#497 Dr. Darren Candow - Creatine and Your Brain, Performance, Bone Health, and Sleep

Dr. Darren Candow is one of the world’s leading researchers and authorities on creatine and joins me to separate what we know from what is still hype.Darren joins me to discuss:• How to sift through the evidence and hype surrounding creatine• What the research actually says about creatine and brain health• Whether creatine may have a role in concussion and head-trauma research• The current evidence around creatine and mental health• Whether creatine can help mitigate some effects of sleep deprivation• Creatine and bone health• How much creatine actually contributes to muscle growth and performance• Why strength and muscle matter for long-term independence• How creatine may influence training quality• Creatine timing and whether the anabolic window matters• Loading protocols and daily dosing• Whether creatine may have a role during injury rehabilitation• How to interpret frightening headlines about creatine and cancer• Whether creatine has any meaningful role in cancer research• Creatine safety data, including concerns about kidney health• Why elevated creatinine does not automatically mean kidney damage• Whether caffeine interferes with creatine• The best type of creatine to take• Why some specialty creatine products may simply cost more without providing additional benefit• Popular creatine myths• Microdosing and other exciting areas for future research• And much moreFollow Darren on Instagram:@dr.darrencandowCHAPTERS00:45 Creatine Basics and Muscle Saturation04:23 Creatine and Brain Health: Hype vs. Evidence08:51 Creatine and Sleep Deprivation13:10 Concussions and Head Trauma17:51 Creatine and Mental Health19:47 Safety, Kidney Health, and Creatinine24:37 Homocysteine, Cancer, and Other Myths28:37 How Much Muscle Does Creatine Actually Build?29:27 Strength, Muscle, and Long-Term Independence30:17 Bone and Brain Health31:32 Creatine and Training Quality34:19 The Best Forms of Creatine37:32 Timing and the Anabolic Window39:52 Cost, Marketing, and the “Pink Tax”42:55 The Creatine and Caffeine Myth45:46 Loading Protocols and Injury Rehabilitation48:22 Future Research and Microdosing50:45 Cooking With Creatine and Final ThoughtsSUPPORT THE SHOWIf this episode helped you better understand what creatine can—and cannot—do:• Subscribe and check out more episodes• Share the episode on social media and tag @andrewcoatesfitness• Send it to someone who still thinks creatine is only for bodybuildersFOLLOW ANDREW COATESInstagram: @andrewcoatesfitnesshttps://www.andrewcoatesfitness.comPARTNERS AND RESOURCESRP STRENGTH APPUse code COATESRP:https://www.rpstrength.com/coatesJUST BITE ME MEALSUse code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off:https://justbitememeals.comMACROSFIRST — FREE PREMIUM TRIAL• Download MacrosFirst• Begin setting up your account• When asked, “How did you hear about us?” enter: ANDREWKNKG BAGS — 15% OFFhttps://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676VERSA GRIPPShttps://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoatesTRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIAL• Visit: https://www.trainheroic.com/liftfree• Reply to the email you receive or email [email protected]• Let them know Andrew sent youL1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSEUse code COATES:https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents