Episode 231

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Published on:

27th Aug 2026

Nobody Told You This About Creatine

You might think creatine is a bodybuilder's steroid you have to cycle, load, and fear for your kidneys, but it's a compound your own body already makes from three amino acids, with one of the deepest safety records in all of nutrition science. The problem isn't the creatine; it's the noise around it.

In this solo episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon discusses:

  • Why the bump creatine causes in your creatinine lab value is a metabolic artifact, not a sign of kidney damage in healthy people
  • Where the hair-loss fear came from. A single unreplicated study in one rugby player showing a 56% DHT rise, and why no research has ever directly linked creatine to hair loss
  • How men and women respond differently (roughly 1.5 kg of lean mass in men vs. about a third of a kilogram in women), and why women still gain real strength, grip, cognition, and recovery
  • Why you can't realistically eat your way to 5 grams a day: it would take 2.5 to 3 pounds of cooked meat and fish daily, so a single scoop closes the gap
  • The protocol: 3–5 grams of plain monohydrate every day, no loading phase, no cycling, timing barely matters

Muscle is your organ of longevity, the tissue that clears most of the glucose in your bloodstream and defends your metabolism as you age. Creatine won't build it for you, but it raises the ceiling on the work you can do, so the training that protects that muscle pays off more. Understanding what's real and what's fearmongering is the difference between avoiding a proven tool and using it well.

Studies & References

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Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

02:47 - What Creatine Is and Isn't

03:24 - The Phosphocreatine Energy System

04:22 - Lean Mass: Water and Training Capacity

05:08 - Men vs Women Respond Differently

06:29 - Vegans, Older Adults, and Sarcopenia

07:11 - Creatine and the Brain

08:53 - The Real Safety Profile

09:31 - The Kidney and Creatinine Myth

09:57 - The 56% DHT Hair Loss Claim

10:37 - Contraindications and Screening

12:19 - Why You Can't Eat Enough Creatine

14:26 - Muscle-Centric Medicine

16:44 - How to Dose It Correctly

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Disclaimers: This episode includes paid sponsorships.

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked from this podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professional for any such conditions.

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About the Podcast

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show
The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show promotes a healthy world, and in order to have a healthy world, we must have transparent conversations. This show is dedicated to such conversations as the listener; your education, understanding, strength, and health are the primary focus. The goal of this show is to provide you with a framework for navigating the health and wellness space and, most importantly, being the champion of your own life. Guests include highly trustworthy professionals that bring both the art and science of wellness aspects that are both physical and mental. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is a Washington University fellowship-trained physician who serves the innovators, mavericks, and leaders in their fields, as well as working closely with the Special Operations Military. She is the founder of the Institute of Muscle-Centric Medicine® and serves patients worldwide.