New Research Reveals Surprising Benefits of Creatine for Women's Health
Creatine for Women: A Game-Changer in Reproductive Health
Creatine: Not Just for Muscle Building
While creatine is often associated with bodybuilding and athletic performance, recent research suggests it may have significant benefits for women's reproductive health.
Key Takeaways:
A study published in Food Science & Nutrition shows a link between creatine intake and improved reproductive health in women
Women consuming at least 13mg/kg of creatine daily experienced fewer reproductive issues
Benefits include reduced pelvic pain and improved menstrual cycles
The study used data from NHANES, a large-scale national health survey in the US
The Science Behind the Benefits
The study, led by renowned researcher Abbie-Smith Ryan, analyzed data from NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey). It found that women who consumed higher levels of creatine had:
Lower incidence of pelvic pain
Fewer cases of dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
Overall reduced reproductive health issues
These benefits were observed in females from age 12 and up, suggesting that creatine's positive effects span a wide age range.
How Much Creatine Should Women Take?
Based on the study and expert recommendations:
Aim for at least 13mg of creatine per kilogram of body weight daily
A general recommendation is 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day
Creatine can be taken as a powder or in gummy form
Why Consider Creatine Supplementation?
Potential improvement in reproductive health
Well-established benefits for muscle strength and exercise performance
Generally considered safe when taken as recommended
The Bottom Line
This research opens up new possibilities for managing and improving women's reproductive health. While more studies may be needed to fully understand the mechanisms at play, the potential benefits of creatine for women extend far beyond its traditional use in fitness.
As always, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions or concerns.
Remember, whether through diet or supplementation, ensuring adequate creatine intake could be a simple yet effective way to support your overall reproductive health.
Beyond the Stereotypes: Identifying and Treating Eating Disorders in Adults
In this episode of Medicine 3.0, Dr. Catherine Isaac sits down with Dr. Rebecca Berens, a board-certified family medicine physician and founder of Vita Family Medicine in Houston, Texas, to explore a topic that is often misunderstood and underdiagnosed in clinical practice: adult eating disorders.
While eating disorders are typically associated with adolescence, they are increasingly present—and frequently missed—among adults. Dr. Berens brings a unique perspective to this discussion, blending her clinical expertise with personal lived experience and a deeply weight-inclusive approach to care.
Reframing What We Think We Know
As Dr. Berens explains, most clinicians and patients still carry outdated stereotypes of what an eating disorder "looks like." These misconceptions often lead to missed diagnoses, delayed treatment, and harm caused by well-intentioned but misinformed care.
Among the key takeaways:
Many individuals with anorexia are not underweight
Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the U.S.
Disordered eating is widespread, normalized, and often undetected in primary care settings
Disordered Eating vs. Eating Disorders
One of the central themes in this episode is the distinction between disordered eating and diagnosable eating disorders. Disordered eating often exists on a spectrum and may not meet strict DSM-5 criteria, but still carries serious physical and psychological consequences. This includes chronic dieting, food avoidance, excessive “clean eating,” or rigid fasting practices that disrupt daily life.
Dr. Berens shares simple screening tools like the SCOFF questionnaire to help clinicians identify high-risk behaviors and initiate conversations that are compassionate, non-judgmental, and clinically useful.
Medical Complications and Misdiagnosis
Eating disorders don’t just affect mental health—they can compromise multiple body systems. Dr. Berens details how restrictive eating patterns, binge cycles, and purging behaviors can lead to:
Osteopenia and osteoporosis
Sarcopenia (muscle loss)
Amenorrhea and hormone disruption
Bradycardia and orthostatic hypotension
GI symptoms frequently misdiagnosed as IBS
She also emphasizes how many common conditions, including ADHD and PCOS, intersect with eating disorders in ways that are frequently overlooked.
Creating Safe, Weight-Inclusive Care
The episode challenges providers to move away from weight-centric care and toward a more individualized, evidence-based model. Dr. Berens outlines how to:
Avoid re-traumatizing patients through weight-based messaging
Shift clinical conversations toward health behaviors, not body size
Build trust with patients who may have avoided care due to weight stigma
Recommended Resources
Dr. Berens shares helpful tools for clinicians and patients alike, including:
The Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause: A Conversation with Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein
"Why do my joints suddenly hurt?" "Is this frozen shoulder connected to my hot flashes?" If you're a woman in your 40s or 50s experiencing mysterious joint pain, you're not alone—and it's not just aging. In this eye-opening episode of Medicine 3.0, host Catherine Isaac delves into the hidden connection between menopause and joint pain with Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein, orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Duke Health. They uncover the surprising truth about the "musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause" that affects millions of women but remains largely unrecognized in clinical practice.
Understanding Musculoskeletal Changes During Menopause
As women transition through perimenopause and menopause, the decline in estrogen levels triggers significant changes in the musculoskeletal system that many women—and even healthcare providers—may not recognize as being connected to hormonal shifts.
Dr. Wittstein explains that these changes fall into three main categories:
Increased Inflammation: Women experience more painful, inflamed joints and an accelerated rate of arthritis development. A prime example is frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis), which almost exclusively affects women aged 40-60.
Accelerated Bone Density Loss: During menopause, the rate of bone density loss increases from 1% to 2% annually, significantly raising the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
Muscle Mass Challenges: With declining estrogen levels, it becomes more difficult to maintain and build muscle mass, leading to sarcopenia (muscle loss).
