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Medcan's Vital Five: A Framework for Optimal Lifelong Health

Dr. Scott Gledhill

Sr. Medical Consultant, Dedicated Care physician

What should you ask your doctor at your next checkup?

Medcan's Dr. Scott Gledhill on Breakfast Television

Routine physicals have evolved. Watch Dr. Scott Gledhill on Breakfast Television explain how preventive screening is now tailored to your age, health history, and risk factors, and what questions to ask at your next checkup.

What Should You Ask Your Doctor at Your Next Checkup? | Medcan

Preventive care has changed. Learn how to make the most of your next checkup, including the questions to ask and screenings to consider 

Medcan’s Dr. Scott Gledhill joined hosts Rick and Faiza on Breakfast Television to answer this question. 

While there was once a time when your doctor’s office might call to remind you about your annual physical, today, preventive care looks a little different. 

As Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health recommendations evolved, routine physicals for healthy adults were replaced with a personalized approach. 

Nowadays, preventive screening remains important, but it is done based on age, sex, medical history, and risk profile. 

That makes it more important than ever to understand your risks, know what tests may be right for you, and build a strong relationship with your physician. 

Watch the segment on the Breakfast Television site to learn what tests and questions should be on your radar and when. 

Note: This information is intended for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 

Dr. Peter Nord

Chief Medical Officer

Head of Clinical Innovation

An innovative new tool to help you stay proactive, turn insights into action and track health progress over time

Inside Medcan’s Health Score: turning complex health data into one clear number

Discover how the Medcan Health Score turns 100+ health data points into one clear number to guide action, track progress and support proactive care.

Medcan Health Score: One Number That Tracks Your Health

Understanding your health through biomarkers, screening results and evidence-based tests is an important step to living your healthiest life. But insight alone doesn’t lead to transformation. Real positive health shifts come down to what you choose to do with the information you receive. 

Great health requires action – and often new action – based on where you are and what needs improvement. 

For example, your Annual Health Assessment might show an excellent muscle-to-fat ratio from strength training, but a lower VO2 sub-max score signaling a need for more cardio training. Or, you may learn your testosterone has declined, making resistance training a priority. In other cases, your data might indicate risk factors that need to be addressed through dietary changes, such as reducing sugar intake.  

These next steps are often clear, but they’re not always easy to follow-through on, especially when they require changing long-standing habits. Sustainable progress requires focus, consistency and a way to track whether your efforts are leading to positive improvements.  

This is why Medcan created the Medcan Health Score. Grounded in our clinical experience and behavioural research, it was designed to make progress tangible by translating complex health data into one simple, trackable metric that keeps you motivated and in action. 

According to Medcan’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Peter Nord, who guided the development of the Health Score, “We see in both clinical practice and research that when people can clearly see where they stand – and track how their actions drive change over time – they’re far more likely to stay engaged and follow through.”

- Dr. Peter Nord, Medcan’s Chief Medical Officer

The Health Score is now part of your Annual Health Assessment experience. While the Annual Health Assessment gives you a comprehensive picture of your baseline health through extensive testing and measures more than 100 biomarkers, the Health Score gives you one meaningful number that reflects where you are today and helps guide what to do next.    

Medcan’s Health Score is a numerical representation of your health status, expressed as a score out of 100. It is derived from your age and a set of 10 modifiable biomarkers that are measured as part of your Annual Health Assessment. 

“We’re excited to introduce the Health Score as a valuable tool that will help our clients stay motivated when it comes to managing their health proactively,'” says Medcan’s Head of Clinical Innovation, Allison Hazell. 

Given that it’s a directional measure, rather than a predictive or diagnostic tool, the Health Score is meant to complement the very detailed Annual Health Assessment report that clients receive when they complete their assessment. That report includes over 100 biomarkers across 5 key health categories, known as Medcan’s Vital Five – Heart, Cancer, Metabolic, Mind, and Movement. The Health Score is provided alongside a comprehensive report of results as an easy-to-understand snapshot that helps clients review their health at-a-glance and monitor progress.

Every client who completes an Annual Health Assessment receives a Health Score. A physician will review the score along with other test results during an in-depth consultation at the end of the appointment. That in-person discussion focuses on the modifiable factors that influence your score and changes you can make.  

