The Benefits of Creatine: Improving Health and Performance
Recently I interviewed Professor Darren Candow, a renowned expert in the field of creatine research. What I learned has changed my thoughts on this cheap and highly accessible supplement as I age and it is now part of my everyday routine. Spoiler alert…it’s not just for young people…. What is Creatine? Creatine is a natural compound that is produced in our bodies, primarily in the kidneys, liver, and brain. It is made up of three amino acids and is found in higher concentrations in animal-based protein sources such as red meat, seafood, and poultry. While our bodies naturally produce creatine, we can also consume it through certain food sources or as a dietary supplement. One of the best-known functions of creatine is its ability to maintain energy within our cells, particularly during activities that require bursts of energy, such as weight training or high-intensity exercises. It helps to replenish ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of our cells, allowing us to perform more intensely and for longer durations. This is why many athletes take creatine to enhance their performance, as it is known to increase energy capacity and improve recovery. Creatine as a Supplement When it comes to creatine supplementation, the most commonly recommended and studied form is creatine monohydrate and this form of creatine has been shown to be safe and effective. Other forms of creatine have not been proven to be more effective than creatine monohydrate. It is important to note that creatine supplements are typically vegan-based and do not contain any animal products. However, it is always advisable to check the label for third-party testing and certification to ensure the safety and quality of the product, especially for athletes who may be subject to doping regulations. Common and Surprising Benefits of Creatine
  1. Improved Muscle Performance
Creatine has long been associated with increased muscle performance, I even remember having some back in the mid-90s thinking I was going to get super muscular if I ate it…Turns out you actually need to lift some weights as well!  When you do creatine has been shown to improve muscle mass, strength, endurance, and power. It allows individuals to exercise more intensely and for longer durations, leading to greater gains in muscle strength and size. However, more recently studies have also shown that creatine supplementation can benefit older adults by improving muscle performance, even without exercise. This is particularly important as we age and naturally experience muscle loss. Creatine has been shown to preserve and enhance muscle function in older adults, reducing the risk of falls and fractures. For a simple supplement that you can put in your water in the morning, that's pretty impressive. 
  1. Cognitive Enhancement
Emerging research suggests that creatine may have cognitive-enhancing effects (1), especially in individuals whose brains are metabolically stressed. This means that supplementing with creatine during periods of stress, such as sleep deprivation, jet lag, hypoxia, or aging, has been shown to improve memory, and cognition, and reduce symptoms of sleep deprivation. Creatine has also shown promise in improving symptoms of depression and anxiety when used as an adjunct therapy. While it is important to note that creatine should not replace medication or therapy for mental health conditions, it may provide additional benefits when used alongside traditional treatment methods.
  1. Bone Health
One area that Dr.  Candow was very interested in studying was the potential benefits of creatine on bone health, particularly in postmenopausal women. He noted that creatine supplementation when combined with exercise, has been shown to reduce bone mineral loss, improve bone strength, and potentially decrease the risk of fractures. This is especially significant as bone health becomes a growing concern with age, particularly in women at increased risk of osteoporosis.
  1. Long COVID and Traumatic Brain Injuries
A new area of interest is the potential use of creatine in the management of long COVID and traumatic brain injuries. Research has shown that creatine may help to decrease inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain (2), potentially aiding in recovery and cognitive function. While more studies are needed in these areas, early findings suggest that creatine could have beneficial effects on individuals recovering from brain-related conditions. This actually ties in nicely with what Dr. Perry Maynard and Dr Tommy Wood mentioned during my interview with them.  Myths and Safety Concerns  There are several common myths and safety concerns surrounding creatine that need to be addressed.
  1. Hair Loss
Contrary to popular belief, creatine supplementation has not been directly linked to hair loss. The misconception originated from a study that showed an increase in a hormone called DHT, which is associated with hair follicle loss (3). However, the study did not demonstrate any hair loss or thinning. There is no direct evidence to suggest that creatine causes hair loss.
  1. Increased Fat Mass
Creatine supplementation does not lead to increased fat mass. In fact, studies have shown that it can actually decrease body fat percentage, although the effect is minimal. The temporary weight gain observed during the loading phase of creatine supplementation is mainly due to water retention, not increased fat mass.
