Dr. Darren Candow

The only logical explanation is it could have something to do with progesterone or estrogen.

We just don't know that.

And from an anti-catabolic effect,

decreasing some of these tissue repair mechanisms.

There's not a lot of research out there.

But unfortunately, we're not seeing any evidence that creatine increases protein synthesis.

So unlike protein, which it does, creatine seems to help increase muscle size in other ways, satellite cells, growth factors, things like that.

But it does decrease protein breakdown, primarily though in males.

And we still don't know exactly why, but we think estrogen or the other sex hormones might be involved.

It does in young and older individuals.

But here's an important distinction.

The more stressed the body is, it seems to come to the rescue more.

So if you're a young individual, adequate sleep, proper nutrition, you're probably not going to notice any anti-inflammatory effects.

It's when the body is under times of extensive exercise or trauma, hypoxia.

I'm sure we'll talk about the brain and sleep deprivation.

So whenever the body is more stressed or under more attack, that's when creatine seems to come to the rescue.

Well, they don't actually.

So a little bit of clarity.

So we naturally are producing creatine in two main areas, in the liver and in the brain.

And on average, we're producing about one to two grams.