As Dr. Nord explains, “We know that shared decision-making between clients and clinicians in preventive care is associated with improved engagement and better health outcomes, which is exactly what the Health Score is designed to support.” 

Through the Annual Health Assessment, clients receive over 100 data points. While comprehensive, this level of detail can make it difficult to see the big picture or know where to focus. The Medcan Health Score addresses that, distilling key health indicators into one single, standardized metric. Its goals are threefold: 

Simplify complex information: a single score improves clarity and helps you quickly grasp your overall health status 

Support action-taking: clear, visual summaries improve understanding, motivation and action-taking 

Enable long-term tracking: a consistent, repeatable score allows you to monitor progress over time and stay focused on meaningful change 

According to Medcan’s Vice President of Medical Affairs, Dr. Jason Abrams, “The Health Score is an engagement tool that gives clients a snapshot of their current health and breaks down what areas they can target to improve future health risks. 

- Dr. Jason Abrams, Medcan’s Vice President of Medical Affairs

We encourage clients to use the Health Score as a motivational tool that supports progress. It is not intended to predict future health outcomes or mortality or replace physician judgment or diagnostic protocols.  

Health is complex and personal. While single metric tools can be useful in general, there are always situations where they are not as relevant. The Health Score should never be used as a standalone indicator of health outside of the full assessment results. 

During an Annual Health Assessment, multiple factors are evaluated, and if there are pressing concerns or results that require detailed discussion or follow-up, those conversations will always take precedence. 

The Health Score is also ideal for those who are considered relatively healthy. For those who have complex or chronic conditions, a physician will provide guidance on how to consider the score in the context of your full data set, as standard reference ranges used to calculate the score may not fully apply. 

At a population level, aggregated Health Scores will eventually also allow us to measure the broader impact and effectiveness of Medcan’s programs and interventions to ensure we are always offering the highest level of care and clinical excellence. 

The 10 biomarkers behind the Medcan Health Score 

The Health Score is calculated using age (as a contextual factor) and 10 modifiable biomarkers, selected for their clinical relevance, objectivity, and ability to be consistently measured. The 10 biomarkers are: 

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) 

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) 

Here is an explanation of each biomarker, starting with age as a contextual factor that is linked to each biomarker and included in the Health Score. 

Age: the context for every other marker  

Age is the only factor tracked as part of the Medcan Health Score that is “non-modifiable” or can’t be changed. We include age because it is the single strongest baseline predictor of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk. Age contextualizes every other biomarker and allows Medcan to benchmark risk trajectories over time. 

Widely used risk equations, such as the Framingham general cardiovascular disease score, which is used to assess heart health, weigh age heavily in its 10-year risk estimation. Age is included in the Health Score framework because it plays a central role in chronic disease onset. 

Cardiorespiratory fitness is captured through a VO2 submaximal estimate (known as ‘V02 sub-max'), which measures how efficiently your body uses oxygen during exercise. Submaximal testing estimates your highest oxygen capacity without pushing you to your absolute limit. It gives a reliable picture of your cardiovascular fitness. Higher fitness levels are associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and all-cause mortality. To learn more about V02 sub-max visit this page: Introducing V02 sub-max to the Annual Health Assessment. 

Muscular strength is represented by grip strength, measured with a calibrated dynamometer using Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology protocols. Grip strength is a simple, reliable proxy for overall muscle strength and functional reserve, with lower values linked to higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality independent of traditional risk factors. For more information on grip strength, read: Grip strength: A powerful predictor of full-body health. 

Together, these two biomarkers reflect how well your heart, lungs and muscles support daily life and long-term health. 

Several biomarkers within the Medcan Health Score focus on cardiovascular risk through blood lipids and inflammation. 

Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) ApoB is a protein associated with “bad” lipoproteins in the blood that are involved in plaque buildup in an individual’s arteries. A higher level indicates a higher risk of cardiovascular conditions, such as heart attack and stroke.  

Triglyceride to HDL ratio (TG/HDL) is a ratio of triglycerides to “good” cholesterol (HDL). A higher ratio is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular conditions, such as heart and stroke, and serves as a marker of atherogenic dyslipidemia – a pattern of blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) that increases the risk of developing plaque in the arteries – and insulin resistance.  

