Episode 77

full
Published on:

12th May 2025

Mamapalooza:: Creatine for women (mama AND baby!) from conception to postpartum with Dr. Stacey Ellery, PhD

Wellness girl chat with Dr. Stacey Ellery, a pregnancy physiologist from the Hudson Institute of Medical Research. 🤰 She shares her pioneering research on the impact of creatine during pregnancy and postpartum for both mothers and babies. 🍼 Learn how creatine supports energy production and the reproductive cycle, and explore its benefits for fetal development, labor, and postpartum recovery. This episode is a must-listen for women interested in the intersections of nutrition and reproductive health. 💪✨

Links::

https://www.hudson.org.au/researcher-profile/stacey-ellery/ 

https://creatineforhealth.com/

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00:00–01:58 Meet Dr. Stacey Ellery (includes intro)

01:59–06:18 Understanding Creatine's Role in the Body

06:19–08:16 Creatine and Female Reproductive Health

08:17–12:19 Creatine's Impact on Pregnancy and Postpartum

12:20–13:24 Creatine Supplementation: Benefits and Safety (Part 1)

13:25–14:15 Thorne Supplementation

14:16–24:23 Creatine Supplementation: Benefits and Safety (Part 2)

24:24–24:59 Understanding Creatine Safety During Pregnancy

25:00–27:05 Creatine's Potential Benefits for Women

27:06–29:34 Challenges in Pregnancy Research

29:35–32:22 Creatine Supplementation During Labor and Delivery

32:23–34:22 Creatine Levels and Pregnancy Trimesters

34:23–38:59 Creatine's Role in Early Pregnancy and Infertility

39:00–39:34 Stakt mat

39:35–43:06 Creatine in Postpartum and Infant Development

43:07–47:15 Personal Experiences with Creatine During Pregnancy

47:16–50:42 Final Thoughts and Resources

Mentioned in this episode:

Grab your very own Stakt Mat & Accessories for 10% off your order while also supporting the pod! (Thank you so much!):: https://shopstakt.com/?rave=DAW65UTUF4VNG7OV

Thorne Website:: https://s.thorne.com/Zgk7Y My Thorne Dispensary & Recs:: https://www.thorne.com/u/drkelsyvickdpt Message me for 35% off your Thorne orders!:: https://www.instagram.com/direct/t/17842574915346652

Transcript
Kelsy:

our guest today is someone whose research made my jaw drop in the best way.

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She's a pregnancy physiologist,

best known for her research on

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creatines effects during the pregnancy

and postpartum phases of life.

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On both Mama and Baby.

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She is the research group head for

the Bioenergetics and Reproduction

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Lab at the Hudson Institute of Medical

Research in Melbourne, Australia with

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a PhD in obstetrics and gynecology and

her bachelor's in biomedical science.

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Dr.

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Stacey Ellery.

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Welcome to Wellness Big Sis the Pod.

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Stacey Ellery: How are you

So lovely to be with you.

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Kelsy: I wanna throw it back

to the episode where I first

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found out about your research.

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Search with Dr.

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Katie Hirsch and , we talked about

creatine and its effects on a woman's

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body, and she casually mentioned that

there was this researcher out of Australia

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who was researching creatine's effects

during the perinatal phase of life.

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And I audibly gasped.

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I just couldn't believe that there was

someone out there researching on this like

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super important phase in a woman's life

and how something like creatine can help.

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So I'm just . So, so grateful for

the research you're doing, and I'm so

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grateful you agreed to come on because

I was so excited for this interview and

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to learn from you and just have everyone

else get to learn from you as well.

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So thank you so, so much.

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Stacey Ellery: it's my absolute pleasure.

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I absolutely appreciate the

opportunity to come and discuss

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our research in some ways.

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Still in its infancy when it

comes to looking at the benefits

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of creatine for women's health.

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But there are so many little Easter eggs

out there, which are pointing us towards

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really interrogating this 'cause it

could really be super, super important

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for women across the reproductive cycle.

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So I'm absolutely thrilled to be here

to discuss what we do know we don't

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know and what directions we're taking

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to, to fill those knowledge gaps.

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Kelsy: Let's start high level.

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We've covered creatine before in

this podcast, but I don't think we've

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even covered it from just like a

very basic grade level perspective.

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So what even is creatine and

what role does it play within

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our bodies, especially as women?

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Stacey Ellery: creating the take

home message is that it's involved in

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energy production within our cells.

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So it's an amino acid derivative.

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We find it in meat-based animal

products, but our body also

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synthesizes it and it's kind.

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A little magnet for

something called phosphates.

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So phosphates are the energy

currency within ourselves.

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Everyone may have heard of

adenosine tri phosphate, or a TP.

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That's the go-to energy

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molecule.

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for all of our cells.

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We need a TP to keep cells functioning and

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creatine plays a

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critical.

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role in

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storing the

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phosphates in our cells Are

needed to make that a TP.

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And so when creatine enters into

our cells, either being transported

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in from our blood system or some

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cells make

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it, it,

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holds onto a little

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phosphate and it

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just holds it tight

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and

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Lets the cell continue to make

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Energy

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Through its immediate pathway, which is

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that oxygen and

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glucose metabolizing oxidative

pathway that we all know about.

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But

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then when there are

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shifts in

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energy demand that creatine can

release that phosphate and it can

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be used to make a TP really quickly.

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And that's its important role

within the cell and that's why

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we start to hear some really,

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maybe

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even conflicting

information about creatine.

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We know it's important for skeletal

muscle and exercise performance, and now

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there's a lot of chatter about the brain

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and then I'm gonna sit

here today and tell you

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that it's really important for the

uterus and the ovary and the placenta

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and the baby and the skeptics out

there might be thinking like, hang on

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a second, this can't be some sort of

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wonder nutritional treatment that is

going to tackle all of these things

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and I.

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appreciate that skepticism, but if,

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we remember

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that it's about

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energy energy is

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critical across

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all of our cells, that is why

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creatine

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can potentially

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have a role and a

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benefit

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For multiple different issues.

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It's all about

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quick energy

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turnover.

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And the other thing about creatine

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in

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the context of

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energy

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which is really

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important to understand

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is it's the only pathway

that is easily manipulated.

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So if we have more

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creatine, and we

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can get more creatine,

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into the

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cell,

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We can store

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more of those phosphates

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but we can't necessarily

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store

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more a TP or store, more

other energy molecules

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within the

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cell.

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So that's why it's really important

too, because we can make it go

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up and make it go down

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through some pretty simple mechanisms.

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Kelsy: That is wonderful.

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I love that explanation.

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I've never even thought about it as like

a magnet for those phosphates in order

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to help our bodies create that ATP too

and, and have easier access to that.

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Which, yeah, like you said, ATP affects

all systems within our bodies and we need

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that energy for all systems in our bodies.

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So why, you know, thinking backwards,

why could creatine not also affect all

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of those systems within our body in such

a positive way and not be this sort of.

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Yeah, I, I don't want people to

think about it as just this, this

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external thing we're adding to our

bodies, because like you said, our

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bodies naturally produce it too.

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So it's not something

that is just external.

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That's another supplement we have

to add to our routine in order to

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maximize our health and wellness.

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You know, this is something that

is in our body naturally and helps

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multiple systems within our body.

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So, thinking about creatine like

that magnet and how it, from an

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overarching perspective helps our

energy levels and produce energy within

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our bodies for all sorts of cells.

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I couldn't help but also think of, I

guess the old saying that creatine is.

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Muscle fuel.

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And like you said, we think about

it with skeletal muscle, like our

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typically exercised muscles being,

oh, this is what creatine is good for.

