[00:00:00] Introduction to The Science of Motherhood

[00:00:00] Dr Renee White: Knowledge is power, and we are all about empowering the mamas of the world. In each episode, we will unravel and interpret the latest research and evidence-based practices for pregnancy, postpartum, and motherhood. [00:00:15] As mums and researchers ourselves, we have experienced firsthand the overwhelming complexity of information myths and those classic old wives tales.

[00:00:27] Dr Renee White: I'm Dr. Renee White, and this is The [00:00:30] Science of motherhood. Hello and welcome to episode 189 of The Science of Motherhood. I'm your host, Dr. Renee White. Thank you so much for joining me today on another Check in Tuesday, episode.

[00:00:44] Expanding the Doula Village

[00:00:44] Dr Renee White: This episode is proudly brought to you by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village.

[00:00:51] Dr Renee White: If you haven't already heard, we have expanded our village to western Australia now we have [00:01:00] been focusing on the east kind of coast of Australia for a long time, having started our doula village in Melbourne back in 2020. But we have just welcomed our first [00:01:15] doula and we are welcoming our second very soon in Perth.

[00:01:19] Dr Renee White: So we are now in Melbourne. Geelong, Newcastle, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Hobart and Perth now, [00:01:30] which is so, so exciting.

[00:01:32] The Role and Benefits of a Doula

[00:01:32] Dr Renee White: If you haven't heard of a doula, we are essentially, Fill Your Cup is very much known for being evidence-based, so science backed kind of birth and postpartum care that actually works.

[00:01:45] Dr Renee White: So you know, with my science background, I have got a ton of health expertise and we funnel all of that into some beautiful nurturing care. [00:02:00] So essentially you can recover faster. You can have that beautiful deep bond with your baby and you can embrace motherhood with confidence. It does not need to be this [00:02:15] chaotic time in your life.

[00:02:16] Dr Renee White: It is hard no one is ever gonna say that, you know, we've got a quick fix for anything but there are definitely some things that you can integrate into your life to make things a hell of a lot easier, and we have [00:02:30] got so many mums and families that we have supported over the last four and a half years.

[00:02:36] Dr Renee White: I'm just gonna read out a couple of the reviews that we've had over the, the past, Camilla from Melbourne said, [00:02:45] definitely exceeded my expectations on all fronts. Having a doula was extremely rewarding from an emotional and physical point of view. Omi said it is like having a big sister to look after you while you look [00:03:00] after the baby.

[00:03:01] Dr Renee White: It's so much more than the practical support. It's having a kind ear and a steady hand to bring some order to the havoc that is postpartum life, and that is so true. You know, more often than not, we [00:03:15] have all these people who contact us and say, when can I come over and hold the baby? And that's fine. But who's holding mum?

[00:03:24] Dr Renee White: Who's making sure that she's not eating toast And Tim Tams day in and [00:03:30] day out? PS like I was, you know, who's making her yummy meals? Who's holding the baby? While she can go have a nice warm shower who is holding space for her and letting her know that, you know, I'm gonna ride the waves with you, whether they're [00:03:45] good, bad, or ugly.

[00:03:46] Dr Renee White: That is, that's exactly what a doula can do. So if that's something that you are interested in exploring further, please feel free to have a look at our doulas and services over on our website [00:04:00] I fill your cup.com. As I said, we are all across Australia right now, which is so, so exciting in today's episode.

[00:04:11] Check-in Tuesday: Creatine Supplementation

[00:04:11] Dr Renee White: If you are new to the science of motherhood, today is our Check in [00:04:15] Tuesday episode. So we do these every fortnight and they are bookended by our longer guest episodes. And in these episodes I talk about something that is very relevant and it could be some [00:04:30] science that I have recently read. It could be me sharing just, you know, my own journey in motherhood.

[00:04:36] Dr Renee White: And today's episode, we are talking about something that is, it's got a bit of a buzz to [00:04:45] be honest, for good reason. I have been integrating this particular supplement in my life for the past two months very consistently, and that is because if you've been following [00:05:00] along on our Instagram, you will note that I have been a long, long-term kind of member at our local gym here in Hobart ArtGym, and I had participated in my [00:05:15] first novice power lifting competition. That was in, was it July, June, July, something like that. And I've now decided to really up the ante and invest in this particular sport. And so I am [00:05:30] gearing up for that. And as part of that, my trainer said, I think you should start taking creatine every day.