The Menopause-Arthritis Connection
Dr. Wittstein describes what she calls "menopause arthritis" as existing somewhere between mechanical wear-and-tear osteoarthritis and purely inflammatory arthritis. The combination of aging joints and increased inflammation creates a unique scenario where women have a 30% higher risk of developing osteoarthritis around age 50—a risk men don't experience until about age 80.
Estrogen receptors exist in the synovium (the tissue lining joints), and studies show that estrogen withdrawal increases inflammation while estrogen therapy can reduce joint pain and inflammation. Interestingly, Dr. Wittstein notes that even though 77% of women in the Women's Health Initiative reported joint pain, and hormone therapy reduced both the number and severity of painful joints, joint pain is not currently an FDA-approved indication for menopausal hormone therapy.
Frozen Shoulder: The "50-Year Shoulder"
Frozen shoulder deserves special attention as it disproportionately affects women during the menopausal transition. Dr. Wittstein explains that this condition:
Usually occurs without injury or trauma
Begins with aching that progresses to significant pain and stiffness
Can take up to two years to resolve completely
Is so common in menopausal women that some cultures have termed it the "50-year shoulder"
The condition is so strongly associated with hormonal changes that when Dr. Wittstein sees a man with frozen shoulder, she screens him for diabetes, as that's typically the only context where men develop this condition.
Treatment Approaches
For frozen shoulder, Dr. Wittstein emphasizes early intervention:
Steroid injections into the joint can be "magical" when administered within the first three months of symptom onset
Physical therapy may worsen symptoms if attempted during the painful inflammatory phase
For severely "frozen" shoulders that limit daily activities, surgical intervention may be necessary
Dr. Wittstein also discusses the complex relationship between menopause and musculoskeletal health, emphasizing two factors under individual control:
Exercise: A balanced approach that includes:
Strength training (resistance exercises) to support muscle and bone health
Cardiovascular activity for heart and brain health
Impact exercises (like jumping) to stimulate bone density
Balance training to prevent falls
Diet: An anti-inflammatory approach focusing on:
Minimizing red meat, fried foods, and processed foods
Including at least 25 grams of fiber daily from whole grains
Consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant properties
Incorporating omega-3 fatty acids from fish, walnuts, and chia seeds
Resources for Further Learning
For those looking to learn more about maintaining musculoskeletal health during menopause, Dr. Wittstein recommends:
The Complete Bone and Joint Health Plan - Dr. Wittstein's own book co-authored with registered dietician Sydney Nitskorsky, providing comprehensive guidance on nutrition and exercise for bone and joint health.
The M Factor - A recommended film about menopause that provides additional context and education.
Ortho Info - A patient-friendly resource from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery offering guidance on various orthopedic conditions.
The Takeaway
This episode highlights how the musculoskeletal impacts of menopause remain underrecognized despite affecting millions of women. Dr. Wittstein's expertise sheds light on why women experience particular joint, bone, and muscle challenges during this life stage and offers practical strategies for maintaining musculoskeletal health through the menopausal transition and beyond.
By understanding these connections and taking proactive steps with exercise, nutrition, and appropriate medical interventions when needed, women can better navigate the musculoskeletal challenges of menopause and maintain mobility and function for years to come.
Episode Timestamps
For easy reference, here are key moments from the conversation:
02:33 - Definition of musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause and its three main categories
05:27 - Explanation of menopause arthritis vs. other types of arthritis
10:07 - Dr. Wittstein's explanation of frozen shoulder
12:14 - Why frozen shoulder predominantly affects women
24:03 - Treatment options for frozen shoulder (steroid injections)
31:41 - Discussion about muscle loss during menopause
33:11 - Connection between muscle mass and bone density
39:42 - Explanation of hip bursitis and prevention strategies
45:21 - Anti-inflammatory diet recommendations
48:41 - Resources for further learning about musculoskeletal health
Listen to the full episode of Medicine 3.0 with Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein to learn more about managing musculoskeletal health during menopause.
If you're looking for something fast, flavorful, and packed with protein—this Buffalo Chicken Loaded Sweet Potato is your answer. With minimal ingredients and almost no hands-on time, it's the kind of recipe you can throw together with pantry and fridge staples. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, quick lunch, or even meal prep.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make one serving:
1 medium sweet potato
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
1–2 tablespoons buffalo sauce (adjust to your spice preference)
2–3 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
Garlic powder, salt, pepper, and parsley
Feta cheese (or your favorite cheese)
Optional: chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
1. Bake the sweet potato Wrap the sweet potato in foil and roast at 400°F for 40–60 minutes, or until fork-tender. (You can microwave it in a pinch, but the oven gives a better texture and flavor.)
2. Prep the chicken While the sweet potato is roasting, shred your cooked chicken breast. Mix it with buffalo sauce, Greek yogurt, and a sprinkle of garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Load it up Once the sweet potato is cooked, slice it open lengthwise and fluff the inside with a fork. Pile on the buffalo chicken mixture, then top with crumbled feta, fresh parsley, and green onions if you have them.
Why You’ll Love It
High in protein
Minimal ingredients
Comforting with a healthy twist
Easy to double for meal prep
Pair it with a side salad or steamed greens for a balanced, satisfying meal.
Ready in under an hour with only a few minutes of hands-on time—this is comfort food, simplified.