  1. Kidney and Liver Damage
Extensive research (3) has shown that creatine supplementation does not cause any adverse effects on kidney or liver function in healthy individuals. It is important to note that individuals with pre-existing kidney or liver conditions should consult their healthcare provider before taking creatine. For the general population, creatine has been proven to be safe and effective. Dosing and Recommendations The recommended daily dose of creatine varies depending on the individual and their specific goals. For general health and exercise performance, a daily dose of 3-5 grams of creatine monohydrate is sufficient for most individuals, this is what I take. This can be increased to 8-10 grams for older adults or individuals with specific health conditions. It is recommended to start with a lower dose and gradually increase it to assess tolerance and response. Creatine supplementation can be taken as a single dose or divided into smaller doses throughout the day. It can be consumed with food or mixed with other beverages for convenience. While the loading phase, which involves taking a higher dose for a short period, may not be necessary for most individuals, it may be beneficial for elite athletes or individuals with specific performance goals. However, it is important to note that the loading phase can lead to temporary weight gain due to water retention. Next Steps Creatine is a natural compound that offers numerous benefits for health and performance. It has been extensively studied and proven to be safe and effective when used appropriately. From improving muscle performance and cognitive function to supporting bone health and recovery from brain-related conditions, creatine has the potential to enhance overall well-being. While creatine supplementation is not essential for everyone, it can be a valuable tool for individuals looking to optimize their health and performance. As with any supplement, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting creatine, especially for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. Creatine is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to achieving optimal health and performance. Incorporating a well-rounded approach that includes regular exercise, a balanced diet, and other lifestyle factors is key to maximizing the benefits of creatine and maintaining overall well-being. Sources:
  1. https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-023-03146-5#:~:text=While%20the%20safety%20and%20athletic,in%20healthy%20individuals%20%5B7%5D.
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8000194/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20existing%20research,on%20oxidative%20stress%20due%20to
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7871530/
5 Ways to Decompress Your Lower Back For Instant Relief
Back pain affects millions of people each year, with an estimated 80% of adults experiencing it at some point in their lives. Whether it's due to poor posture, heavy lifting, or simply the stresses of everyday life, back pain can be debilitating and impact daily activities. The good news is that there are ways to find relief, particularly when it comes to decompressing the lower back. After treating one thousand patients with bad backs I’m going to share my 5 go-to exercises to help relieve tension and discomfort in your lower back. If you would like to see a video of these exercises check this out: [embed]https://youtu.be/71t-iFDJRh4[/embed]
1. Child's Pose
The child's pose is a well-known yoga exercise that offers quick relief for lower back pain. Here's how to do it:
  • Start in an all-fours position on the ground.
  • Lower your hips down towards your heels while extending your arms forward.
  • Allow your chest to sink toward the ground, lengthening your spine.
  • Push your hips away from your hands to create a stretch along your lower back.
  • Hold this position for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, adjusting as needed for comfort.
  • For targeted relief, try side bending to each side to focus on specific areas of tightness.
The child's pose requires no special equipment, making it ideal for home practice. It's a gentle yet effective way to decompress the lower back and provide relief from pain and tension.
2. Modified Downward Dog
This exercise targets the upper back a little more.
  • Lie face down on a sturdy table and move to the edge so your upper body is hanging off and your arms are supporting your body weight with your hands on the ground.
  • Move side to side to stretch your upper back. Lower Back Focus.
  • To get more stretch into your lower back simply move further off the edge, so that your hips are close to it and allow your upper body to get closer to the floor.  Lean to one side to focus the stretch on one side.
  • Hold this position for 30 seconds to a minute, focusing on relaxation.
3. Table Traction Exercise
Another great way to decompress the lower back is with a simple table exercise. Here's how to do it:
  • Lie face down on a sturdy table or bed with your hips at the edge.
  • Let your legs hang freely off the edge while your upper body is supported.
  • Allow the weight of your legs to gently traction and decompress your lower back.
  • Hold this position for 30 seconds to a minute, focusing on relaxation.
  • Optional: Gently move your legs from side to side to target different areas of your lower back.
This table exercise is effective because it uses gravity to create traction in the spine, helping to alleviate pressure and reduce pain. It's a simple yet powerful technique that can be done in the comfort of your home. This exercise provides relief by allowing the weight of your legs to create traction in the spine. It's a soothing way to decompress the lower back and ease discomfort.
4. Body Traction Exercise
Body traction exercises offer a comprehensive approach to decompressing the lower back. Here are some additional exercises you can try at home.
  • Stand with your legs wide apart (goddess pose in yoga) and sink your hips while keeping your back straight shoulders fixed and hands on your thighs.
  • This action helps to traction your back and provides a good stretch.  You can rotate here if you like to help increase stretch into the lower back. 