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But now, like you said, we know it's

good for some of the neurological systems

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within our body, reaction, time, power.

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But I, as I was prepping for this episode,

I was also trying to shift my perspective

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towards your research and your expertise.

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Within the female reproductive system

and knowing that that is probably

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more of a smooth muscle system.

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And how does creatine actually

affect our, not only skeletal

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muscle system, but also that female

health and our female reproductive

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system, like in your research?

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Stacey Ellery: Yeah, so it all

comes down to cells needing enough

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energy to conduct their processes.

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And so for skeletal

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muscle obviously the processes

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that are really important are

those contractile functions.

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And there's a lot of creatin in

skeletal muscle cell because they

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have that high energy capacity

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and the need

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to do that for our reproductive tissues

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The easier To

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think about it is the regeneration.

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So

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if we think about

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the female reproductive cycle

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we have

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follicles developing every month

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and eventually.

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Releasing a mature oocyte.

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We have our, functional.

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Layer of the uterus

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growing

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and then

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shedding away,

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with the menstrual

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cycle

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And all of those processes are

super high energy demanding.

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and so that is where

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Creatine, comes into it

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so we've been

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able

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to show and others have shown that cells.

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they just have a high energy capacity

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because they're constantly turning over

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Do actually use

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creatine to

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help balance

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that energy

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requirement.

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So it's a bit of a

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shift

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in the thinking

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from what we traditionally

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Consider the role of creatine

where energy burst and

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contractile function

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It's more about

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tissue regeneration

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, and building and the

energy required to conduct

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those processes.

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Kelsy: I hadn't even thought about

the need for regeneration every month.

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Like that's, and the menstrual

cycle is a primary example.

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And I know we'll get into the

pregnancy postpartum, 'cause I know

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that's probably even more related

to some of, that regeneration and

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that turnover a little bit too.

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But I had never even thought about

it in that regard, so that's awesome.

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when

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Stacey Ellery: you think about it in a

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pregnancy.

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you're growing a whole

new little human being.

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You're growing a whole new

incredible organ simultaneously,

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which is supporting the development

of that new little person and

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conducting all

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. of the major organ

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systems that

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being the placenta.

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And so the, sheer amount of tissue

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development and generation that's

occurring through that process.

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In what is relatively a short

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period of time in

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That 40 weeks.

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Yeah.

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High energy demands and

cells really require

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to tap into

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all of their energy producing systems,

including creatine, metabolism.

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Kelsy: So when we're talking about

creatine and we'll, we'll talk about

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it through, let's say the female

reproductive system as our lens, but

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is there an increased benefit for

utilizing creatine during, let's say,

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different phases of our menstrual cycle

or different trimesters in pregnancy

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or even when you're trying to conceive

or in that postpartum phase, are there

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increased benefits of creatine utilization

throughout all of those phases?

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Stacey Ellery: Yeah, so it's a

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fantastic question and the answer

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is we're at different stages

of our understanding for

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those different elements

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And so

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we have a relatively good

understanding now that.

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I say, creatine is

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being used

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by different cells

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within the body throughout that process

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So we know

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creatine

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is used for the

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oo cyte during that maturation phase.

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We know that there's creatine

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in the uterine fluids around

the time of ovulation.

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sperm.

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love creatine.

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They have their

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very own little

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creatine

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transporter,

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that's not found on any other cell in the

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body To

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With their motility

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and their function

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with that key role.

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Of needing to get to the egg.

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. We know that there's creatine in the

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uterus

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the placenta, the developing fetus.

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what the research

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is still

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somewhat in

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its infancy is

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understanding,

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Exactly what role

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that creatine plays, whether

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if there's lower creatine than what we

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would anticipate, seeing is tied to,

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complications, whether that is with

conceiving or the development of

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complications during the pregnancy

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or.

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complications during labor.

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And then finally because

we can manipulate that

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creatine system quite

simply using nutritional

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supplements, is there a benefit

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And so in a

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nutshell, at the at the front so in that

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reproductive conception phase,

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we don't know

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much about.

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the potential benefits of a

creatine supplement at this

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point other than there was once.

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study looking In

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mice where they put creatine

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in the

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IVF medium and the

little sperm did better.

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They swam better and there was a

better rate of embryo production.

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But that's as far as

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we know in that space.

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In pregnancy, we've really been

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focusing on the benefits of a supplement

for the baby, if they're, is a

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complication due to oxygen deprivation.

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And we can touch on that

in a lot more detail.

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A little bit later on.

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Postpartum, We dunno very

much at all at this stage.

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And All a little bit all over the shop,

but we are working our way slowly through

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those different phases and yeah, I'm happy

to guide through, what we do know and what

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we don't know for each of those different.

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Very crucial time points in

a women's reproductive life.

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Kelsy: Definitely.

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And I think viewing it from,

like you said initially, that

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energy perspective rather than.

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I was thinking about it from a, like

you said, similar to skeletal muscle,

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like smooth muscle perspective.

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But if we think about it with the energy

demands on our reproductive system during

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this phase in our life, it's so, so great.

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Right?

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Like our bodies are going

through so, so much.

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So I think that even that

perspective shift helps.

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You guys formulate questions too and

hypotheses, but also helps me as someone

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who's learning about this for the first

time to understand it in a little bit.

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Of a better way and how it could

potentially be used for all

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of these different phases in

such a positive, positive way.

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So when we're talking about the creatine

that's naturally occurring within our

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body, and especially in our female

reproductive system, and some of

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those organs where you find creatine.

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How much of supplementation can

actually get to that area and

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affect that area positively?

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Or is there a maximum dose that might not

reach there or might go somewhere else?

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Stacey Ellery: Similar to tissues that

have been studied really intensively,

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so particularly skeletal muscle, it

does appear as if reproductive tissues

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there, there is a Capacity limit

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to how much creatine

that they will take up.

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And it really varies

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depending on the tissues.

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So

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in terms of the research,

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for us,

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the most we know is around

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the uterine tissue.

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During

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pregnancy.

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We know that we can

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increase uterine, creatine content with

a maternal supplementation by around 20%.

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in some ways that's similar to

skeletal muscle, but the caveat to

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that is that we don't know exactly

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How that creatine

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is being used and then

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whether with if the tissue was stressed

in a particular way, whether the.

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Tissue would do better with

that extra creatine there.

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So it does have the capacity to do it.

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We just don't know

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yet, What those

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using that creatine for.

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So that, that is ongoing

research for sure.

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Kelsy: so let's talk a little

bit about creatine's effects on

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fetal development, and especially

during high risk pregnancies or

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high risk situations for the baby.

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What have you guys found?

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That is a positive use of

creatine for fetal development.

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Stacey Ellery: Yeah, absolutely.

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So our focus has really been

looking at complications that

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arise during labor and delivery.

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It's a really devastating

complication called birth asphyxia.

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Thankfully it's not super common

in countries like the US and

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Australia In developing countries

where they don't have the level of

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obstetric monitoring necessarily

during pregnancy are still quite

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high.

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And basically it's a complication that can

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arise which causes a significant

drop in oxygen delivery to the,

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fetus.

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So that might be a.

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cord being compressed, the placenta

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coming away a little

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bit too early.

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Just a really long,

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and strenuous labor can, really start to

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challenge those energy

reserves of the little fetus.

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And, this oxygen

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deprivation it can be particularly

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devastating, For

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the fetal brain we can

get Brain injury that

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Can.

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Lead

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to the

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infant not surviving, but also

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long

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term neurological

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conditions such as

cerebral palsy And other,

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Neurological disadvantages.

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And so we approached this as

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creatine being a way of increasing the

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energy whilst the

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oxygen levels were

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low.

