Podcast Summary: What’s That Rash?

Episode Title: Do the benefits of creatine go beyond the gym?
Date: December 9, 2025
Host: Sana Qadar and Norman Swan
Produced by: ABC News

Episode Overview

This episode addresses the growing curiosity about creatine supplements, not just as a muscle enhancer for athletes, but as a purported cognitive and overall health booster—especially among women and those navigating perimenopause. Hosts Sana Qadar and Norman Swan dig into listener questions spanning topics like brain fog, dementia, perimenopause, and more. Through an evidence-based lens, they explore what creatine actually does, what the latest science indicates (and what it doesn’t), and the possible risks and rewards of supplementation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Is Creatine?

• Definition & Biological Role

  • Creatine is a compound synthesized from amino acids, not technically an amino acid itself ([03:04]).
  • The body makes about half of what we need; the rest comes from diet—primarily meat and fish ([03:13]).
  • Acts as an energy buffer, storing and releasing energy in tissues that require quick bursts (muscles, brain, heart, sperm) ([04:30]).
  • “Effectively, that’s what creatine does.” – Norman Swan ([04:07]).
  • Uses the creatine kinase enzyme for these energy processes.

• Storage in the Body

  • Most is stored in muscles, which require rapid access to energy.
  • Also present in other tissues, notably the brain ([06:09]).

2. Traditional & Emerging Uses

• Muscular Performance

  • Historically, creatine has been viewed as a supplement for muscle gain and athletic performance ([05:23]).
  • Some evidence supports muscle benefits, but often attributed to water retention in muscles ([13:06]).

• Emerging “Superpowers”?

  • There’s rising hype around creatine for brain fog, cognitive enhancement, perimenopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, and dementia, especially among women ([06:09]).
  • “It has a real cult following… especially in this sort of perimenopausal space.” – Sana Qadar ([07:14]).

3. The Evidence: Hype vs. Science

• Research Flaws

  • Most high-quality research focuses on athletic or muscular applications, not brain or menopausal benefits ([06:31]).
  • Studies related to cognition, mood, and menopause are usually small, short, and design-flawed ([07:14]).
  • Example: A widely quoted trial in perimenopausal women had only 36 participants split into 4 groups, making results unreliable ([10:02]).

• Conflicts of Interest

  • Lead authors in some positive creatine studies have vested interests (patents, companies selling creatine supplements) ([10:43]).

• Trial Design Cautions

  • Reliable trials must be much larger (hundreds to thousands), not a handful of subjects ([11:00]).
  • “Natural variation will swamp the effects… you’ve got to have hundreds if not thousands.” – Norman Swan ([11:00])

• Summary Quote

  • “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” – Sana Qadar ([16:23])

4. Safety & Risks

• Side Effects

  • Potential minor side effects: muscle cramps, gastrointestinal upset ([14:15]).
  • People with kidney disease should be particularly cautious ([14:15]).

• Cancer Concerns

  • Some laboratory and animal studies associate creatine (not cyclocreatine) with promoting the spread of breast cancer and possibly glioblastoma ([12:25], [12:29]).
  • Not causative, but may facilitate spread; cyclocreatine (a related molecule) might actually block cancer spread ([13:04]).
  • No robust human data, but enough uncertainty for caution.
  • “For me, taking creatine to get a little bit of extra energy…why would you take it if there’s this risk?” – Norman Swan ([14:15]).

5. Creatine for Brain and Menopause

• Cognitive & Alzheimer’s Research

  • One eight-week, non-double-blind trial of creatine in Alzheimer’s patients showed some improvements, but sample size and trial design were very weak ([15:31], [16:11]).
  • “That’s nice, but need something a bit bigger than that. That’s double-blind.” – Norman Swan ([16:16])

• Perimenopause

  • No strong evidence; more rigorous studies are needed.
  • “If you’re perimenopausal or menopausal… do you want to take something that may, even if it’s from lab research, increase [cancer] risk? No.” – Norman Swan ([18:33]).

6. Diet vs. Supplements

• Dietary Sources

  • A high-quality, omnivorous diet provides sufficient creatine and raw materials for the body to make it ([17:43]).
  • Vegetarians and vegans may have lower levels, but supplementation is not officially recommended—talk to a GP or dietitian ([18:04], [18:13]).

• Supplementation Takeaway

  • The hosts do not recommend creatine supplementation for the average person, especially when seeking non-muscular benefits.
  • “If you’re finding you’re getting benefit from it… the big studies… don’t show much risk. For me, it’s enough to put me off. But you’re fine with it, be fine with it.” – Norman Swan ([14:56])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Supplements Generally
  “Australians have some of the most expensive urine in the world.”
  – Norman Swan ([01:38])

• On Creatine Hype
  “There’s solid science here… But energy generation between nerve cells is a different story from actually feeling more energy.”
  – Norman Swan ([08:28])

• Caution on Research Design
  “The sample has got to be large enough that you can eliminate natural variation… 15 women in the study, natural variation will swamp the effects.”
  – Norman Swan ([11:00])

• Biggest Risk
  “There sure is. And it’s cancer.” — Norman Swan on risks of creatine supplements ([12:25])

• Ethical Reflection
  “If we had no morality, we could just tout sort of crappy solutions for complicated problems.”
  – Norman Swan ([19:02])

• Practical Bottom Line
  “Prioritise protein in a healthy diet. Talk to your GP or your dietitian.”
  – Sana Qadar ([18:23])

Practical Takeaways

• No strong scientific case exists for creatine supplementation outside athletic contexts; most “brain” and menopause studies are underpowered or confounded.
• Creatine may theoretically help in certain contexts, but risks—especially cancer spread and impact on kidney health—suggest caution.
• Anecdotal benefits are not enough to outweigh a lack of robust evidence, particularly given potential downsides.
• Best path: obtain creatine via a balanced, protein-rich diet. Consider supplementation only with medical guidance, if at all.
• If you’re in a higher-risk group (perimenopausal/menopausal women, cancer history, kidney disease), extra wariness is warranted.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• What is Creatine? — [02:31] to [05:23]
• Why the Recent Hype? (Perimenopause & Women) — [06:09] to [08:28]
• Inside the Research (Study Quality, Conflicts) — [10:02] to [11:55]
• Cancer Risks & Other Downsides — [12:25] to [14:15]
• Alzheimer’s/Cognitive Discussion — [15:21] to [16:43]
• Dietary Sources & Vegetarian Issues — [17:29] to [18:13]
• Final Recommendations & Listener Wrap-up — [18:23] to [18:48]

Tone & Style Notes

The conversation is friendly, cheeky, and pragmatic, with Norman Swan's trademark skepticism and Sana Qadar's curiosity and empathy for listeners seeking safe, evidence-based answers. The vibe is one of "cautious myth-busting," with an accessible deep dive into both science and lived experience.

For those curious about creatine as more than a gym supplement, the consensus: the science isn’t there yet—be wary, talk to your GP, and remember that well-planned meals beat magic powders.