Ask Me Anything: Creatine, Lifting Heavy, and Hashimoto’s in Menopause

If you’ve ever wondered how to take creatine, whether lifting heavy is still safe, or how supplements like creatine fit into thyroid health, this one’s for you.

In this Ask Me Anything episode of The Menopause Method Podcast, Cam Allen answers real questions from women 45+ navigating menopause, muscle loss, and midlife metabolism changes.

You’ll learn:

• How to split your creatine dose for best results
• Why you still need creatine on non-workout days
• How to adjust your lifting routine for longevity
• The connection between creatine and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
• Why recovery is the missing piece in most midlife fitness plans

✔ Link to creatine episode https://youtu.be/_JzHtIelOvk, 

✔ Link to muscle =longevity episode https://youtu.be/9fFboJbxR7Q, 

✔ Link to Menopause Minis: 10-Minute Strength Workouts https://www.camoyler.com/meno-minis

✔  Link to creatine study https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7996722/ 

✔ Link to this podcast. Question 2 about lifting heavy came from this episode: https://peterattiamd.com/trainingforlongevity/?utm_source=podcast-feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=250922-pod-trainingforlongevity&utm_content=250922-pod-trainingforlongevity-podfeed

Chapters: 
00:00 Midlife Fitness & Creatine Q&A
04:16 Creatine: Daily Consistency Matters
07:20 Midlife Fitness: Tune Into Yourself
12:36 Creatine and Thyroid Health
13:44 Midlife Fitness with Paws Minis

