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 rigors of shift work, but thrive. My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and well-being 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. And I'm your guide on this journey. Yep, that's right. I've got the wheel and I am steering you into a better shift working life. That's my mission, and I'm here for it. As I head into about 330 odd episodes of this podcast, honestly, there's so much there when I think about it. But there's one topic that keeps coming up. I know. You're gonna go, my god, he's banging on about creatine again. And I am. I'm just gonna go on to it because I want to summarize it because so many people ask me about it. I'm horrified at the amount of people that don't take creatine on the daily. So let's talk about it. Well, there's another reason because when people ask me questions, I can share a link to this episode when they ask me questions about creatine because I will have already spoken about it. But let's cover off on it. Today we're talking about creatine. Now, most people know it as a sports supplement, but it does more than help muscles grow. It actually plays an extremely big role in how our cells make and use energy. Keep that in mind. How our cells make and use energy. What are we all looking for? Energy. Forget the caffeine, get on the creatine, and that's the end of the episode. No, it's not. I'm only joking. So let's talk about what is creatine. Let's cover off on that because I think it's important. Creatine is actually a natural compound that your body makes in the liver and the kidneys. And you also get it from food like meat and fish. And most of it ends up in muscles, but the brain and the other organs have it as well. Now, inside the cells, creatine helps to make something which is called phosphoratine. And what this does is it works with an enzyme called creatine canasi to quickly make ATP, which is the main fuel that your cells use. So when energy demand is high, creatine helps refill ATP faster than any other system can. So why does energy supply matter? Because your body uses ATP in all high demand situations. Hard exercise. When you're thinking hard, staying awake for a long time, and stress, creatine actually acts like a buffer. It keeps energy supply stable so that cells don't run out of fuel. Keep that in mind. That's really important. Because without enough creatine or good energy buffering, our muscles tire quicker than expected. The brain can really struggle as well. And that may show up as slower thinking or even more mental fatigue. Now let's have a look at creatine beyond the muscle. Remember creatine plays a big role in how our cells make energy. Cells. Not muscles, cells. Alright? Because most people take creatine to improve that exercise performance, and that's initially how it was introduced. And I've had Steve Jennings on the podcast, and I haven't released the episode yet, who's the original man who got creatine into the Olympic Games as a sports performance supplement. That's well studied and it's very, very generally supported. But creatine may also help the brain. Because some research is showing that creatine can support brain energy use during sleep deprivation. In fact, in one study, a single high dose helped to maintain energy markers and cognitive performance after long periods without sleep. High shift workers. A single high dose helped to maintain energy markers and cognitive performance after long periods without sleep. Other studies suggested that creatine could actually help maintain ATP balance during a task that demanded a lot of mental energy. Like complex thinking, or when the brain is under stress. Like what about critical incidents, or when you're working in hospitals and it's coat-coating all the time, or you're in an emergency department, or you're in the police and you're involved in a lot of incidents one after the other, or paramedics attending stressful jobs. Think about that. Your brain is under stress. So the idea is not that creatine is a magic pill for thinking, but what it does is it keeps basic energy systems running as they're being pushed harder. So what does this actually mean for you, the shift worker? Well, you're working nights, you face sleep loss, you juggle high mental and physical demands. So creatine might just help with your cells cope with energy and stress, especially during long shifts or when you're tired. High shift workers, night shifters. Now this will never, and I want to be clear, it doesn't replace a good sleep or a routine. You can't be burning the candle at both ends. But it may just be a tool for you to consider along with good sleep habits, nutrition, and hydration. So what is the safety of this? And what's the dose? Standard doses that we use in the muscle and brain research are around about three to five grams a day. Grams. What that is, usually in your creatine container, will be one scoop, one flat scoop. Now some studies use higher doses, but you should probably discuss that with your health professional. And speaking of health professionals, some doctors will actually challenge clients when they do a urine test because of the level of creatinine in their urine, and they say, Oh, you're taking creatine, it's affecting your levels of creatinine in your urine, so therefore you need to stop taking it. That is bollocks. Creatine does increase the level of creatinine in your urine because it is a byproduct of the creatine actually being used. So high levels of creatinine show that you're actually taking creatine. And I hope that makes it clear. It's not impacting, it's a byproduct. That's all it is. Keep that in mind. And remember, doctors only spend a few hours on nutrition. They don't fully understand it. It's important that I'm very clear that creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied supplements. And for most people, most people, it is safe at normal doses. But what I would do is I would speak to a clinician if you have kidney issues or any other health concerns just to make sure. But if you have no two normal functioning kidneys, creatine is perfectly safe. How can you take it? Any way you can get it in. When do you take it? Any time of the day, as long as you just keep taking it every single day. Creatine is not something that you cycle on and off. Creatine is something that you take and you take every day for the rest of your life. And when we have, and particularly as a female, females have lower creatine score stores, and it's more important for females to take it. And in fact, clients of mine that are taking creatine are learning and finding that they've actually got more energy. Of course they have. Because the energy currency of the cell has been accelerated and it helps. Keep it in mind, you've got nothing to lose by trying it. I've been taking 10 grams of creatine for the last five years. 10 grams every day for the last five years. Love it. Wouldn't go without it. And Melissa, my partner, does exactly the same. And we both find it tremendous. So keep in mind, creatine is not just for bodybuilders, it's actually part of a core system that your cells use to make energy. And that matters everywhere. Not just muscle for people, it's not a steroid muscle. It works in the muscles, the brain, the heart, and even more. Everywhere there's a cell, it's accelerating the energy currency in the cell. So for shift workers where sleep and energy balance is consistently challenged, understanding how creatine works gives you another awesome piece of the puzzle for staying sharp on those long days. If there's any supplements you should be taking, creatine should be on the top of your list. Thanks for listening. And if you want more evidence-based ideas about nutrition and performance under stress. Down in the show notes is a link to a free 15-minute call. Let's have a conversation. 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 ahealthyshift.com. I'll catch you on the next one.