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And the cool thing

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about creatine was

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that, We could

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give mom a supplement.

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See if we could get that

into the fetal brain

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and just have it sit there in

case a complication arises.

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'cause this is the tricky thing about

birth complications, especially,

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you know, you can have the most

gloriously, uncomplicated, boring

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pregnancy and then in those final minutes

have something really tragic happen.

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And so.

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The creatine could sit there as an

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insurance policy,

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as a way that

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the fetus can continue to produce energy.

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If there's a complication that arises

where oxygen and nutrient delivery

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is

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shut off,

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and what we've found through animal

models particularly is that if

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we do increase.

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the

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fetal creatine levels,

particularly in the brain

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but also in other organs, and

then subject the fetus to oxygen

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deprivation at the time of birth.

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that the fetuses

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do much better.

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We have higher survival rates across

our mouse, and we also use sheep quite

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often for pregnancy research.

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We've looked

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Intricately at metabolism of The brain

the brain is doing much better at

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maintaining those oxygen levels.

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And then we don't see some of the

key complications associated with

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oxygen deprivation in the

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fetuses as well.

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So we see less seizures postnatally.

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We see better behavioral

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outcomes and better survival,

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as I said.

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So it's almost this idea of using

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creatine as an insurance policy.

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for these complications that arrive.

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I guess not too dissimilar to how

a lot of people use folate for, The

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potential development of spina bifida.

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you know,

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There's not a

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huge number of babies that will

have that complication, but we can

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use a safe and simple nutritional

intervention to safeguard against it.

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And our approach to

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using creatine

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for the fetus has been similar.

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Kelsy: That's funny that

you mentioned folate.

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:

'cause one of the things I got out of

one of my university courses was my

443

:

professor, not her specialty at all,

but she said everyone of childbearing

444

:

age should be taking a supplement with

folate in it because of this exact reason.

445

:

And I'm not sure if she had, a story

with this, or a reminder of this in

446

:

some way, but it was something, I think

it was a motor development course,

447

:

and I was just like, okay, from now

on, you know, it was funny, but for,

448

:

Stacey Ellery: cereals are now fortified

with folate for this particular reason,

449

:

so that, women of reproductive age we

don't need to necessarily think about it

450

:

too much in the lead up to the pregnancy

because it's been taken care of for us.

451

:

Yeah, we've been studying creatine in

a similar mindset to the folate story.

452

:

Kelsy: And thinking about

it as an insurance policy.

453

:

'cause that's exactly how folate

was presented to me, was like

454

:

a just in case sort of thing.

455

:

You know, like, oh, you

guys are in college.

456

:

You might not be trying to get pregnant

at this time, but just in case it can

457

:

help the baby's brain development too.

458

:

So thinking of creatine in that way.

459

:

A few questions based on some

of your research, Is there a

460

:

timing component to this creatine

for before labor and delivery?

461

:

And then you are saying that typically

the pregnancies leading up to labor and

462

:

delivery are healthy, and then all of

a sudden there might be something that

463

:

happens in these animal studies that

need the creatine that you guys have.

464

:

Enhanced in or increased the capacity

in their brains that they've then

465

:

had a more successful outcome after,

like it could be a completely normal

466

:

pregnancy up until that point, and then

they experience some sort of hypoxic

467

:

event to, to cause some of this.

468

:

Is that accurate?

469

:

Stacey Ellery: that's the

way we've been studying it.

470

:

There are certain pregnancy complications

which make the risk of those hypoxic

471

:

events during labor higher.

472

:

But they can occur through

any pregnancy and I.

473

:

in terms of what we've actually

been studying is we've just started

474

:

with a healthy pregnancy and then

a single acute hypoxic insult at

475

:

delivery as our starting point.

476

:

But we have done some really interesting

477

:

work looking at particularly

creatine in the placenta of.

478

:

Common pregnancy complications,

so your fetal growth

479

:

restrictions, your preeclampsia.

480

:

across the board we see in those

sort of chronic environments of

481

:

hypoxia and nutrient restriction

that tissues seem to try

482

:

and endogenously increase

their creatine levels.

483

:

So the placenta with

484

:

FGR has higher creatine.

485

:

The preeclamptic placenta

has higher creatine.

486

:

When we studied labor in women, so

healthy labors we see some interesting

487

:

associations between the labor length.

488

:

and the sort of energy intensity of

489

:

the labor and the amount of creatine

being delivered to the fetus.

490

:

we've got

491

:

insights from some of our studies to

suggest that the creatine might be more

492

:

beneficial for some

493

:

pregnancies over others,

494

:

But by

495

:

just studying healthy pregnancies and a

496

:

direct insult, We can say, okay it could

be potentially useful for everybody.

497

:

then if these other

498

:

complications arise we would just assume

that they would also be beneficial.

499

:

And we've got some evidence that,

you know, these tissues are turning

500

:

to creatine for energy production

during these complicated environments.

501

:

Kelsy: And it doesn't sound like it'll

harm anything if, even if you know, you

502

:

might not have the situation that benefits

from it as much as another situation.

503

:

It's not like it has this harmful

effect on the baby's development

504

:

or the labor and delivery.

505

:

Stacey Ellery: I'm so pleased you brought

506

:

that up because that is something from

the get go that we have been so super

507

:

conscious of is that, if we ever got

to the point where we were going to be

508

:

recommending creatine To everybody during

509

:

pregnancy, that safety profile

510

:

is.

511

:

Absolutely critical because, we

512

:

might be talking about a hypoxic insult

513

:

occurring to one baby in every a thousand.

514

:

So there's 99 babies there

that have been exposed.

515

:

to creatine for no obvious reason.

516

:

And in all of our

517

:

experimental designs, we've always

made sure that we have a group of

518

:

animals or tissue explants that

519

:

have been exposed to

520

:

creatine at the same level, but

just been allowed to successfully

521

:

go through with their healthy

522

:

pregnancy.

523

:

And really um, done our best to

interrogate what's happening.

524

:

And yeah, we don't see

525

:

Any variations in the development

of the fetus associated With

526

:

that exposure to creatine?

527

:

It's definitely something that we

528

:

continue to be focused on

529

:

and as we

530

:

move into human studies,

531

:

it's definitely at the top

532

:

of our priority list.

533

:

But at this

534

:

age We don't see anything, anything,

535

:

that concerns us.

536

:

And I think it's an interesting

point too because even in the

537

:

last five years, the number of women

of reproductive age that are taking

538

:

creatine has gone up substantially

because of our increased understanding of

539

:

the benefits

540

:

Not just for exercise performance,

but for mood and cognition,

541

:

especially those that are sleep

542

:

deprived.

543

:

people might be shift workers.

544

:

And so we have a lot of women

coming to us saying they

545

:

take creatine, they like creatine,

but they're wanting to get pregnant.

546

:

What do we know

547

:

about the safety profile?

548

:

For mine.

549

:

Even if our research, you know,

550

:

and hopefully it will,

but if it doesn't get

551

:

to the point where

creatine is recommended for

552

:

as a, you know, safeguarding pregnancy or

553

:

with a particular

pregnancy benefit in mind.

554

:

I think we're at a point in time

where it's absolutely integral that

555

:

we understand the safety of creatine

supplementation during pregnancy

556

:

for those women out there that

are taking it for other reasons.

557

:

Kelsy: So are the current recommendations

right now to not supplement with creatine

558

:

during pregnancy and postpartum, or Where

is that line sort of drawn right now?

559

:

And I'm sure it's different

country to country,

560

:

Stacey Ellery: Yeah, it's a little

bit different country to country.

561

:

It's the official recommendation

is to not take it.

562

:

But that's purely just a

position based on the fact that

563

:

there's not enough evidence to

564

:

say either way.