[00:05:36] Dr Renee White: And I thought okay that's interesting. I need to investigate about what is creatine as a [00:05:45] biochemist. I of course, just, you know, dove head in first, and I, I have been just absorbing all the information around me about this particular supplement. I'm [00:06:00] sure you have heard of it. It is synonymous, I guess, with like weightlifting and, and things like that. And people think, gym bros. I'm just gonna get huge, super big muscles if I take creatine supplements. [00:06:15] But that's not the case and so I wanted to walk you through essentially what creatine is. Why we need it, particularly as women and I guess it's very fascinating how [00:06:30] the requirements and the functionality of creatine changes through our lifespan.

[00:06:37] Dr Renee White: And that's what I wanted to talk to you about today because there's some really interesting data that's coming out and [00:06:45] there is an Australian group and I'm hoping to get one of the researchers on the podcast, which I think would be amazing, but as a base foundation, I just wanted to walk you through what this actual molecule [00:07:00] is and why it's got so much hype.

[00:07:03] Understanding Creatine

[00:07:03] Dr Renee White: Okay, so let's start with the basics. So creatine is actually a naturally occurring compound that our body makes every single [00:07:15] day. Now about 95% of it lives in your muscles, where it plays a crucial role in energy production. So, I want you to think of it as essentially like your body's rapid fire energy [00:07:30] system.

[00:07:30] Dr Renee White: Now here's how it works. When you need quick energy, whether that's, you know, lifting your toddler or sprinting up the stairs, or even just thinking hard, your muscles use a [00:07:45] molecule called ATP, but here's the catch. You only have about three to four seconds worth of ATP stored at any time. Okay? [00:08:00] So let's just pause with that now.

[00:08:03] Dr Renee White: That's where creatine comes in. It helps regenerate ATP rapidly giving you that burst of energy when you need it most. So [00:08:15] ATP uses up energy, it forms ADP, and then creatine kind of comes in and re kind of generates ATP. That's kind of like the biochemical, you know, cycle there now. [00:08:30] Your body naturally produces about mm, one to two grams of creatine per day, and that's coming mainly from your liver, your kidneys, and your pancreas.

[00:08:44] Creatine and Women's Health

[00:08:44] Dr Renee White: So, [00:08:45] you can also get it from food, particularly things like red meat and fish, but here's where it gets really interesting for women. Okay, so the research shows us [00:09:00] something fascinating. Women have about 20% lower creatine synthesis rates compared to men and so what that means is it's slower [00:09:15] to reform. So we've got ATP go and we use that energy and it goes to ADP.

[00:09:22] Dr Renee White: So that process of regenerating ADP back to ATP is 20% lower [00:09:30] synthesis rate compared to men. So we also consume 30 to 40% or less dietary creatine on average, and this creates what researchers are calling a creatine gap, and [00:09:45] it's significant okay. Now we're gonna talk about some of the research a groundbreaking 2024 study by, and I'm going to, I'm gonna mess up these names.

[00:09:57] Dr Renee White: I apologise in advance okay. I'm not [00:10:00] great. I'm not great with pronunciation. Ostojic and colleagues analyse data from over 10,000 women and found that those consuming less than 13 milligrams of [00:10:15] creatine per kilogram of body weight daily had higher risks of reproductive health issues, including irregular periods and pelvic infections.

[00:10:27] Dr Renee White: Now that is a pretty clear signal that [00:10:30] many of us aren't getting enough. Okay, so we are gonna talk about like the research revolution here now. This is where the story gets really interesting. [00:10:45] So for decades, creatine research largely ignored women like lots of other things. But that is now changing and the results are [00:11:00] eyeopening.

[00:11:00] Dr Renee White: Let me take you through some recent breakthrough studies now in 2023, researchers, Moore and Gordon, and all of these, just Ps. All of these publications are gonna be in the show notes. They [00:11:15] published a really fascinating study in the Journal of Nutrients. They gave women either creatine or a placebo.

[00:11:22] Dr Renee White: So something that looked like creatine, but it wasn't at all. It's just you know nothing and tracked them across their menstrual [00:11:30] cycles and what they found was remarkable. Creatine helped shift fluid from outside the cells to inside the cells, particularly during the luteal phase when [00:11:45] many women experience bloating.

[00:11:47] Dr Renee White: This gets better. The same research group led by Agua Bonfim Cruise published another study in 2024 showing that women taking [00:12:00] creatine had significantly longer sleep duration on nights following resistance training. Compared to non-training days, and as a mother, I know how precious good sleep is. [00:12:15] So this caught my attention immediately.

[00:12:18] Dr Renee White: Then, there's the cognitive research, okay? And this is something that I have definitely noticed in my own personal experience, having taken kind of creatine very, very [00:12:30] consistently. And you, this is the thing, you have to have it consistently on the daily for these effects to kind of work. I have noticed my brain fog and my memory have been so [00:12:45] good, like so spot on now.