5. Band Traction Exercise
Use a thick band or yoga sling to create traction through the lumbar spine. Move into a downward dog position with the band hooked over a door or something high behind you. Aim to get a straight line from your shoulders, hip, and band all the way up to where it is anchored. Once in position, you can adjust your hips to feel a nice stretch and traction in the lower back. These exercises offer a holistic approach to decompressing the lower back and reducing pain. Remember to listen to your body and adjust the exercises as needed for comfort. Incorporating these exercises into your routine can help you find relief from lower back pain and improve your overall well-being. Whether you're dealing with occasional discomfort or chronic issues, these techniques can be valuable tools in your self-care arsenal. As always, if you have persistent or severe back pain, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice and treatment. If you want my help to see if we can use specific exercises and lifestyle medicine to help you recover from pain, injury, or illness please reach out to me via ed@edpaget.com   
Cervical Stenosis: Unlocking the Secrets to Neck Health
Cervical stenosis is a condition characterized by a change in the bones of the neck. This, in turn, can lead to neck pain and other symptoms. While it can be a serious condition, especially if left untreated, some exercises can help halt its progression and alleviate the symptoms. In this blog, we will delve into what cervical stenosis is, what causes it, and what exercises can be done to manage the condition effectively. What is Cervical Stenosis? Picture this: your spinal cord is like a bustling highway, transmitting signals to and from your brain. Now, imagine a narrowing in this highway—the cervical stenosis. When this narrowing happens, it's like a traffic jam, disrupting the smooth flow of messages to and from your hands, shoulders, and skin. What Leads to Cervical Stenosis? One of the main troublemakers is the wear and tear that comes with age. As the years go by, our necks may develop bone spurs, changes in boney shape, disc bulges, and thickening of ligaments which can narrow the path of the spinal cord. Picture these bone spurs as overgrown branches, encroaching on the highway and the traffic has to slow down around them. Additionally, accidents or injuries can also cause this narrowing—like a sudden roadblock causing chaos in our nerve pathways. Signs and Signals: Recognizing Symptoms The signs of cervical stenosis can vary. Some may feel a tingling sensation in their hands as if tiny sparks are dancing under their skin. Others might experience radiating pain, from the neck down to the shoulders or just neck pain.   Exercises for Cervical Stenosis
  1. Hip Mobility: The Foundation
Before focusing on neck exercises, it is important to ensure that your hips are mobile. The neck is the last point of movement before the eyes, which should always be parallel to the horizon. If there are any issues with the body below the neck, the neck compensates to keep the eyes level. To avoid this compensation, perform exercises that improve hip mobility. Start by getting into a half-kneeling position and move forward and backward to stretch the front of your hip. Make sure to maintain a strong relationship between the pubic bone and the ribs, engaging your core slightly. Additionally, perform lateral movements by moving the hips left and right. Finally, incorporate rotational movements by imagining your pelvis as a wheel and pushing it in different directions. 2. Freeing Your Upper Back: Your Neck's Support System The thorax, or upper back, plays a significant role in neck movement. To improve mobility in this area, perform exercises that target flexion, extension, side bending, and rotation. To target the upper back, raise your right hand above your head and reach through with your left hand, combining side bending and rotation. Repeat this movement with flexion and extension as well. Perform the same set of exercises on the opposite side. These movements will help loosen up the upper back and relieve tension in the neck. 3. Neck Mobility: The Dance of Flexibility While it may seem counterintuitive, some exercises can improve neck mobility without moving the eyes. These exercises target rotation and side bending. To improve rotation, rotate your shoulders while keeping your head still (look at something in front of you). This movement stretches the neck muscles without causing additional pain. To target side bending, drop one arm to point to the ground as you raise the other towards the ceiling, creating a stretch in the side of your neck. Perform this exercise on both sides, ensuring that your eyes remain parallel to the horizon throughout. 4. Stretching: Unleashing the Tension In addition to mobility exercises, it is important to directly stretch the neck muscles. One effective stretch targets the trapezius and scalene muscles. Sit on one hand to restrict movement in the shoulder. Place the other hand on top of your head and lean away from the hand you are sitting on, feeling the stretch in the side of your neck. You can adjust the angle of the stretch by leaning slightly forward or to the side. This stretch can be performed on both sides, targeting different muscles in the neck. 5. Strengthening: Building Your Neck's Resilience To strengthen the neck muscles, isometric exercises can be beneficial. Isometric exercises involve tensing a muscle without moving it. By pushing against your hand in different directions, you can contract and strengthen the neck muscles without causing excessive movement. Perform these isometric exercises on each side for 10-15 seconds, targeting side bending, extension, and flexion. These exercises will help build strength in the neck, providing additional support for individuals with cervical stenosis. Conclusion Cervical stenosis can be a debilitating condition, but with early intervention and the right exercises, its progression can be halted, and symptoms can be managed effectively. By focusing on mobility exercises for the hips and upper back, as well as targeted exercises for the neck, individuals can alleviate pain and improve their overall quality of life. Remember to consult a healthcare professional before starting any exercise regimen, especially if you have a pre-existing condition.