565

:

And everyone obviously is

on the side of caution.

566

:

And then remembering that creatine,

567

:

as you say, your body produces it.

568

:

you consume it.

569

:

If consuming animal products

particularly meat and fish you are

570

:

metabolizing, creatine

571

:

every day throughout your pregnancy.

572

:

You're likely consuming it if

you're on an omnivorous diet.

573

:

there really is.

574

:

no,

575

:

toxicity level associated with creatine.

576

:

But having said that,

577

:

you know, you wanna be

conscious of these things.

578

:

So at this point in time,

579

:

it's really a personal

decision and a conversation

580

:

to have with your healthcare provider.

581

:

And my stance is that there,

there's no evidence to

582

:

suggest

583

:

that a creatine supplement taken

584

:

in those dose ranges that are

recommended for other conditions.

585

:

between.

586

:

So

587

:

five and 20 grams a

588

:

day is likely to.

589

:

cause any concerns during pregnancy.

590

:

But we're still generating

evidence behind that.

591

:

Kelsy: And based on what we know about

the science behind creatine and how

592

:

it works in our body, why couldn't

we eventually get there one day?

593

:

to show it is super beneficial

for women in all of these phases

594

:

of our lives because even Dr.

595

:

Katie's episode, she mentioned creatine

loading in our luteal phase, . Pulling

596

:

in that phosphate, pulling in that extra

hydration into the muscles because in

597

:

our luteal phase, creatine, loading can

help with some of the recovery, power

598

:

generation, all of that kind of stuff.

599

:

So it's like, okay, wouldn't

that be great to be able to apply

600

:

that and have enough research?

601

:

Again, thanks to you guys to say

postpartum when sleep deprivation and

602

:

energy is just running a little bit lower.

603

:

if we can have that, Recommendation

and the research backing it up to

604

:

say, this is going to be so helpful

for you too, as a woman postpartum or

605

:

during any phase of, pregnancy labor

and delivery or postpartum experience

606

:

Stacey Ellery: absolutely.

607

:

And I think the tide is definitely

turning across all of those elements.

608

:

I.

609

:

You know, Intentionally neglected,

but I think people just didn't

610

:

really think about the way in

which our wonderful hormones,

611

:

particularly estrogen

612

:

that is, you know, so

critical in that they

613

:

need to, fluctuate

stages of the reproductive

614

:

cycle to, to run all these components

and ensure we have a healthy

615

:

pregnancy, but they

616

:

muck around with many different

elements of, the human body, so

617

:

our brain, our capacity to exercise,

all of those kinds of things.

618

:

And so there really does need to be a

focus on how we can understand those

619

:

processes to start with so that women

620

:

don't feel like they're on their own.

621

:

And they're,

622

:

like, why am I so tired

623

:

today?

624

:

Or, you know oh, I'm

postpartum, I feel like rubbish.

625

:

Is it just because I'm.

626

:

You know, There's something wrong with me.

627

:

No, it's not.

628

:

There's a lot going on inside your body

and it's all interacting with each other.

629

:

And so we need to understand those

630

:

interactions and if We can intervene

631

:

in a safe

632

:

and in an easy

633

:

way, Then, we should do that.

634

:

And we need to

635

:

acknowledge that research needs

to be done and that women, you

636

:

know, deserve a little bit of help

in those times that, are tricky.

637

:

They're really tricky.

638

:

Kelsy: And even trickier to study too

and get approval for all of that, as

639

:

I'm sure you're very familiar with too.

640

:

I'm a physical therapist and everything,

you know, you learn indications

641

:

and contraindications and basically

yellow flags and pregnancy is always

642

:

a contraindication or a yellow flag

where it's like, we don't know if

643

:

dry needlings because we don't wanna

test it and we don't wanna find out.

644

:

You know, it's more of this

cautionary approach where.

645

:

it's wonderful to have people like you

who are willing to go through that effort

646

:

to actually see where we can find benefit

and help women out in all of these phases

647

:

that are pretty demanding on our bodies.

648

:

Stacey Ellery: absolutely.

649

:

I think historically people were

trying to do the right thing,

650

:

like I just let them focus on the

pregnancy and let's not intervene.

651

:

And gosh, it would be horrible if

we did something and it adversely

652

:

impacted on the pregnancy.

653

:

But I think I.

654

:

now, if we sit back and reflect

655

:

on the last few decades,

at least of research, we

656

:

can kind of say, oh, actually, that

657

:

probably

658

:

wasn't the best

659

:

stance to, to take.

660

:

'cause now pregnant women are isolated

661

:

In many elements of medicine because we

just don't have the right understanding of

662

:

how different treatments or different

approaches to management of diseases.

663

:

and things.

664

:

Should be catered for in

665

:

pregnant

666

:

women.

667

:

'cause we have chosen

not to study in them.

668

:

So I think the tide is turning

669

:

a little bit.

670

:

And through my experience of working

with pregnant women is that they're just.

671

:

So generous with their time and

resources because, there's this

672

:

sense of we're all in this together.

673

:

I'm happy to help you out with

your research if it's gonna help

674

:

somebody else in the future.

675

:

So it's actually, it's a

beautiful community to work in.

676

:

And yeah it's fantastic that we

are now slowly starting to get the

677

:

opportunity to generate data in

pregnant women and really find answers

678

:

which are specific to their needs.

679

:

Kelsy: I always say I love being born in

this time period because I really do feel

680

:

like exactly as you said, the tides are

turning where women's health is becoming

681

:

a more mainstream topic and a topic that

a lot of people aren't shying away from.

682

:

And I love being in it and a part

of it and just learning about it.

683

:

So I'm with you.

684

:

I'm very grateful to be in this time

and to see this shift happening because

685

:

I think it's just super, super cool.

686

:

I mean, it was just probably not even.

687

:

five, six decades ago where strength

training wasn't even recommended

688

:

for women, where it was like, no, we

don't, we don't wanna stress your body.

689

:

I know.

690

:

So it's just, it's a fun time to be

alive and be a woman at this time and

691

:

learning about all of this and learning

about our bodies in a deeper way.

692

:

I wanna refer back to

some of your research.

693

:

On how and when to implement creatine

during that labor and delivery process?

694

:

Is it before?

695

:

Is there a timing and a dosage

component that you guys are

696

:

finding in these animal studies?

697

:

Stacey Ellery: We do around a

two week supplement prior to

698

:

birth in our animal studies.

699

:

So.

700

:

Being that, so for our mice,

two weeks is half of their

701

:

gestation.

702

:

For the sheep it's not a huge

amount of their full gestation

703

:

and they're around 165 days.

704

:

So, we took a

705

:

similar approach to

706

:

the more traditional sports

medicine exercise space where

707

:

there needs to be a loading

708

:

phase and sort of, we went

with that kind of two week

709

:

loading phase.

710

:

We don't have a great

711

:

understanding of whether we could

712

:

lower that.

713

:

And we are Trying to have

a think at the moment.

714

:

actually.

715

:

I'm on the fence a tiny bit of.

716

:

Does it matter if it's safe and

we can recommend it safe from

717

:

the second half of gestation?

718

:

Obviously accounting for the

fact that, we don't know when

719

:

we're going to have our baby.

720

:

Sometimes they decide to come a bit early,

and so we could say, oh, two weeks out

721

:

from term start taking creatine, and

then bubs decides to come the next day.

722

:

We've

723

:

kind of taken the

724

:

position of sort of

725

:

Focusing on the third trimester

726

:

in terms of understanding

what dose of creatine

727

:

to take,

728

:

and we are

729

:

just doing pharmacokinetics studies

in pregnant women at the moment.

