Philip Pape 0:00

Creatine is not just for lifters and bodybuilders anymore . Join me on today's Quick Wits as I dive into the incredible benefits of this very powerful supplement and reveal why it should be a staple in just about everyone's supplement cabinet , from athletes to aging adults and everyone in between . Welcome to the Wits and Weights podcast . I'm your host , philip Pape , and this twice a week podcast is dedicated to helping you achieve physical self-mastery by getting stronger , optimizing your nutrition and upgrading your body composition . We'll uncover science-backed strategies for movement , metabolism , muscle and mindset , with a skeptical eye on the fitness industry . So you can look and feel your absolute best , let's dive right in . So you can look and feel your absolute best . Let's dive right in . Welcome back to another information-packed episode of Quick Wits , where we separate science from supplements . We give you the scoop on what really works for optimizing your health , performance and quality of life , and I hope you caught the dad joke in there , because today we are talking about something that you do scoop out of a bag , and it's called creatine . It's a supplement that's been getting a lot of buzz for quite a few years and continues to get buzz for some additional things that we're discovering about it every day , and I'm talking about creatine , the ultimate performance and health enhancer that's been proven to benefit just about every human on the planet , from elite athletes to sedentary , you know , senior citizens , everyone from five to 95 . And I know what you're thinking like . Creatine , that's that thing that lifters take to get swole Right . Uh , and I get this a lot because even when I start working with new clients and I recommend it to them , they're like do you really think I should take creatine ? I'm like , absolutely . You know , give it a shot At see if you're a responder , make sure you don't have an allergy to it . But that'll be , the vast majority of people are going to be able to take it and respond to it . And yes , it's been a staple in the muscle building world for a long time because we know through countless studies at this point its ability to boost strength , your power output and then , ultimately , your lean mass gains , and it's extremely safe . Ultimately , your lean mass gains , and it's extremely safe . But the benefits of creatine go way beyond just building bigger muscles . The more research that comes out on this compound , the more it becomes clear it is probably something everyone should be taking , regardless of their age , their gender , their fitness situation , their goals . I even got my mother-in-law to start taking it , and she doesn't lift .

Philip Pape 2:23

So what exactly is creatine ? How does it work ? In simple terms , creatine is a naturally occurring compound that's produced in our bodies and stored in our muscles , and it plays a key role in energy production . When we supplement with creatine , we are essentially giving our muscles a bigger pool of energy to draw from during high intensity activities like lifting weights or even sprinting . The benefits of creatine , though , are beyond performance .

Philip Pape 2:51

Studies have shown that creatine can improve cognitive function , particularly in older adults . It's been shown to enhance memory , attention , brain power , leading some researchers to suggest maybe we should be using it to fight age-related cognitive decline . I haven't seen it become this general recommendation yet , but I imagine it will get there one day . Creatine has been shown to have neuroprotective properties , and that means it can help shield our brains from damage and degeneration . Some studies have even suggested creatine could be useful in the treatment of neurological disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease . And then , if that wasn't enough , it's been shown to improve bone density , reduce inflammation and even help regulate blood sugar levels in people with diabetes . So , in other words , this stuff can be pretty powerful . There's nothing that , it seems that it can't do . I mean that's hyperbole . I know I don't mean to make wild claims , but it does so much in terms of its benefits and it's been shown to be extremely safe in terms of having no negatives .

Philip Pape 3:53

So as far as taking creatine , very simple , it's one of the most well-studied , safe supplements on the market and the typical recommended dose is around five grams per day . You'll you'll often see three to five grams . They're doses around five grams per day . You'll often see three to five grams . They used to recommend a loading phase , but you don't need that . They used to say you can or can't take it with various things like caffeine Nope , doesn't matter . Take it whenever you want , anytime . With anything hot , cold , doesn't matter . Five grams a day , you're golden .

Philip Pape 4:19

Take creatine monohydrate it's the most common , most inexpensive , most well-researched form . You can find it everywhere and the best part is dirt cheap . Okay , it really is dirt cheap . I get mine from bulksupplementscom , no affiliation . I think I used to have a code or something . I don't think I have one now . Maybe I should get one , but that's where I buy it bulksupplementscom . I buy a bag or two . It lasts me like a whole year for like 20 bucks , it's , it's . It's dirt cheap .

Philip Pape 4:47

So if you want to take your performance , your health , your quality of life to a new level with supplementation which is often , uh , where we get wild claims , but creatine kind of lives up to its hype Um , then start taking it . Give it a shot , see how it , see how it makes you feel . Now it will give you a little bump in scale weight because of the additional fluid retention , but that's not a bad thing , it's not fat loss , it's it's . You might even look a little bit more filled out in a good way in terms of your muscle volume . And just be aware , because if you're tracking , it can throw off your numbers just a tiny bit at the beginning , but then it'll level out and you'll be good All right .

Philip Pape 5:22

So take creatine five grams a day , give it a shot , see how you feel , let me know until next time . Keep , keep training hard . Just keep training hard and take this stuff and you'll be good . Talk to you next time . Thank you for tuning in to another episode of wits and weights . If you found value in today's episode and know someone else who's looking to level up their wits or weights , please take a moment to share this episode with them and make sure to hit the follow button in your podcast platform right now to catch the next episode . Until then , stay strong .