Arnold On Parenting, Meal Prep, and Overcoming Loneliness

Arnold recently answered more than 100 questions in The Pump app. We share some of the highlights.

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Today’s Health Upgrade

Number you won’t forget
Creatine fear…and reality
Weekly wisdom
Arnold Q&A

Arnold’s Podcast

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Longevity
Number You Won’t Forget: 30 minutes

You might not expect us to provide beauty tips, but we have the inside scoop on an anti-aging serum that’s better than any beauty product you can buy in a store.

Scientists have found that just 30 minutes of exercise performed twice weekly can make you look decades younger.

About ten years ago, researchers looked deeper at a special protein created by your muscles called interleukin-15 (IL-15). That protein acts like fuel for your skin’s mitochondria, meaning your cells stay younger and your skin looks better.

When the scientists took people in their 60s and put them on a 12-week exercise program and then biopsied their skin, the health of their skin de-aged by 20 to 40 years.

And that was just the tip of the iceberg. More recent research analyzed the skin benefits of aerobic exercise and resistance training.

Cycling and resistance training improve skin health by increasing the natural production of collagen and improving the fibers that tend to deteriorate due to age and sun exposure.

However, lifting weights also adds more thickness to the deeper layers of skin, which helps prevent skin sagging and gives it a more youthful appearance.

In addition to increasing IL-15, exercise also improves blood flow, controls blood sugar, and minimizes oxidative stress — all of which improve skin health.

Nutrition
Creatine Fear…And Reality

Creatine is one of the most popular supplements for improving athletic performance and brain health, but concerns have been raised about its potential impact on kidney (renal) function.

The latest research once again suggests that creatine does not cause kidney damage.

To provide a clearer picture, the scientists used Mendelian randomization, which involves analyzing genetic variants that influence creatine levels in the body. Here’s why we’re telling you that detail: the technique minimizes bias and confounding factors often present in observational studies, so you can better assess cause and effect and determine if there’s a relationship between creatine supplementation and kidney health.

The study found that creatine does not harm kidney health and showed no evidence that higher creatine levels are associated with impaired kidney function.

There were no significant changes in GFR (a measure of how well the kidneys filter waste) or other key markers of renal health, suggesting that creatine supplementation is not likely to contribute to kidney damage in healthy individuals.

As previously mentioned, if you have a known kidney condition, it’s best to discuss it with your doctor before using creatine (or any other supplement). Otherwise, even with long-term use, there’s no need to worry about creatine causing health problems.

If you choose to supplement to boost exercise performance or cognitive health, use a third-party certified creatine monohydrate, which has — by far — the most research supporting its effectiveness.

Momentous is the Pump Club’s preferred creatine because they use the highest-quality creatine monohydrate, test every batch for purity and quality, and guarantee no banned substances or toxins. Use the code “pumpclub” for 20 percent off your entire purchase.

As a bonus, Momentous now offers creatine in travel-size and single-serve packets. It's a big upgrade for anyone who has ever put the mysterious-looking white powder in a plastic ziplock bag and been subjected to extreme judgment and distrusting stares.

Weekly Wisdom

Arnold Q&A
If Arnold Rewrote The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, What Would He Change?

This week, Arnold sat down for his 38th Q&A inside The Pump app. He answered more than 100 questions, and according to the app community, these are a few of the most popular responses.