730

:

We've just finished recruiting and

731

:

done a lot, all our measurements Sent

the data away to our, pharmacologists

732

:

to do all of the different dosing.

733

:

But at this stage, and it's not

734

:

published data yet, but

interestingly, we see that our

735

:

pregnant women in the

736

:

third trimester actually handle

737

:

a dose

738

:

of creatine in exactly the same way as

739

:

nonpregnant women.

740

:

So if they take five grams of

741

:

creatine, we see a peak in plasma

742

:

creatine around an hour and a

half, two hours later, and then it

743

:

slowly tapers away across

the next eight to 10 hours.

744

:

So we actually thought that it would

745

:

be quite different

746

:

in pregnancy because, you know,

747

:

there's way more blood

flowing around your body.

748

:

You've got.

749

:

fetus taking up, creatine, the placenta,

taking up creatine changes in gut motility

750

:

changes in kidney excretion function.

751

:

But no.

752

:

So The moment

753

:

it actually looks like

it's exactly the same.

754

:

And we are

755

:

heading down the path of validating that.

756

:

But At this point, it looks like the

recommendation of creatine doses in

757

:

pregnancy will likely look similar to

758

:

actually what people.

759

:

Use currently

760

:

for

761

:

exercise performance

Or cognitive benefits?

762

:

So somewhere between

763

:

probably five and 15 grams

a day, In five gram doses.

764

:

Kelsy: And would you hypothesize that

first trimester, second trimester would

765

:

be the same or what do you guys think

might be the case throughout pregnancy?

766

:

Stacey Ellery: We can only assume

that if we don't see a difference

767

:

between non-pregnant and pregnant

women in the third trimester, we

768

:

would unlikely see it in the first and

second trimester because that's where.

769

:

The largest amount of growth and

obviously physiological changes in

770

:

the pregnant person are occurring.

771

:

It is interesting from

our pregnancy studies,

772

:

so where we've just looked at creatine

levels we actually see that creatine's

773

:

really stable throughout pregnancy.

774

:

Um, but it actually plasma

levels in the mom sit around

775

:

30% lower than what we see in

776

:

a non-pregnant population.

777

:

So

778

:

we started our measurements

779

:

around 10 weeks.

780

:

So somewhere between that

781

:

conceiving and 10 week

window, there seems to

782

:

be this rebalancing of

783

:

maternal plasma levels that we don't quite

784

:

understand at this point in time.

785

:

So that first

786

:

window might actually be a real

opportunity to try and, increase

787

:

creatine levels up again.

788

:

But that's just some

789

:

new exciting data that we're

790

:

still trying to work out

how to progress it forward.

791

:

But yeah, at this stage it's looking

like standard supplementation probably

792

:

across the whole pregnancy would

be what we would be recommending.

793

:

Kelsy: And I'm sure you and your research

group's minds go to the same thing about

794

:

that zero to 10 weeks, if there really

is that dip, like you said, correct.

795

:

Or, or that's what

796

:

Y'all think.

797

:

Stacey Ellery: It's just changing.

798

:

And it's really stable, as I said.

799

:

So we measured creatine levels

in around 300 different women.

800

:

Large variation in terms of Background

801

:

ethnicity, the hospital

that I work within, we're a

802

:

beautiful, multicultural area.

803

:

And Yeah, it was a really

804

:

consistent finding that

there is this drop off.

805

:

And that's just the body not having

the capacity to keep synthesis up

806

:

and to keep absorption up when,

you know, there are other places

807

:

for the creatine to go when you're

808

:

pregnant.

809

:

There's the center the

fetus that kind of thing.

810

:

Whether it's detrimental,

whether it's just a natural

811

:

thing that happens we don't know.

812

:

Or whether if there's complications

in that first 10 weeks, whether if

813

:

you did have more creatine available,

some of those complications might

814

:

not occur is a super interesting

question that we'd like to get at too.

815

:

Obviously, knowing the number

of pregnancies that don't go

816

:

past that first 10 week period,

817

:

Kelsy: That's immediately where my mind

went, just knowing the rate of miscarriage

818

:

within that first little bit of time if

we eventually apply that same insurance

819

:

policy mindset to even having a healthy

pregnancy and being able to conceive

820

:

and have a pregnancy last longer than

that 10 weeks, which I know is that

821

:

sensitive area for a miscarriage that

would be, super duper cool research

822

:

to have and information to have.

823

:

And I know that's exactly where you

guys are at with your mindset too.

824

:

Stacey Ellery: 10 weeks,

which is super common,

825

:

like one in four, which I always like to

mention because I think a lot of women are

826

:

still not super familiar with how common

miscarriage is in that first particularly

827

:

six weeks, but six to 10 weeks.

828

:

And, important to know that

if you are in that situation,

829

:

you are certainly not alone.

830

:

As I said, one in four pregnancies

will end in that first period

831

:

of time, primarily because

there's something not quite

832

:

right genetically with

the developing baby.

833

:

But

834

:

we have, seen some interesting

initial observations of

835

:

changes in the way in which the.

836

:

uterine lining.

837

:

Potentially makes creatine between

women who are fertile and women who

838

:

are experiencing primary infertility.

839

:

And

840

:

that Is that the women with primary

841

:

infertility actually look like

842

:

they have a higher capacity to

843

:

take up creatine.

844

:

In that luteal phase of the cycle.

845

:

So after ovulation, when

846

:

the uterine tissues really growing up,

847

:

big and you've got the implanting

of the embryo and there's a lot

848

:

of processes going on there,

which are energy demanding.

849

:

There, There might be something.

850

:

happening with creatine

metabolism there in women who

851

:

are struggling to conceive.

852

:

and that's definitely something

that we're following up.

853

:

at the moment.

854

:

And, Yeah, I'm really excited about seeing

855

:

what we can do because

there is a percentage of

856

:

pregnancies that are lost in

that early period of time.

857

:

that we just don't know why.

858

:

There's no clear

understanding from a genetic

859

:

perspective why that.

860

:

pregnancy wouldn't continue on.

861

:

The women are healthy, the men

are healthy, and so if there is

862

:

potentially an energy issue that

we could tackle with supplemental

863

:

creatine that would be amazing.

864

:

Kelsy: And you're saying in those with

primary infertility, they can store it,

865

:

but their utilization of it might not

be as, I guess, up to a hundred percent.

866

:

As someone who might not struggle with

infertility in those early phases.

867

:

Stacey Ellery: so it looks like

they're trying to store more,

868

:

the tissues are increasing their

869

:

Kelsy: Oh,

870

:

Stacey Ellery: of the creatine

transporter to potentially get more in.

871

:

And so we actually see

872

:

that adaptation quite a lot.

873

:

Again, harping back to those

pregnancy complications, so a placenta

874

:

that's not functioning really well.

875

:

We see higher levels of

creatine in those placentas.

876

:

When the labor gets really

877

:

energetically intensive and

878

:

fatiguing, we see higher creatine

going across to the fetus.

879

:

In

880

:

our initial studies of

uterine slices at least

881

:

We see that the transporter expression

882

:

is much higher

883

:

in women with that infertility.

884

:

So the next step is actually to

885

:

measure the creatine levels

886

:

between the two populations and

887

:

I've got a study that's just about

to get underway to, to do that.

888

:

we got just a little

889

:

hint, From looking at some

previously archived tissues that

890

:

something might be happening there.

891

:

And so now we're about to

892

:

kick off a really,

893

:

a new avenue

894

:

of research that hasn't

been a focus for us.

895

:

that really that early

896

:

conception phase.

897

:

And whether creatine

could be a benefit there.

898

:

So hopefully I'll have more

data to share with you in that

899

:

space in the coming years.

