So,
[71:11] biological aging is kind of the
[71:13] deterioration of the human body. We need
[71:16] to, with this conversation and others,
[71:18] come up with ways to stop the
[71:20] deterioration and if anything come up
[71:23] with ways to maintain that ability to
[71:25] live longer free of disease, young.
[71:27] >> We have a closing tradition on this
[71:29] podcast where the last guest leaves a
[71:30] question for the next not knowing who
[71:31] they're leaving it for. This one's quite
[71:32] a tricky question.
[71:33] >> Okay.
[71:34] >> What is
[71:36] reality? What do you think all of this
[71:37] is? All this stuff that we can see and
[71:39] all we experience. What do you think it
[71:41] is? Do you think it's a simulation? Do
[71:42] you think it's
[71:43] >> This is all real for sure because I
[71:45] think we can feel it. It's not a a big
[71:47] brother or anything that's a game show.
[71:49] We all go through different emotions and
[71:51] things like that. So, I think you can
[71:52] feel it, yeah.
[71:53] >> Are you religious?
[71:54] >> Yes, Catholic.
[71:54] >> Okay.
[71:56] And you're a family man, you've got got
[71:58] some
[71:58] >> I a French bulldog and a cat as we
[72:00] talked about and a wife at home, yeah.
[72:02] And really close to my family and stuff
[72:03] like that, yeah.
[72:03] >> And what is your goal? If we get to the
[72:04] end of your career and this was your
[72:05] last day and you had been successful
[72:07] >> Yeah, I think it would be a lasting
[72:10] impression on my students that wow, he
[72:12] changed my life in some way. And if I
[72:15] can make one person live longer free of
[72:17] disease and happier, I'm all for it. You
[72:19] know, when you start to see the human
[72:21] body as people get older, you're like,
[72:23] oh, that person used to be young and
[72:25] vibrant. And then when you hear other
[72:27] people that can't do activities they
[72:29] live in or they can't travel or they're
[72:30] afraid to, I'm like, you need to embrace
[72:32] today. I I love that quote from Morgan
[72:34] Freeman Shawshank, get busy living or
[72:36] get busy dying honestly, we have the
[72:38] ability with lifestyle choices to
[72:41] improve optimization and I want to see
[72:43] people live to be 120, 130, still
[72:46] active, still going and I think we're on
[72:48] the cusp with technology and I think
[72:50] awareness around nutrition, exercise,
[72:52] sleep, uh laughter. Oh, jeez, if I could
[72:55] ask anybody to do one more thing, it'd
[72:57] be just laugh more often. For me to be
[72:59] just a small piece of the the puzzle
[73:01] promoting it, I think it's if anything
[73:04] it's it's just beyond my belief, yeah.
[73:05] >> Why did this pull you in? I I I ask that
[73:09] in part because it tends to be the case
[73:10] that the things that draw us in or pull
[73:12] on our make us curious, there tends to
[73:14] always be a bit of a personal reason.
[73:16] >> Right, yeah.
[73:17] It was It was more that, you know, am I
[73:19] scared to death 100%? Yeah. I can't I
[73:21] can't think of it, yeah.
[73:22] >> Why not?
[73:23] >> I just think it's weird for me. I get to
[73:25] a point, uh maybe being religious, and
[73:27] then you think about it, and then I my
[73:29] brain stops. I can't think about it.
[73:30] >> Really?
[73:31] >> Yeah. And it's it's become it's almost
[73:32] like I want to live forever, and if I
[73:34] can think of ways to make me live and
[73:36] partially get there, obviously it's not
[73:38] reality. But yeah, I'm uh scared to
[73:40] death of dying, yeah.
[73:41] >> Have you always been?
[73:42] >> Yep, 100%. Scared to death of heights,
[73:44] and I can't even talk about the the
[73:46] death experience, yeah. Cuz I think it
[73:47] it sort of brings into perspective
[73:49] things that
[73:51] it it you just don't know.
[73:53] >> Did you ever lose anybody?
[73:54] >> Uh just uh uh friends and things like
[73:56] that, but nothing um specific like
[73:57] parents or anything like that yet. But
[73:59] it's always been there. I don't know if
[74:00] it's the Roman Catholic in me or not,
[74:02] but it's like, "Whoa, I don't want that
[74:04] at all, yeah."
[74:05] >> You can't even talk about it.
[74:06] >> Can't even talk about it, no. No, yeah.
[74:08] >> Really?
[74:09] >> Yeah. It's kind of like I can talk about
[74:11] it in a sense I understand and then it's
[74:12] realistic, but it's it's more um
[74:16] that for some reason I don't even want
[74:17] to think about it cuz I have so much
[74:19] passion for life that I don't even want
[74:21] to think about, "Oh, this could
[74:22] happen, yeah."
[74:23] >> And you believe you go somewhere after
[74:24] death?
[74:25] >> sure, heaven, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah,
[74:27] yeah.
[74:27] >> But if you do believe you're going to
[74:28] heaven, that sounds like a good place,
[74:29] no?
[74:29] >> Great place, yeah. I just want to spend
[74:31] more time here.
[74:32] There's still a lot of things to do,
[74:33] yeah, for sure.
[74:34] >> Makes sense.
[74:35] >> Yeah.
[74:36] >> Well, thank you. Thank you for doing
[74:37] this with me.
[74:37] >> This was great. Thank you. Yes.
[74:38] >> I have to say, you know, you've done so
[74:40] so much research on the subject that so
[74:41] many of my previous guests cite and talk
[74:43] about, and it's so it's it's great to
[74:45] have the source here himself, and I I
[74:47] applaud you for the work you've done
[74:48] because at the end of the day I think I
[74:49] think a lot of people do want to extend
[74:51] their health span, right? Which is to
[74:53] live healthier for longer. There's a
[74:55] real sort of epidemic of people having
[74:57] short health spans, being medicated from
[74:59] the age of 40, 50 years old and then
[75:01] having that sort of last couple of
[75:02] decades of our life being in you know,
[75:04] incapable of doing the things we care
[75:05] about.
[75:06] I think a lot of this research gives us
[75:08] an option if we choose to take it
[75:10] to live a to live a better life.
[75:13] Thank you so much. We're done. YouTube
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