Relieve Groin Muscle Pain
If you're experiencing pain in your groin area, you're not alone. Groin pain can be caused by various factors, including muscle and joint issues. In this blog, we will explore a range of exercises designed to help relieve groin pain and improve your hip and pelvic floor muscles. Before we dive in, it's important to note that obtaining a proper diagnosis is crucial to understanding the underlying cause of your pain.  If you want to use the exercises presented here and on my YouTube channel make sure your groin pain is related to muscles and joints. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and individualized treatment plan. These exercises for groin pain progress in difficulty, meaning that they can form the basis of a home-based groin rehab program for you. However, you don’t need to do them all on day 1, or 2 for that matter.  Work through the groin exercises and when you find one that causes pain or is too tough stop there and just focus on the ones before it until things start to heal in your groin.  Stretching for Groin Relief The first exercise we will discuss is a simple stretch that targets the groin muscles, namely the adductors.  Lie on your back with your feet planted on the ground and knees bent, and allow your knees to move apart naturally. If you have recently strained your groin, this stretch alone may be sufficient. To add a bit more pressure, place your hands on the inside of your knees and gently push them outward. Remember to listen to your body and stop if you experience any pain. Try doing this 10 times the first time you do it.  Hip Circumduction Hip circumduction is another effective exercise for groin rehab. Lying on your back with both legs straight, lift your injured leg, without bending at the knee,  so it points up at the sky or ceiling.  From there move it in a circular motion by slowly lowering it out to the side and then returning it to lie next to your other leg.. You may notice that certain areas, such as the top portion of the movement, are more challenging or painful. Focus on working within a comfortable range of motion and gradually push your limits as your pain subsides. Aim to perform 10 repetitions of this exercise for three sets. Isometric Strengthening Isometric exercises involve contracting muscles without actually moving the joints. Imagine holding a weight out in front of you without lowering your arms.  This is an isometric contraction for your shoulders.  The muscles are working but not moving. To strengthen the muscles on the inside of your leg, lie down and place an object (such as a rolled-up towel or a football) between your knees. Take a deep breath in, then squeeze the object between your knees for 15 to 30 seconds. Your legs shouldn’t move inward very far.  Relax and repeat this exercise for three sets. You may even notice a slight "pop" or "click" in the front of your pelvis as you perform this exercise, which can help realign your pelvis and relieve pain in a strained adductor muscle. Half Kneeling Rock Backs For this exercise, you'll need a mat or cushion under your knees to protect them from the hard ground.  Get into a half kneeling position which means one knee is bent underneath you and the other leg is positioned straight and out to the side.  Once in position, slowly move your hips backward and forward to create a stretching sensation in the groin of the straight leg.  Perform 10 repetitions for three sets, and remember to do this exercise on both sides to ensure balanced muscle engagement. The Frogger Stretch The Frogger stretch targets both groins simultaneously. This is a classic exercise for any groin or adductor injuries.  Begin in a kneeling position, spread your knees apart until you feel a slight stretch in your groin. Your feet should also be apart, ideally at the same distance as your knees. Push your hips back while maintaining a stretching sensation. To intensify the stretch, squeeze your knees together as if pushing them into the ground, or trying to activate your groin muscles to pull your knees together.  Hold this position for about 5 seconds, relax, and try to deepen the stretch. If squeezing your knees together is too challenging, focus on the rocking forward and back motion instead. Hip Mobility and Rotation To shift the focus from the groin to overall hip mobility, try a forwards-backward dynamic lunge. Begin by placing an object underneath your knee for added comfort. Perform a kneeling lunge by moving your hips forward and backward. This will actually work both sides of your groin at the same time. Once you get used to the movement you can move your upper body into rotation, alternating between both sides. As you become more comfortable, gradually increase the range of motion and add more upper-body rotation. Aim for 10 to 15 repetitions in each position and perform five rotations in each direction. These groin rehabilitation exercises provide a starting point for relieving groin pain and improving hip and pelvic floor function. Remember to consult with a healthcare professional to accurately diagnose the cause of your groin pain and determine the most appropriate treatment plan for your specific needs. By incorporating these exercises into your routine and gradually progressing, you can alleviate discomfort and restore optimal function in your groin area. If you found this information helpful, we appreciate your support in sharing this content with anyone you think would benefit. As always if you have any questions feel free to contact me or share your comments below. For individuals with scoliosis or back pain, consider exploring our online courses tailored to those specific conditions.