900

:

Kelsy: I love it because I do think

infertility is a very common topic

901

:

right now, and like you said, it's

becoming more and more talked about and

902

:

more and more women are understanding

how many people go through it.

903

:

But still, we're in this realm and

so I feel like some of the time

904

:

I have this bias to think that.

905

:

Everyone knows this, everyone understands

this when it's not the case at all.

906

:

Right.

907

:

So I'm so glad you mentioned the one

in four stat and just helping other

908

:

people understand that this is something

that people are working on to help.

909

:

Because I know it's just the

emotions that go into it and the

910

:

physical challenges that go into it.

911

:

It's just, it's a very,

very tough process.

912

:

So I'm very, very glad that

you mentioned that too.

913

:

I want to talk a little bit about

how much you guys know about creatine

914

:

in the fetus and in the baby.

915

:

So we've been talking a lot about

maternal and we've talked about

916

:

the brain development and the

insurance policy with creatine for

917

:

hypoxic environments for the fetus.

918

:

But how are you guys measuring or how,

how are you understanding how much

919

:

creatine is actually getting into.

920

:

The fetus and into the baby.

921

:

And does that carry into possibly

postpartum and breastfeeding

922

:

and that sort of thing?

923

:

Stacey Ellery: Yeah, absolutely.

924

:

So we

925

:

know that all of the key tissues in

the fetus that uses creatine and that,

926

:

that our bodies are using creatine too.

927

:

So skeletal muscle, the brain in

particular, these reproductive

928

:

tissues that I've mentioned.

929

:

There is a slow, accretion

of creatine in those

930

:

fetal tissues across that period of time.

931

:

And the composition is really similar to

932

:

what we,

933

:

see in adults.

934

:

so the vast

935

:

majority of creatine is being

stored in the skeletal muscle.

936

:

There's a relative chunk in the brain,

in other tissues there's some there.

937

:

Not as much as you see

938

:

Otherwise.

939

:

And it kind of follows pattern of Is it a

tissue that experiences quick fluctuations

940

:

in energy, like skeletal muscle, which

lean on creatine for energy production?

941

:

Or is it a tissue that really lacks

942

:

nice, sustained energy and doesn't Do well

943

:

with fluctuations like the brain?

944

:

That's where we're seeing the

945

:

creatine levels.

946

:

Interestingly though, you

947

:

bring up postpartum, so

there's been a couple of

948

:

really fascinating studies.

949

:

Um.

950

:

Creatine in the postpartum period

because anyone that's had A,

951

:

baby or knows anyone that has a baby.

952

:

How quickly those babies

953

:

grow after they are born

is like mind blowing.

954

:

And again, leaning back on that

955

:

energy for growth, energy

956

:

for regeneration mindset.

957

:

Obviously there needs

958

:

to be creatine to

959

:

support those growing tissues and even

just for those tissues to have the

960

:

creatine in them as they get bigger.

961

:

so there's been a lot of research

962

:

recently looking at creatine

in breast milk, also looking

963

:

at creatine in formula and

964

:

Basically.

965

:

We need to get our

966

:

babies a nutritional source of creatine.

967

:

Their bodies don't

968

:

seem to have the capacity to synthesize

969

:

enough to

970

:

sustain that huge amount of growth.

971

:

Breast milk

972

:

definitely has creatine in it.

973

:

Highest levels are in the

immediate, period postpartum

974

:

So in your colostrum and in those first

couple of weeks then it fluctuates a.

975

:

little bit and starts to taper out.

976

:

Formula, if it's cow's

milk derived or animal

977

:

derived, there's creatine in there.

978

:

Soy-based formulas actually don't

have any creatine in them at

979

:

all, which is, a little bit of a

980

:

red flag for me personally, just

knowing the need for creatine

981

:

for growth and development.

982

:

Perhaps

983

:

if that's.

984

:

You know, the path you are

985

:

taking, it would be worth

having a conversation with your

986

:

healthcare team about particular

nutrients creatine as one example

987

:

that your baby might not be

getting, that they otherwise need.

988

:

And yeah there's still a

989

:

lot to unpack in that space.

990

:

but yeah, there's definitely a

991

:

need for creatine to support that

growth of the developing baby.

992

:

and we know from babies that

993

:

Can't produce creatine in

their early postnatal period.

994

:

So

995

:

there are some babies that

have a genetic condition.

996

:

which means that their bodies can't

make it so they're solely reliant

997

:

on nutritional creatine.

998

:

Those babies are

999

:

usually super healthy and

:

00:41:12,419 --> 00:41:17,407

happy because they've had mom giving them

an exogenous source of creatine for that

:

00:41:17,407 --> 00:41:18,577

whole period of time.

:

00:41:18,902 --> 00:41:19,990

If you take away that

:

00:41:19,990 --> 00:41:21,250

exogenous source.

:

00:41:21,490 --> 00:41:22,990

and there's a soul reliance on

:

00:41:23,070 --> 00:41:27,000

On the body, making it those babies

start to get really sick and particularly

:

00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:29,177

show deficits in, in neurological

:

00:41:29,219 --> 00:41:29,969

capacity.

:

00:41:30,239 --> 00:41:34,849

So again, indirect measure, but clear

evidence that creatine's important for

:

00:41:34,849 --> 00:41:37,159

our bubs in that early growth period.

:

00:41:37,189 --> 00:41:37,879

Postpartum.

:

00:41:38,637 --> 00:41:42,597

Kelsy: So, so important and I'm amazed

at all that is coming up and all that

:

00:41:42,597 --> 00:41:46,137

can come up in some of this research

and all that you guys have researched.

:

00:41:46,137 --> 00:41:46,817

I'm , just.

:

00:41:47,052 --> 00:41:50,772

Taking it all in too, because I

think it's so, so cool and you keep

:

00:41:50,772 --> 00:41:53,052

mentioning so many things where I'm

like, oh my gosh, it'll be so cool

:

00:41:53,052 --> 00:41:54,582

once that research becomes available.

:

00:41:54,582 --> 00:41:56,982

and once we know more about

that, and I know that's probably

:

00:41:56,982 --> 00:41:58,602

what excites you as well too, so

:

00:41:58,847 --> 00:41:59,087

Stacey Ellery: gets.

:

00:41:59,292 --> 00:42:02,922

Kelsy: I know and it's, it's like you

said, it's a fun group to, to work with

:

00:42:02,952 --> 00:42:05,652

and just be a part of because it's.

:

00:42:06,062 --> 00:42:08,822

Been neglected for, a little bit of

time, and like you said, probably in

:

00:42:08,822 --> 00:42:11,382

a good way And, and what they thought

was a safe way and a helpful way.

:

00:42:11,382 --> 00:42:15,212

But now it's like, okay, we're biohacking

the rest of our lives, you know, how

:

00:42:15,212 --> 00:42:17,222

can we help pregnant women as well?

:

00:42:17,262 --> 00:42:19,772

and babies and in the

postpartum phase as well too.

:

00:42:19,772 --> 00:42:23,792

So, I know you are also recently

postpartum, so if you don't mind sharing,

:

00:42:23,822 --> 00:42:28,442

how have you utilized creatine throughout

your pregnancy postpartum phase, or.

:

00:42:28,502 --> 00:42:32,102

what benefits did you see within your

own body and possibly within your

:

00:42:32,102 --> 00:42:35,402

own baby with the use of creatine,

if that was what you chose to

:

00:42:35,402 --> 00:42:36,752

supplement with during pregnancy?

:

00:42:36,980 --> 00:42:38,082

Stacey Ellery: I have two little ones.

:

00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:43,922

I was definitely met with my research

firsthand a couple of years ago of

:

00:42:43,930 --> 00:42:45,782

making that decision of what to do.