Transcript

0:00

Today's episode are real questions from real women just like you. This is part of my Ask Me Anything series. I actually do these live twice a month inside my group Move the Dao Method. So if you ever want to join those conversations in real time, check the show notes and I'd love to see you inside. Hey there. I'm Cam Allen and welcome back to the Menopause Method. I love doing these kind of episodes because they are straight from you. Real questions, real life, real things, all the crazy stuff you see on social media. We are women in midlife trying to figure this out. And when it comes to fitness, hormones, health, I got answers for you. And if you ever have a question, email me or send me a message on Instagram. I literally read every single message. And guess what? Your question might make it into an episode just like this. Okay, today we're tackling three big ones. More questions about creatine. How to take creatine? If you're taking 10 grams a day, what do you do on rest days? Do you still take creatine? Also, how heavy is too heavy when it comes to lifts like squats and deadlifts in midlife? And finally, is creatine safe for Hashimoto's? Each one of these questions ties to an earlier episode. So all those episodes will also be linked in the show notes if you want to dig in deeper. Okay, let's go. Question number one. Taking creatine in midlife. Listener question. So I got this one in my email. If we're taking 10 grams of creatine, how do we dose it? I put it in a big tumbler of hot tea with my collagen peptides and I sip on it before and after CrossFit. On non workout days, do I take the same dose? FYI, I think it tastes like 10. But first of all, I love this because you're already doing so many things right. And yes, that slightly metallic 10 taste is real. You're not imagining it. I would make sure you read the back of your package and make sure it says creatine monohydrate and nothing else. We don't want any weird additives, colors, flavors, nothing. Just plain straight creatine. But here's the short version. I too take 10 grams of creatine a day. I split that into 5 gram doses. So the first dose is in my coffee with also my collagen. And honestly, I drink coffee all morning. So I drink it before, during and after my workout. Now, we do know that the muscle takes up creatine better after you use them. So surrounding your workouts with protein and creatine are very helpful. Like you're double dipping, if you will. You're making your efforts count even more. And those little things really matter when it comes to midlife. So on workout days, I'll mix the 5 grams into my coffee and then I'll take another 5 grams later in the day. Now on that one, I just mix my water and I carry it around with me all day. I do want to clear up one of the biggest creatine myths that I do hear on the Internet. You don't have to keep it away from caffeine. Earlier studies suggested caffeine might interfere with the creatine absorption, but that's been debunked. Don't get into the weeds on that. Unless you're super sensitive to caffeine, it's completely fine to have both at the same time. Just be sure to hydrate well. That's all you need to know. I love the way you're pairing it with collagen. That combo supports your muscle and your connective tissue. And that's really important when it comes to menopause. When collagen and creatine both naturally decline at this stage of life, it makes a lot of sense to supplement them. So here's how I think about it. Five grams is for my muscles and the other five grams is for my brain. Okay. You also asked about taking creatine on rest days. What about non workout days? Do you take the same dose? And the answer is absolutely yes. And here's why. Creatine doesn't work by timing or spikes like other supplements, like caffeine, for example. It actually works by saturation. You're filling your muscles and your brain with energy over time and you're keeping those levels steady. And that's what matters the most. So yes, even on rest days, your body is still repairing, rebuilding, and producing energy. And actually, that's when a lot of the recovery happens are the days between your workouts. So, yes, you still need creatine on those days too. So what I do and what I recommend to my clients is keep it the Same total dose, 10 grams a day, split it into two 5 gram servings, five around your workout or five in the morning and then five later in the day. The timing isn't so critical, but you might as well have it around your workouts to get that extra bonus. But what is critical when it comes to creatine is actually consistency. Because guess what? Your body doesn't take a rest day. From being you. If creatine upsets your stomach, try taking it in like 3 gram doses because some people do have upset stomachs from creatine. Just take the 10 grams, but you're gonna have to spread it out over maybe three doses. If you missed my deep dive on this episode, go back and listen to about creatine in midlife and your fitness routine. I cover all the myths and the benefits and what makes it one of the smartest supplements for women over 45. Okay, question number two. How heavy is too heavy? Here's the question. How do you know how much weight is too much for back squats? My one mar max is 150 and deadlifts. One rep max is 175. After listening to this podcast, we went, huh? We're not getting any younger and we want to prevent injuries. Every now and then we tweak our backs by picking up tissues. And I have a piriformis muscle that gets achy sometimes at night. We are both in the mindset do no harm. This is such a good question and I love that phrase, do no harm. Now, this question actually came from people I know in real life and they are still crossfitting. I knew them, you know, 10 years ago and they're still doing it. I agree with you. Do no Harm is a perfect example of how our midlife mindset shifts from how much can I lift, how hard can I go, how long can I lift to do no harm? And by the way, your one rep maxes are very impressive. Seriously, that is so strong. And at this stage, strength training is totally about longevity, not about proving something to someone, including yourself. So here's what I tell my clients. In midlife, your form is your superpower. That's really important. We need to know how to squat. We need to know how to do body weight squats so we can get up and out of a chair and use the bathroom. All the things. So here's the framework I teach my clients. You got to do the form is first. And when you are lifting, lifting heavy for you and heavy for you changes every single day because of sleep, hydration, nutrition, and all the things that happen to us in midlife. Think about training like 70 or 80% of your full effort most days. That's called