Dr. Peter Attia

the confidence we have in the data that speak to its safety, and the quality of the supplement itself. And this last point is especially important here. We know from previous podcasts that I've done, including the one with Catherine Eban, that even in the pharma world, the quality of the drug is not to be taken as a given.

the confidence we have in the data that speak to its safety, and the quality of the supplement itself. And this last point is especially important here. We know from previous podcasts that I've done, including the one with Catherine Eban, that even in the pharma world, the quality of the drug is not to be taken as a given.

That episode, which is several years old and we'll link to it, really called into question the quality of some of the pharmacologic agents out there, especially generic brands. But whatever amount of nefarious behavior exists over there, I think you're safe multiplying that by 10 or 100 to understand the magnitude by which that's happening in the supplement space.

That episode, which is several years old and we'll link to it, really called into question the quality of some of the pharmacologic agents out there, especially generic brands. But whatever amount of nefarious behavior exists over there, I think you're safe multiplying that by 10 or 100 to understand the magnitude by which that's happening in the supplement space.

So I guess before we jump into this, Nick, I just want to make sure we've pulled together a lot of information on the six supplements you mentioned. For the sake of time flow, making this conversational, I'm not going to go deep into each study that we talk about. Rather, I'm going to try to cover the important details.

So I guess before we jump into this, Nick, I just want to make sure we've pulled together a lot of information on the six supplements you mentioned. For the sake of time flow, making this conversational, I'm not going to go deep into each study that we talk about. Rather, I'm going to try to cover the important details.

But we will heavily cite, link to, and explain the details of the studies in the show notes. So if you're listening to this because you just want to see how the framework works, great. But if you're like, actually, for those supplements, I want to go deeper, the show notes is where to go.

But we will heavily cite, link to, and explain the details of the studies in the show notes. So if you're listening to this because you just want to see how the framework works, great. But if you're like, actually, for those supplements, I want to go deeper, the show notes is where to go.

With creatine, it's clearly the latter. I'm sure there's somebody walking around out there with a creatine deficiency, but that's not really the use case. So when people like myself, and I do take creatine, it's because we believe that supraphysiologic levels are preferential. We take this primarily to improve athletic performance, potentially increasing lean mass slightly.

With creatine, it's clearly the latter. I'm sure there's somebody walking around out there with a creatine deficiency, but that's not really the use case. So when people like myself, and I do take creatine, it's because we believe that supraphysiologic levels are preferential. We take this primarily to improve athletic performance, potentially increasing lean mass slightly.

There are some emerging studies that suggest that it may also ameliorate cognitive decline. Basically, research shows that once muscle stores are fully maximized, which can be achieved with three to five grams per day, you've flattened out that curve. In other words, you don't need to go much beyond that.

There are some emerging studies that suggest that it may also ameliorate cognitive decline. Basically, research shows that once muscle stores are fully maximized, which can be achieved with three to five grams per day, you've flattened out that curve. In other words, you don't need to go much beyond that.

Although, as we've talked about on this podcast, there was a day, for those of us that are old enough to remember, when the zeitgeist was to do a period of loading at much, much higher doses in the neighborhood of 20 grams per day before falling to a maintenance dose of five. But today, people that are taking it are usually just taking three to five grams per day.

Although, as we've talked about on this podcast, there was a day, for those of us that are old enough to remember, when the zeitgeist was to do a period of loading at much, much higher doses in the neighborhood of 20 grams per day before falling to a maintenance dose of five. But today, people that are taking it are usually just taking three to five grams per day.

Well, we certainly see no direct evidence on lifespan. I think most people who would take this, if being confronted with the granularity of this question in this way, would say, look, I'm taking this for healthspan. I'm maximizing the benefits of my exercise, especially with respect to resistance training and maybe potentially warding off cognitive impairment.

Well, we certainly see no direct evidence on lifespan. I think most people who would take this, if being confronted with the granularity of this question in this way, would say, look, I'm taking this for healthspan. I'm maximizing the benefits of my exercise, especially with respect to resistance training and maybe potentially warding off cognitive impairment.

Now, of course, indirectly, I would say that those are also benefits on lifespan, but I would say that that's probably the way to think about this.

Now, of course, indirectly, I would say that those are also benefits on lifespan, but I would say that that's probably the way to think about this.

No, there's not a biomarker for this. And again, what do I mean by a biomarker? Well, if you're taking a medication to lower your blood pressure, measuring your blood pressure actually becomes a biomarker for the thing you're taking. Am I taking enough or too much? If you're taking a drug that lowers your ApoB, the ApoB itself serves as the biomarker.

No, there's not a biomarker for this. And again, what do I mean by a biomarker? Well, if you're taking a medication to lower your blood pressure, measuring your blood pressure actually becomes a biomarker for the thing you're taking. Am I taking enough or too much? If you're taking a drug that lowers your ApoB, the ApoB itself serves as the biomarker.