:

00:42:46,100 --> 00:42:47,742

We hadn't quite progressed to some of our

:

00:42:47,742 --> 00:42:51,172

safety work, As far as we have now

when I was pregnant with my son.

:

00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:54,984

But I did decide to

take creatine regularly.

:

00:42:54,984 --> 00:42:57,169

I wasn't really religious

about it, would say.

:

00:42:57,219 --> 00:42:58,741

If I was having a smoothie or.

:

00:42:58,906 --> 00:43:00,286

Having a bowl of cereal, I just

:

00:43:00,286 --> 00:43:01,696

chuck a little bit of extra on.

:

00:43:02,043 --> 00:43:03,873

he popped Out healthy and happy.

:

00:43:03,873 --> 00:43:05,433

I was very fortunate to have

:

00:43:05,433 --> 00:43:08,613

a super low risk

pregnancy with him and so.

:

00:43:08,913 --> 00:43:13,683

I would probably fall into that 99%

category of having the creatine and it

:

00:43:13,683 --> 00:43:16,633

being there not showing any adverse.

:

00:43:17,206 --> 00:43:20,086

Outcomes, but also probably

not needing to be leaned on

:

00:43:20,086 --> 00:43:21,646

from an energetic perspective.

:

00:43:21,964 --> 00:43:24,426

For my little girl, I

actually didn't take creatine.

:

00:43:24,476 --> 00:43:28,496

Partly because we were running our

dosing study at the time and I really

:

00:43:28,496 --> 00:43:30,746

wanted to be a participant in the study.

:

00:43:31,124 --> 00:43:36,166

The stars actually didn't align for me

to be able to do that for a few reasons.

:

00:43:36,424 --> 00:43:39,046

But yeah, I didn't, I didn't

actually take creatine

:

00:43:39,046 --> 00:43:41,488

with her, not because I

had any concerns about it.

:

00:43:41,488 --> 00:43:44,068

It just, yeah, it was for

other practical reasons.

:

00:43:44,378 --> 00:43:49,578

I have been taking creatine postpartum

after my little girl just because of the

:

00:43:49,608 --> 00:43:52,608

data that's come out recently,

particularly around sleep

:

00:43:52,608 --> 00:43:58,718

deprivation, cognitive performance

mood and even postpartum recovery.

:

00:43:58,726 --> 00:43:59,376

you know, I.

:

00:43:59,376 --> 00:44:00,846

say it out loud and I.

:

00:44:01,521 --> 00:44:06,051

Kind of shake my head at the fact that we

haven't already been studying this for a

:

00:44:06,051 --> 00:44:10,801

long time because it makes so much sense

that there could be a potential benefit

:

00:44:10,801 --> 00:44:13,471

of creatine in the postpartum space.

:

00:44:13,471 --> 00:44:17,151

And I feel like postpartum is

certainly, that fourth trimester.

:

00:44:17,691 --> 00:44:21,411

Has been neglected in

general up until recently.

:

00:44:21,471 --> 00:44:23,541

And yes, I have chosen to take it.

:

00:44:23,799 --> 00:44:26,431

I'm still pretty tired, but I feel okay.

:

00:44:27,379 --> 00:44:29,771

And yeah, you bring your

personal life to your work.

:

00:44:29,771 --> 00:44:32,951

It's definitely given me the

motivation to really start.

:

00:44:33,101 --> 00:44:36,861

Exploring that postpartum period

because in some ways it can be

:

00:44:36,861 --> 00:44:39,531

the most challenging after having a baby.

:

00:44:39,531 --> 00:44:40,903

And if we can implement

:

00:44:40,903 --> 00:44:42,613

some things simple lifestyle

:

00:44:42,613 --> 00:44:44,983

interventions such as

exercise or nutritional

:

00:44:44,983 --> 00:44:49,313

supplements in that space that

isn't too onerous to add to

:

00:44:49,313 --> 00:44:51,713

the plate of postpartum women.

:

00:44:51,770 --> 00:44:52,610

But that could help.

:

00:44:52,610 --> 00:44:56,378

I, I, yeah, it would be

fantastic to be able to do that.

:

00:44:57,136 --> 00:44:58,876

Kelsy: Well, I have not been pregnant.

:

00:44:58,876 --> 00:44:59,716

I'm not postpartum.

:

00:44:59,716 --> 00:45:03,256

But if you ever need another study

participant from Austin and from

:

00:45:03,736 --> 00:45:07,066

across the world, I'm like you, where

if I can be that experiment for other

:

00:45:07,066 --> 00:45:08,386

people and for myself, because I.

:

00:45:08,670 --> 00:45:10,410

my body's my greatest experiment too.

:

00:45:10,410 --> 00:45:14,250

So if I can, utilize certain things in

certain time periods and understand it

:

00:45:14,250 --> 00:45:15,990

a little better, that would be amazing.

:

00:45:15,990 --> 00:45:20,930

It's just such a fun field to be a

part of because there is so much room

:

00:45:20,930 --> 00:45:26,060

for development and growth and just

like, not even tangents, but like

:

00:45:26,060 --> 00:45:29,750

necessary tangents off of some of the

current research that we already have.

:

00:45:29,750 --> 00:45:32,930

So I, I'm super, super excited about it.

:

00:45:33,145 --> 00:45:35,365

Stacey Ellery: no, it's gonna

be a great couple of um,

:

00:45:37,435 --> 00:45:39,560

we'll see in the 10 to.

:

00:45:42,684 --> 00:45:43,344

Hugely.

:

00:45:43,352 --> 00:45:48,144

And for the benefit of mom and bubs

because yeah, they just, left to

:

00:45:48,144 --> 00:45:49,584

their own devices at the moment.

:

00:45:49,592 --> 00:45:55,134

And it's an incredibly um, you know, the

physiological changes that are occurring

:

00:45:55,134 --> 00:45:58,764

in that postpartum period, particularly

if you're breastfeeding, but also if

:

00:45:58,764 --> 00:46:02,754

You choose not to breastfeed, there's

so much happening, so much repair,

:

00:46:02,754 --> 00:46:04,464

so much recovery, so much growth.

:

00:46:04,789 --> 00:46:08,547

So much hormone fluctuation going

on that we really need to understand

:

00:46:08,547 --> 00:46:13,617

that and to try and come up with some

interventions to help women smoothly

:

00:46:13,647 --> 00:46:15,627

go through that transition phase.

:

00:46:16,385 --> 00:46:19,055

Kelsy: Talk about something else that

affects all systems of our body, not

:

00:46:19,055 --> 00:46:20,765

only our physical cells, but yeah.

:

00:46:20,795 --> 00:46:24,145

Cognition, emotion, like fatigue,

all of those sorts of things too.

:

00:46:24,835 --> 00:46:28,505

So I know we've talked a lot about

a lot of different things today.

:

00:46:28,505 --> 00:46:31,445

We've covered so many topics, but

is there anything that we haven't

:

00:46:31,445 --> 00:46:35,915

covered that you feel like you

would like women to know about?

:

00:46:36,185 --> 00:46:37,355

Stacey Ellery: Um, no, not.

:

00:46:45,181 --> 00:46:48,179

Easy to digest facts, if that's

helpful to share with your,

:

00:46:48,179 --> 00:46:48,899

listeners.

:

00:46:48,929 --> 00:46:50,279

I guess it's just to point

:

00:46:50,279 --> 00:46:51,479

out that especially in the

:

00:46:51,479 --> 00:46:55,079

creatine space, there's some really

wonderful resources available,

:

00:46:55,259 --> 00:46:55,619

which are

:

00:46:55,899 --> 00:47:00,939

Research driven, So there's creatine for

health, which is a wonderful resource.

