Introduction to A Healthy Shift

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Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to a healthy shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified nutritionist , veteran law enforcement officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers , using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rigours of shift work , but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show and welcome back to another episode of a Healthy Shift Podcast . Me . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , former shift worker , well-being coach , and I'm going to call myself a big achiever and a big believer in helping shift workers to not just survive , but absolutely thrive in their shift working environment . Survive , but absolutely thrive in their shift working environment .

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Today I really want to talk about I want to challenge you about what you might think about creatine , which is what I'm going to do . I talk about it a lot on my social media and it's time that it was actually addressed in a longer form so that I can literally explain it more . And today I'm going to talk all about creatine monohydrate . At the start , from the outset , I want to talk about the fact that we are talking about creatine monohydrate here , which is the cheapest form of creatine . Creatine's not expensive . Don't get sucked in by all of the different types of creatine that there is out on the market there . Just creatine monohydrate . Brands doesn't matter , just get creatine monohydrate , it's all the same thing . Now you might have heard that it's just for bodybuilders or young blokes smashing protein shakes , walking around in a stringer singlet in the gym , but creatine is so much more than that , especially if you are over 40 and working shifts and you're trying to stay sharp and strong . So let's get into it .

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First of all , I want to talk about what is creatine . Now . Creatine is a compound that is made up of three amino acids

What is Creatine Monohydrate?

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arginine , glycine and methionine . Your body makes creatine naturally , and you also get some from meat and from fish , so if you're vegetarian , you're probably not getting any at all . Once it's in your system , creatine is stored in your muscles and brain as phosphocreatine . Now what this does is it helps your cell to make quick energy , especially during stress , like sprinting , lifting or even thinking hard when you're running on no sleep . It is one of the most researched supplements on the planet . It is safe , it is cheap and it is very , very effective . You don't cycle on and off it . Once you start taking it , you take it every day forever .

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So why should shift workers over 40 care about creatine ? Well , as we age , and especially during shift work , things get so much harder Hormone levels change , muscle mass drops , brain fog creeps in . Hormone levels change , muscle mass drops , brain fog creeps in . And for females , menopause , males , low testosterone , poor sleep and it all starts to add up . Here's how creatine can really help For women , especially after menopause . It supports bone health by boosting bone mineral density and , combined with resistance training and we should all be doing that , all of us should be resistance training creatine helps to build and maintain lean tissue , which is muscle , and we all need that because we fall over . We want to be able to get up and off the chair and off the toilet without having to have chrome rails . Keep that in mind . It improves balance coordination and it also reduces the risk of falls . Now for men , creatine may support testosterone by increasing DHT , which is a more potent form linked to strength and recovery . Now , for everybody else , and for everyone

Benefits for Shift Workers Over 40

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, males and females creatine literally supports cognitive function , memory , focus and energy , which matters when you're trying to stay sharp .

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At what time ? 3am . Hello , shift workers . Now there is also new research around that creatine helps during extended periods of wakefulness . So let's talk about that , because I think this is something that's really , really important that people miss .

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In 2024 , a clinical trial was published in Scientific Reports , and researchers looked at what happens when healthy adults stay awake for 21 hours . Heaven forbid . They gave them a single high dose of creatine . Now , the dose that they gave them was 0.35 grams per kilogram of body weight and they tested their mental performance throughout the night . Now , 0.35 , I'm going to tell you , if you weigh 90 kilos , you're taking 30 grams , approximately 30 grams of creatine . 30 grams , which is about 10 scoops , it's a lot , and you wouldn't want to be taking it all at the same time because it may upset your gut . But I'll talk about later on how we can actually take that .

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Now , what was the result of the test ? The creatine actually improved memory , processing speed and reaction time , even in the early morning hours . Now this is really important for us shift workers . It also helped to stabilise brain energy , it prevent drops in pH and it also protected against mental fatigue . The participants that took part also performed significantly better in logic , language and numeric tasks the kind of thinking that you rely

Research on Extended Wakefulness

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on to stay safe and accurate as you are working during your long nights . Now this is a big deal , because creatine may help to protect your brain during extended periods of wakefulness , making it one of the few supplements that's not only safe and effective for shift workers facing sleep loss , but also for those bodybuilders . Now this isn't just about long-term benefits anymore , because this study also shows short-term effects as well . So what that means is , if you're not taking creatine and then you were to take a super dose , it also works that way as well , but you would have to be taking more , and if you're not used to taking it , it may very well cause gastric disturbance . So keep that in mind .

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Now let's just look at some of the common myths and let's clear up the air around these , because this is really important . Myth number one is that creatine causes hair loss . Now I need to address this , because I've seen this written so many places . This idea came from one tiny little study and it has absolutely no substantial or solid evidence that supports it , and it's actually never been proven . It was correlation , not causation . The other thing is . Myth two is creatine is bad for your kidneys ? Not in healthy people , multiple studies , even with that extremely high dose , shows no harm to kidney function at all . And the other myth is you've got to be a gym rat to take it . Nope , creatine benefits your muscles , bones and your brain . So whether you train hard or you just want to move better and think clearer , creatine is for you . The other thing that I need to be very clear for you is this , and that is how to take creatine .

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Creatine is not something

Common Myths About Creatine Debunked

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that you look at and you go oh yeah , I'm taking creatine because it's in my pre-workout . It's something that you need to take every single day , and you need to take five grams between three and five grams every single day , and that equates to about a teaspoon . So all you got to do is just mix it into water , mix it into juice , or you could even just mix it into your coffee and drink it . Take it every day , at any time . Just be consistent around creatine . That's all you got to do . Take it any time , but make sure you take it every day and be consistent daily , not just when it's in your pre-workout . So if you are targeting cognitive performance like you're going into a run of nights . Some people will go up to 10 grams a day , split into two doses . But always check with your doctor if you've got any other health conditions .

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Just because I said it doesn't mean just go and do it . Have a chat with your doctor about it as well , or someone who totally understands creatine . But the research shows it's perfectly safe . So why does this actually matter for shift workers ? You're up all hours , you're sleep deprived , you're trying to stay awake , you're making decisions , you're lifting patients , writing reports , responding to emergencies . Creatine can actually help to support you through all of that .

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So let's just go through and recap . It improves muscle and bone strength , it protects brain function even during sleep deprivation , and it boosts mental sharpness when fatigue hits the hardest . And it's safe , it's affordable and it is literally backed by decades of research . So if you're over 40 and you're working shifts and you're feeling the drag , creatine is definitely worth a look . It's not magic , but it is one of the few supplements that is extremely

How to Take Creatine Daily

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well researched and is truly useful for what we do as a job . Whether you're dealing with menopause , aging , fatigue or you're just trying to feel better on night shift , this may very well help .

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And if you want the references I mentioned . I'll just pop it into the show notes . So there's creatine . I highly recommend that every single person , particularly shift workers , takes creatine every single day and there's no need to cycle it . I'll catch you on the next episode . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one

Why Creatine Matters for Shift Workers

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