[00:12:48] Dr Renee White: In 2023, there was a systematic review and they analysedd 23 randomised controlled trials and found that creatine supplementation [00:13:00] improved memory compared to placebo. So this isn't just about physical performance, we are talking about brain function here. Given that women are twice as likely to experience depression, [00:13:15] especially during hormonal transitions.

[00:13:17] Dr Renee White: This research is potentially life changing, but perhaps the most exciting research is happening in an area very close to my heart, which is pregnancy.

[00:13:29] Creatine in Pregnancy and Postpartum

[00:13:29] Dr Renee White: So let's walk through what the relationship is between creatine and pregnancy and postpartum. So the pregnancy research is where things get really exciting.

[00:13:41] Dr Renee White: In 2024, there was a study by [00:13:45] de Guingand and Palmer, and they followed pregnant women and found that those with higher dietary creatine intake had better pregnancy outcomes. But here's the kicker, they also found that a [00:14:00] staggering 57% of pregnant women in their study weren't getting adequate creatine from their diet.

[00:14:08] Dr Renee White: Why does this matter? Do you ask? Now, this matters because [00:14:15] during pregnancy, your body's energy demands skyrocket your placenta, which we now know can actually make its own creatine. Aren't we clever? Becomes like a [00:14:30] creatine powerhouse and studies have shown that in cases of pregnancy complications, like, you know, fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia, placental creatine levels are significantly [00:14:45] elevated.

[00:14:45] Dr Renee White: And that is essentially your body's way of trying to protect your baby. Now the animal research is even more compelling. Studies in sheep and mice show that maternal creatine and [00:15:00] supplementation can protect babies' brains during episodes of low oxygen. Um, something that unfortunately can happen during difficult births, and one study found a 60% reduction [00:15:15] in seizures when mothers were supplemented with creatine.

[00:15:19] Dr Renee White: Now, it doesn't stop at birth. There was more research that found that breast milk contains the highest level of creatine [00:15:30] immediately after birth in the colostrum wow. Like how, how cool are our bodies? Like this is just so, so cool before it drops significantly. So I guess this would suggest [00:15:45] that newborns have a critical need for creatine in those first days of life, and that makes sense.

[00:15:51] Dr Renee White: Like they've just undergone this huge event of birth and that is a huge energy expenditure and you know, [00:16:00] they're earth side now, so they need all the energy that they can possibly get to really, you know, start feeding and start growing essentially.

[00:16:10] Creatine for Menopause

[00:16:10] Dr Renee White: Now let's talk about the other end of the spectrum, you know menopause, and this is getting a lot of airplay.

[00:16:18] Dr Renee White: While we've got really limited research specifically on perimenopause. So the jury's out on that at the moment because cha-ching, cha-ching, we need more [00:16:30] money for women's health research. You know, that is a huge gap that we need to fill. The postmenopausal research is incredibly promising.

[00:16:40] Dr Renee White: So Chilibeck and his team published a [00:16:45] landmark two year study in 2023 showing that postmenopausal women taking creatine while doing resistance training had significant improvements in bone density and lean muscle mass. And [00:17:00] given that women can lose about one and a half pounds or about mm, 700 grams of muscle per year during perimenopause.

[00:17:10] Dr Renee White: This research suggests creatine could be a game changer [00:17:15] for maintaining strength and independence as we age.

[00:17:20] Practical Tips for Creatine Supplementation

[00:17:20] Dr Renee White: So let's talk about the practicalities of this you know, if you're a long time listener, we are all about what can I implement today? What other practical outcomes, Renee? So, the research suggests that most women could benefit from creatine supplementation, but the approach might vary depending on your life stage.

[00:17:47] Dr Renee White: Okay, so this is where you wanna get your pen and paper, ladies. So for exercise performance and general health. The gold standard is what researchers call a [00:18:00] loading phase, so this is 20 grams per day split into four five gram doses for five to seven days, and then that is followed by three to five grams daily for [00:18:15] maintenance.

[00:18:16] Dr Renee White: Now, this protocol has been validated in numerous studies, including the foundational work by Harris and colleagues back in 1992. If you are pregnant or considering [00:18:30] pregnancy, the research is still emerging. While animal studies are incredibly promising, we need more human trial before making firm recommendations.

[00:18:40] Dr Renee White: However, the observational data suggests that [00:18:45] ensuring adequate dietary creatine intake is important. For those in perimenopause or post menopause, the evidence strongly supports combining creatine with resistance [00:19:00] training and you know, that Chillibeck study that I spoke about earlier showed that this combination was far more effective than either intervention alone.