:

00:47:01,167 --> 00:47:04,902

There's YouTube videos links to podcasts,

:

00:47:05,262 --> 00:47:06,132

information

:

00:47:06,174 --> 00:47:10,394

that um, that would just be helpful

for, for for, women if they want

:

00:47:10,394 --> 00:47:12,434

to learn a little bit more about creatine.

:

00:47:12,644 --> 00:47:15,044

Again, just to try and

get through the noise of

:

00:47:15,464 --> 00:47:15,614

the

:

00:47:15,614 --> 00:47:16,574

social media and

:

00:47:16,574 --> 00:47:20,569

the influencers and The people

who have opinions but not

:

00:47:20,569 --> 00:47:22,899

necessarily opinions based in fact.

:

00:47:22,899 --> 00:47:25,509

I know that's really challenging

to navigate sometimes.

:

00:47:25,509 --> 00:47:26,979

So just to point out to your

:

00:47:26,979 --> 00:47:29,919

listeners that particularly in the

creatine space, there's a really

:

00:47:29,919 --> 00:47:33,309

wonderful collective of researchers

from all around the globe that

:

00:47:33,309 --> 00:47:35,289

contribute to one platform, which

:

00:47:35,289 --> 00:47:36,319

is, A go to.

:

00:47:37,069 --> 00:47:39,829

Yeah, just to say that I mean,

throughout all of these experiences,

:

00:47:39,829 --> 00:47:42,829

be kind to yourself, know

that, you're not necessarily in

:

00:47:42,829 --> 00:47:43,279

control

:

00:47:43,279 --> 00:47:45,709

of some of the changes that

are happening with your body.

:

00:47:45,717 --> 00:47:48,657

Give yourself some grace,

do what works for you.

:

00:47:48,657 --> 00:47:49,407

And, Yeah.

:

00:47:49,407 --> 00:47:53,547

We will continue to do our

pregnancy And reproductive research,

:

00:47:53,577 --> 00:47:54,912

with a focus on creatine

:

00:47:54,927 --> 00:47:57,357

to to try and come up with ways to,

:

00:47:57,417 --> 00:47:58,407

to enhance and

:

00:47:58,407 --> 00:47:59,787

improve outcomes in, in

:

00:47:59,787 --> 00:47:59,997

that.

:

00:47:59,997 --> 00:48:00,417

space.

:

00:48:00,925 --> 00:48:02,605

Kelsy: I am gonna be so grateful for it.

:

00:48:02,605 --> 00:48:04,015

I'm already so grateful for it.

:

00:48:04,015 --> 00:48:05,125

So, Dr.

:

00:48:05,125 --> 00:48:08,905

Stacey, thank you so much for joining

us on the podcast today, for sharing

:

00:48:08,905 --> 00:48:12,715

your expertise, your passion for this

field, for going through all of the

:

00:48:12,715 --> 00:48:16,645

hard work, both behind the scenes,

I'm sure, in regards to funding and

:

00:48:16,645 --> 00:48:19,645

grants and all of the things that go

into research, but then also in front

:

00:48:19,645 --> 00:48:24,385

of the scenes actually performing the

research and recruiting and just sharing.

:

00:48:24,520 --> 00:48:27,160

Your research and expertise

and education with the world.

:

00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:28,690

I'm so, so grateful.

:

00:48:28,690 --> 00:48:32,050

I've been looking forward to this

interview for, you know, weeks and weeks

:

00:48:32,050 --> 00:48:33,940

and ever since probably February when Dr.

:

00:48:33,940 --> 00:48:37,360

Katie mentioned it, and I'm

so, so happy to have gotten to

:

00:48:37,360 --> 00:48:38,590

interview you finally today.

:

00:48:38,590 --> 00:48:39,880

So thank you so, so much.

:

00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:41,110

Stacey Ellery: Oh, it's

my absolute pleasure.

:

00:48:41,188 --> 00:48:45,422

I just, this tiny serendipitous moment

when you contacted me back in February,

:

00:48:45,692 --> 00:48:47,792

my postdoctoral researcher, Dr.

:

00:48:47,792 --> 00:48:51,752

Nee Tran, who, if anyone wants to go and

have a look at the science, you'll see her

:

00:48:51,752 --> 00:48:53,492

name pop up at the front of most of it.

:

00:48:53,502 --> 00:48:56,177

particularly the neuroscience,

she's the go-getter there.

:

00:48:56,662 --> 00:48:59,602

She'd literally a couple of

days earlier had a baby girl

:

00:48:59,602 --> 00:49:02,132

herself and her name is Kelsey.

:

00:49:02,132 --> 00:49:03,872

So it was just this.

:

00:49:04,005 --> 00:49:06,487

serendipitous moment of

it all coming together.

:

00:49:06,495 --> 00:49:09,997

I was absolutely thrilled to be given

the opportunity to chat with you.

:

00:49:10,755 --> 00:49:11,595

Kelsy: That is funny.

:

00:49:11,595 --> 00:49:15,455

I, the name means brave, so if

she's a big name person, I love

:

00:49:15,455 --> 00:49:16,775

thinking about that for my own name.

:

00:49:16,775 --> 00:49:18,035

So that is super cool.

:

00:49:18,185 --> 00:49:19,835

Well, you are welcome back anytime.

:

00:49:19,835 --> 00:49:24,275

I would love to have you on, whenever

new things are coming up and you guys

:

00:49:24,275 --> 00:49:27,815

find out new things because I just feel

like this is something that I am super.

:

00:49:27,965 --> 00:49:30,395

interested in and we'll keep up with

your research I'll leave some of

:

00:49:30,395 --> 00:49:33,275

those links below and some of the

researchers that people can look into if

:

00:49:33,275 --> 00:49:35,225

they're interested to learn even more.

:

00:49:35,255 --> 00:49:35,855

Stacey Ellery: Amazing.

:

00:49:35,855 --> 00:49:36,785

Knowledge is key.

:

00:49:36,785 --> 00:49:38,240

So happy to help out there.

:

00:49:38,998 --> 00:49:39,328

Kelsy: Yes.

:

00:49:39,328 --> 00:49:40,288

I completely agree.

:

00:49:40,288 --> 00:49:43,378

And once you have it, it can't be taken

away, so it's the more, the better.

:

00:49:43,378 --> 00:49:43,708

Right?

:

00:49:43,708 --> 00:49:45,508

It's insurance policy again.

:

00:49:46,258 --> 00:49:46,768

So.

:

00:49:46,978 --> 00:49:48,808

Well thank you guys so much for listening.

:

00:49:48,808 --> 00:49:52,108

I hope you got a lot out of this

episode and learned a lot, and I

:

00:49:52,108 --> 00:49:54,958

will see you guys again on the next

episode of Wellness Big Sis the Pod.

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About the Podcast

wellness big sis:: the pod
wellness big sis:: the pod, by elää wellness, includes wellness girl chats by founder, kelsy vick, a board-certified orthopedic doctor of physical therapy. join us as we learn about our bodies, movement, and all aspects of physical, spiritual, psychological, and environmental wellness, creating a sisterhood of empowered wellness big sisters... without the clothes-stealing ;)
elaa-wellness.com
@elaa_wellness
@dr.kelsyvickdpt

About your host

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Kelsy Vick

Dr. Kelsy is a Board-Certified Orthopedic Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist, and the Founder of elää wellness, a global wellness education and action agency for women. As the host of wellness big sis:: the pod, she hopes to share science-backed education for young women in a fun and simplified way. Join us!

elaa-wellness.com
@elaa_wellness
@dr.kelsyvickdpt