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Today’s Health Upgrade
Is this the most important supplement for women’s health?
Tattoos and cancer
You’re not going to eat that, are you?
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Deep Dive: Together With Momentous
Is This The Most Important Supplement For Women’s Health?
Most supplements are only needed if you can’t get specific nutrients from your diet. But there might be one exception to the rule.
People think of creatine as a muscle-building supplement for bodybuilders and athletes. But new research suggests it might be even more important for women of all ages, especially because it’s nearly impossible to get enough from whole foods.
Research suggests that creatine supplementation supports women’s brain health, anti-aging, and hormonal balance, making it a valuable nutrient beyond athletic performance.
Scientists found that creatine might have more benefits for women because male and female hormones interact differently with creatine and create a need for supplementation.
Women have up to 80 percent lower creatine stores than men, and they get less creatine from their diet.
By supplementing, research suggests that creatine could help with:
Brain Health and Mood: Women experience higher rates of depression and cognitive decline, especially post-menopause. Creatine has been shown to support brain energy metabolism, potentially improving mood and cognitive function.
Anti-Aging and Bone Health: With lower natural creatine levels, women may experience more significant benefits from supplementation, especially with anti-aging. As women age, estrogen decreases, and so do muscle, strength, and bone density. When women combine creatine with resistance training, it can help counteract and prevent those changes.
Energy Production and Fatigue Reduction: Women often report higher levels of fatigue than men. Creatine helps regenerate ATP (the body's main energy currency), improving energy levels and exercise performance.
Plus, creatine metabolism is affected during the menstrual cycle. This matters because creatine can help maintain brain energy levels, which are key in maintaining mood and fighting fatigue.
If you're a woman looking to support your overall health, creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements available. However, the problem is that many supplement companies don’t use creatine you can trust.
A recent analysis of creatine gummies found that nearly 50 percent have significantly less creatine than the label claims, with a few products having zero grams of creatine.
If you’re going to buy creatine, do yourself a favor and make sure it’s either NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport.
Companies are not required to do third-party testing, which means some brands choose not to invest tens of thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of dollars to ensure that your creatine is high-quality, has no banned substances, and doesn’t have dangerous levels of toxins or metals. So, if you want to make sure you’re putting safe, beneficial ingredients in your body, don’t risk using a brand that doesn’t go the extra mile.
That’s why our preferred choice is Momentous Creatine, the gold standard for quality and purity. Momentous guarantees the highest quality ingredients and third-party testing for every supplement. Plus, they use Creapure Creatine, which has the strictest lab standards to ensure all creatine is at least 99.9 percent pure. As a member of The Pump Club, you get 20% off your purchase when you use the code “PumpClub.”
If you want to get in the best shape of your life and stay healthy as you age, 3 to 5 grams of creatine per day will do the trick. If you’re more focused on brain function and fighting fatigue, up to 10 to 15 grams can be beneficial.
On Our Radar
Are Tattoos Linked To Cancer?
Tattoos are a form of self-expression—but could they also be a hidden health risk? A recent Danish study suggests that tattoo ink exposure might be linked to an increased risk of lymphoma and skin cancers.
A recently published study found that people with tattoos had a higher likelihood of developing certain cancers compared to those without tattoos.
The study focused on nearly 6,000 twins, which means you can control for genetic and environmental variances.
Results indicated that individuals with tattoos were more likely to be diagnosed with lymphoma—a type of blood cancer—and had a higher incidence of skin malignancies. The researchers suggest this could be due to the heavy metals and carcinogenic compounds in tattoo ink, which may accumulate in the lymphatic system or cause cellular damage over time.
And it might not just be any tattoo that causes problems. It appears that larger tattoos (those bigger than a palm) were three times more likely to get cancer than those without tattoos.
While the findings do not prove that tattoos cause cancer, they do highlight a potential risk worth considering. Many tattoo inks contain nanoparticles and chemicals that could have long-term effects on the body, especially as they degrade over time. So, checking with your tattoo artist to see if they use non-toxic pigments could be helpful.
Reader Question
You’re Not Going To Eat That, Are You?
“How long can food be left out before it’s dangerous to eat?” -Adam, Colorado
We've all done it— left food sitting out a little too long and wondered, "Is it still okay to eat?" It looks fine, it smells fine, but is it actually fine?
If your food has been in the "danger zone" for too long, bacteria could multiply to unsafe levels — even if it looks and smells normal.
Bacteria thrive between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit (4.5 to 60 degrees Celsius). If you’ve ever wondered why most refrigerators come with a default temperature of around 36 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit — this is why. It’s not just about keeping food fresh but stopping harmful bacteria from growing.
So, if you want to enjoy still foods that are in danger of bacterial growth without worrying about getting sick, you need to remember two things:
1) The Two-Hour Rule: Perishable foods (meat, dairy, cooked food, etc.) shouldn’t sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Beyond this, bacteria multiply rapidly.
2) The One-Hour Rule: If it’s 90 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter, the safe window shrinks to just one hour. This means leaving groceries in a hot car or food out at a summer BBQ could be riskier than you think.
And just a reminder, in case you want to use your eyes or nose: Even if it looks and smells okay, it could be dangerous. Pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli don’t always change food's smell, taste, or appearance.
While we don’t want you to throw out perfectly good food, when in doubt, throw it out. If food has been left out longer than the recommended time, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Editor’s note: I’ll admit, this question was mine. Just last week, my wife was preparing for a Sunday night dinner with friends, and lamb was left outside in the cold overnight. She needed to determine if we had to toss the food or if it was still safe. And yes, we had to purchase again. -AB
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