[00:19:13] Dr Renee White: And one thing [00:19:15] that's really fascinating from the recent research is how creatine interacts with our menstrual cycle. So the Gordon Study found that Creatine's effect on exercise recovery were most pronounced during [00:19:30] certain phases of the cycle, suggesting that timing might actually matter as well.

[00:19:37] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

[00:19:37] Dr Renee White: So, I guess to kind of wrap it all up.

[00:19:42] Dr Renee White: I've dug into this research and [00:19:45] I guess what really strikes me most is how creatine challenges our traditional thinking about supplements. I am definitely someone who is a Whole Foods first person. I'm not just gonna put some [00:20:00] random pill or supplement into my body just because, you know, some fancy influencer on Instagram told me to.

[00:20:08] Dr Renee White: Like i'm a biochemist, I'm a researcher. I research, and I guess this is kind of what I've [00:20:15] found. This isn't just about athletic performance. We are talking about a compound that could support women's health from reproduction through to aging. The research timeline is really [00:20:30] telling, you know early studies in the 1990s and two thousands like Thompson's work with female swimmers in 1996, largely ignored menstrual cycles.

[00:20:42] Dr Renee White: We are just deemed too complicated, you [00:20:45] know, like that is exactly what many, many have heard. But the recent studies by Moore, Gordon, and others. Finally accounting for the complexity of women's physiology, and the results are far more impressive [00:21:00] because of it. Now let's look ahead. We desperately need more research in two key areas, one pregnancy and two perimenopause.

[00:21:12] Dr Renee White: Now the pregnancy research is moving forward [00:21:15] with clinical trials currently underway in Australia. Oh my God, so exciting. Which is just, i'm so over the moon. This is so good that we are finally putting money into this, but the perimenopause remains a complete [00:21:30] blind spot in the research. Despite being a time, you know, where women are faced with accelerated muscle loss, bone density decline, and cognitive changes.

[00:21:42] Dr Renee White: And I can tell you, as someone in that demographic, [00:21:45] it's a little bit scary, which is why I am investing in this. I haven't seen anything where, and this is my personal opinion and this is my personal research. I'm not, you know, a [00:22:00] medical professional, but I haven't seen anything where they've said it has an adverse outcome.

[00:22:07] Dr Renee White: And so I feel like I'm just investing for the future. So I guess you know what I [00:22:15] find most compelling is how this research aligns with what I see in my work with Fill Your Cup. You know, women are juggling the demands of motherhood and a career, and often caring for aging parents. They need every bloody [00:22:30] advantage that they can get.

[00:22:31] Dr Renee White: And so the idea that a simple, well-researched supplement could support their energy, their sleep, their mood, and long-term health, it's incredibly empowering.

[00:22:43] Outro and Call to Action

[00:22:43] Dr Renee White: So, that's to wrap up today's deep dive into creatine and women's health. As always, please speak with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.

[00:22:58] Dr Renee White: And I have to say, [00:23:00] please, if you are going to invest in this supplement, please look at the purity. The purity of creatine, the lovely Dr. Stacey Sims has spoken quite [00:23:15] vocally about Crea Pure, which is actually the brand name, it's the most pure creatine on the market. And so if you see a product that says Crea Pure on it, it's pretty high [00:23:30] quality.

[00:23:30] Dr Renee White: But as she says, if you are putting it into a gummy or a gel or something, it's no longer pure. There's other things in it, so please read the packaging be very, very cautious [00:23:45] with what you are putting in because as always, people are out there to make money and you don't want to be buying a product that is creatine plus all of these fillers in it.

[00:23:57] Dr Renee White: So please read the [00:24:00] labels if you found this episode helpful. Please share it with someone else in your life. You know, we are here to build a community where science meets real life, and every share helps us reach more mums who deserve evidence-based information. [00:24:15] Alright, everyone, until next time, see you.

[00:24:19] Dr Renee White: If you loved this episode, please hit the subscribe button and leave a review.

[00:24:25] Dr Renee White: If you know someone out there who would also love to listen to this episode, [00:24:30] please hit the share button so they can benefit from it as well. You've just listened to another episode of The Science of Motherhood proudly presented by Fill Your Cup, Australia's first doula village. Head to our website I [00:24:45] fill your cup.com to learn more about our birth and postpartum doula offerings where every mother we pledge to be the steady hand that guides you back to yourself.

[00:24:55] Dr Renee White: Ensuring you feel nurtured, informed, and empowered so you can fully [00:25:00] embrace the joy of motherhood with confidence. Until next time, bye.