Most people have creatine filed away in their minds as a gym-bro powder — something bodybuilders choke down to look “cut” before a competition. And for a long time, that’s exactly how I thought about it too.

But here’s what I’ve come to realize (and now powerful studies back it up too), experimenting with creatine on myself since the 90s: creatine may have far more to do with your brain than your biceps.

In this episode, I break down what creatine actually is (hint — it’s not a protein), how it helps your cells recycle ATP, the energy currency your brain burns through faster than almost any tissue in your body, and why it may matter just as much for a 65-year-old staying sharp and independent as it does for a 25-year-old chasing a personal record.

I’ll also walk you through the three things I check on every creatine label before I buy — because this happens to be one of the most contamination-prone supplements on the shelf — and why I finally decided to formulate my own.

On this episode, you’ll learn:

• What creatine actually is — and why it’s a peptide, not a protein (00:07)
• Why bodybuilders took it before a competition, and why it was never about building muscle (01:16)
• The “magical” thing creatine does to your brain that has nothing to do with muscle (02:05)
• How creatine helps your mitochondria recycle ATP, your cells’ energy currency (02:21)
• Why your energy-hungry brain — not your muscles — may be the real reason to take it (02:54)
• How creatine supports focus, memory, and mental performance under stress, and why it matters more with age (04:08)
• The daily dose that’s held up for more than 30 years (04:37)
• Why creatine makes some people bloat, and the “half-scoop” trick so you don’t blow up like a toad (05:05)
• Why creatine is one of the most contamination-prone supplements out there (08:09)
• The 3 things to check on any creatine label before you buy (08:23)
• Why flashy forms like HCL and ethyl ester aren’t worth the extra money (08:37)
• The one thing creatine can’t do, and why I built MyoPeptide Complex around it (10:04)

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419: For Better Memory and Focus, Try this 5-Minute Morning Routine, says Jim Kwik

395: The Best Time to Take Supplements: What Actually Matters

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