Podcast: Getting Creative with Creatine

Dr Greger is simply the GOAT 🥳🤩😎

I'm a 75-year-old guy whose aversion to athletics steered me to regular resistance training in my early 20s. These days that means about an hour on a Total Gym two or three times week. In other words, I'm VERY familiar with my 'normal' exercise capabilities. When I started taking 5g of creatine about a year ago my reps suddenly increased dramatically...doubled in some cases. I don't look or feel different but I have zero doubt it's a meaningful improvement at this point in my life.

Creatine does make a difference. This year I’ve been doing a physically demanding job and a lot of weekend work as well and had been getting really tired and aching more then usual and not recovering after having a full weekend off. I gave creatine a try because it’s safe and if it didn’t work I’d look elsewhere. After a few days my energy levels went through the roof and I was recovering after days off. So I’ll be keep supplementing with it. Also I’m an older guy in my 50’s.

Segue Last week, I had gum surgery and a bone graft in preparation for an implant. I am sure the reason for my not being aware of the growing infection, was that my vegan diet was holding it at bay....no pain! Anyway, I had the surgery, and the periodontist was about to write me a script for antibiotics. I told him that as I was on a clean plant based diet, I wouldn't require them. He said, " Okay, call me if you run into problems. Less than 1 week later, most of the swelling has gone down, and the site is healing nicely. By the way, I rinsed with tea tree oil and warm water. So people, THIS DIET WORKS!

Can some of the charity funds be used to do some research and testing of certain foods that the corporations refuse to test? Eg. jackfruit, sugar cane juice, soursop and irish moss(sea moss).

Interesting. I would save it until start losing muscle when older. With training of course. If use it while young then the body may just get used to it meaning it will have little effect when we really need it.

Since creatine retains water, should people with edema refrain from it? Or would it still be beneficial?

I’m a CKD4 patient. Do you think I can eat more than 1/2 cup of black beans at a meal? I don’t eat meat when I eat beans.

As an older athlete I need all the help I can get. I've been taking it for years.

Creatine does give a modest (~5%) strength boost (and an even smaller muscle gain percentage) but even that goes away soon after you stop taking it, so unless you want to take it lifelong for a small gain, it’s not terribly useful for non-athletes.

What about hair loss caused by Creatine?

Has it been put to the test?

Creatine Ethyl Ester HCl or Creatine Monohydrate? Does it matter?

I remember when I was a gym rat, creatine would give me ONE extra rep in a set..Off creatine down one rep. On creatine one extra rep. YMMV

well, if we just starting eating healthy we do not need creative supplement. and i am guessing that pollution also ruins food and our health to absorb creative or create more need for creatine. either way creative need is a modern thing we created. so we need to undo the harm or we just get in a circle of supplementation, same stuff we do with vaccines and medicine in general.

I hope we can all look forward to Dr. Greger getting swole over the next several years.

As far as I know, there aren't any reputable supplement manufacturers. I'd love to try creatine, but lead in any amount is a non starter. Hard pass.

B12 taken out by laughing gas? Bummer.

3 grams for men? Women?

Is this a recycle? Feel like I’ve heard this before.