Creatine & Collagen: The Good, The Bad & The Marketing

Is it just me, or do you feel in the last year or so, there has been this huge push on supplements? Especially Creatine and Collagen?  They have become the modern fountain of youth.

The supplement culture has wrapped itself so tightly around fitness, aging and physical beauty, it’s a lot to take in.-What used to be marketed heavily to  Men for muscle performance and physique, is now being strategically aimed at us  women.

I personally care about all the things.

I care about muscle mass, I care about aging well and I care about brain health. I read a lot about them all, so when I hear you being told that if you are not taking supplements, and multiple powders, your brains, skin and muscle are all going to shrivel up, I get mad because it’s so not true. 

Today I’ am going to give you the good, bad and the marketing on Creatine & collagen AND  are we Optimizing?or are we being Optimized? Meaning; are you making intentional choices to improve your health-,or are you being subtle shaped by marketing, fear, and influence to buy products you may not actually need. In other words, are YOU In Control of your wellness decisions, or are your insecurities being strategically targeted and monetized.

Creatine has been around a very long time . Creatine was discovered in 1832 by a French chemist- so it’s not new- and it’s not just a tiktok craze. It has been studied heavily since the 1990’s and is one of the most researched supplements in sports science.

Your body makes creatine naturally.

 Your body produces Creatine in the liver, kidneys and pancreas and is primarily stored in your muscles- 

 Creatine is used to produce quick energy- especially during short bursts of high intensity activity like lifting weights.

Creatine pulls water INTO your muscle cells which makes your muscles look slightly bigger and fuller.

If you want creatine from food- you can get it naturally from:

*red meat- beef especially

*pork

*salmon

*tuna

Animal tissue contains creatine also.

Vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower muscle creatine stores because plant foods do not contain creatine- So supplementation is more prominent.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body-it acts as a structural support protein- forming the framework that gives strength , firmness, and elasticity  to your: 

*skin

*tendons

*ligaments

* cartilage

* and collagen adds structure to your bones

Structure- is the physical scaffolding that holds tissues together and gives them shape and stability. Collagen is what helps your skin stay firm, your joints to stay supported and your connective tissues stay strong.

 It's  important for you to understand that collagen cannot be your primary source of protein. You will face an amino acid deficiency- and you can’t build  or repair muscle tissue effectively using a collagen supplement alone.

Collagen marketing is emotional:

Strong, capable Men & women are being subtly convinced that they are deteriorating faster than they are.

Remember, thriving doesn’t start from man-made powders- it starts with good daily habits- and your habits are free.

Creatine and collagen are Not Villains nor are they magic.

They are Not dangerous

And they are not mandatory

They are a choice, an option, and options are empowering when they are chosen & not pressured.

The Good news is we are not going to die if we take them- and we aren’t going to deteriorate if we don’t.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- A LifeStyle Medicine Podcast

(949) 236-1529

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