your RPE. It's your rate of perceived exertion. So perceive that's your opinion. Like how? What is my effort today? One of the things about midlife fitness is totally tuning into yourself. And just because you can do that weight doesn't mean you should do that weight. I encourage you to stop your sets when your form starts to break down. It's a good idea to film yourself. I film myself often. I also think it's a really good idea to rotate single leg exercises so like split squats or reverse lunges to protect your back and really build the balance. And you'll probably notice that your right side and your left side don't exactly feel the same. So I am not against squatting or deadlifting, but I am against getting injured and being out of the game for a long time. So use a light to moderate weight. Use that 70 to 80% of your max for the day. Kind of use that as a gauge. And if anything feels off or you feel like your form is falling, it's okay to drop the load, focus on control, or do a totally different movement, because I know that that's okay too. I call this training for your future self. Estrogen really helps us with recovery and our connective tissue and all that. And when it's lower in post menopause, it takes longer to bounce back. And that's not a weakness. That's just like what's happening to us. We don't want to be out of the game. When you're in menopause or post menopause, estrogen, which helps repair your muscle and your connective tissue, is lower, you need more recovery time. So I know you two and it's okay that the workout on the board is just a suggestion and it's okay to do something different. Recovery is part of your training. If you and your workout partner keep getting these weird little injuries and then you're out of the game, that's your body saying, hey, you know what? I think I need a different strategy. So I will link the podcast in the show notes that they sent me. They're the one that have them scratching their head. It's a really great discussion, a roundtable discussion about balancing strength and hormones and aging well. And. And let's be honest, the goal isn't to beat your younger self. Not anymore. Maybe it used to be, but it's not anymore. The goal is really to stay strong enough to live your life fully. So before your next set, ask, can I do this? Well, and can I do this again next week? Like, really ask yourself. That's the real measure of strength. Question number three, creatine and Hashimoto's. I got this email. How does creatine affect those with Hashimoto's? This one is a great one because thyroid health and energy are so Connected. Here's what we need to know. Creatine supports your body's ability to make and recycle energy. It's the energy of your cells. It's called ATP. And when you have Hashimoto's, your thyroid slows that process down a bit. Now I want you to hear this. Creatine doesn't fix your thyroid hormones, but it does help your cells use energy more efficiently. I don't have Hashimoto's, but I do have hypothyroidism. And I feel so much better when I'm consistent with my creatine. A trusted mentor of mine explained it this way. Assuming your creatine is high quality, third party, tested, free of crapola, and it is actually beneficial for a wide range of clients, including anyone in midlife, including people with autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto's. It can be supportive because it helps you with so many things. One, it helps with something called methylation. That's your body's ability to detox and repair these pathways. Methylation is a big deal. Two, it can actually help your immune system stay balanced. Amazing. That's really great. Number three, brain health, especially for energy focus and cognitive support. I totally notice my brain works better when I'm consistent with my collagen. But again, to be clear, this is not a treatment for Hashimoto's. We can't make those claims. But when it's used correctly, it's far less likely to cause harm than many other trendy supplements. There's even some research that creatine may help regulate parts of the immune system by downregulating toll like receptors which play a role in inflammation. That's amazing. If you want to read that study, I will also link that in the show notes. Remember, this listener is also new to lifting weights. And that's another reason why creatine helps. It improves your strength, your muscle retention, which is like your metabolisms. 401K. It helps with recovery, especially when your energy is low. And having thyroid. I know what that feels like. Being a midlife woman. I bet you know what that feels like. So here's the big picture. Creatine isn't just safe for women with Hashimoto's. It can actually be a supportive ally for your muscle, brain and your immune health. Sounds like a winner to me. Just make sure your thyroid, medication and labs are all stable. Of course. Drink plenty of water because creatine actually pulls water into your cells. So I do notice I am more thirsty, which drinking more water is one of the ways you detox. So it just makes me drink more water. Think of it like this. Thyroid kind of sets the thermostat of your body, which is the temperature, and creatine makes sure it keeps the lights on. And if you want a deeper dive, make sure you listen to the creatine episode, which is also linked below. That episode goes into how creatine supports both muscle and brain health, two things women with thyroid and just in midlife often struggle with. So in closing we covered a lot today and I love the question so keep em coming. Yes, take 10 grams of creatine daily. Split it into two 5 gram doses. If it bothers your belly, split them into even smaller doses. Maybe like three grams three times a day. Take it even on rest days. Train smart, not scared. It's not about maxing out anymore. It's about moving with intention and mixing it up and doing some single leg stuff. That's why I love dumbbells, because you can do single leg stuff. And finally, creatine can safely support women with thyroid issues. If you found this episode helpful, please like and share it helps me get the word out to more women. And of course, if you have any questions, hit me up on Instagram or send me an email. I literally read every single one. I love hearing from you. And if you're ready to start building strength that works with your body, not against it, you got to check out the men at Paws Minis. These are 10 minute strength workouts designed for women to rebuild muscle when energy is not always available and you don't get burned out. Midlife fitness isn't about doing more, it's about doing what matters most and doing it with partnership with your body instead of fighting it. Thanks for listening and I'll see you next week on the Menopause Method.