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is a causal driver of cardiovascular disease. Lowering lifetime exposure to LDL reduces major vascular events. 

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) reflects low-grade inflammation and can indicate cardiovascular risk in apparently healthy adults. Elevated hs-CRP is associated with incidence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease depression and all-cause mortality. 

By combining these markers, the Health Score captures both the lipid and inflammatory components of cardiovascular risk. For more information on these biomarkers read Medcan’s guide to heart health. 

Metabolic health is represented through hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). 

HbA1c reflects average blood glucose over approximately three months and is an important marker of prediabetes and diabetes risk. It is independently associated with cardiovascular and overall mortality in people with and without diabetes. Medcan uses standardized lab assays and anchors of interpretation to diagnostic and prediabetes cut points from major guidelines to ensure consistent tracking. For more on HbA1c and other important metabolic biomarkers that are part of the Annual Health Assessment, visit this page. 

WHtR focuses on central adiposity (amount of fat in the waist region), which is more tightly linked to cardiometabolic risk than body mass index or waist circumference alone. Waist circumference is measured using World Health Organization protocols, and scoring is rooted in the simple screening message to keep your waist less than half your height. WHtR is consistently associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mortality across populations. 

Two lifestyle-related biomarkers round out the Health Score. 

Alcohol intake is verified in-clinic and quantified in standard drinks per week. Risk is categorized using guidance that emphasizes that no amount of alcohol is risk-free. Meta-analyses show a linear dose-response between alcohol and outcomes such as cancer, injury, liver disease and all-cause mortality. 

Cigarette smoking status is recorded as a yes or no result and includes cigarette smoking or vaping of nicotine-containing products on a regular basis. Nicotine exposure remains one of the most potent modifiable determinants of morbidity and mortality. Smoking cessation rapidly reduces cardiovascular risk, with evidence of substantial risk reduction within 12 months of quitting. 

Behind the simplicity of a single number is a structured methodology. The biomarkers we use to calculate the Health Score are measured using documented, standardized lab assays and protocols. Reference ranges and thresholds are also anchored to national and international guidelines. This allows for consistent risk assignments and year-over-year tracking. 

Self-reported metrics, such as alcohol intake and smoking status, are validated in clinic by a Medcan clinician rather than relying solely on pre-visit questionnaires.  

“Some might wonder why there is currently no biomarker related to emotional wellbeing in the score, and we acknowledge this. We currently face constraints in standardizing this factor given its subjectivity. However, it’s a core component we are focused on as we continue to innovate,” explains Dr. Nord 

As more data is collected and we continue to innovate, we will continue to evolve the Health Score health score as new research and learnings emerge. 

A tool to help you progress and stay proactive 

The Medcan Health Score offers a clear starting point and shows, at a glance, how your current habits and physiology are combining today. 

Since the score is built from modifiable biomarkers, it is also designed to change over time. Improvements in fitness, strength, lipids, inflammation, metabolic control, body composition or lifestyle behaviours can all move the number in a positive direction – making it a practical tool for tracking the impact of your efforts over time. 

Additionally, it supports more focused conversations with your Annual Health Assessment physician. Rather than trying to interpret every result in isolation, together you can use the score as a framework, then dive into the specific biomarkers that are driving it. From there you can also explore the specific areas of your results report that need additional consideration. That shared understanding can make it easier to agree on priorities and next steps. 

Finally, as Dr. Nord explains, “The Health Score is about continuing to encourage a broader shift in healthcare from reactive treatment to proactive, personalized prevention. We believe this has the opportunity to help clients make positive changes that can set them on a path to better health and longevity.” 

While your best health can never be determined by one number alone, one number can help you take the first steps and keep moving in the right direction. 

During your Annual Health Assessment, you will now receive the Medcan Health Score. As part of the experience, you and your physician will review your score and how each biomarker contributes and discuss the areas with the greatest opportunity for improvement. You will also be able to view your score within your full assessment report available through our myMedcan secure health platform. To learn more or book your Annual Health Assessment, visit this page. 

For clients who want deeper insights into particular areas of health, Medcan’s Enhanced Assessments can provide additional detail on heart health, cancer risk, genetics, longevity and whole-body health, including liver function. These offerings complement the Annual Health Assessment and can be used alongside the health score to refine your prevention strategy. Learn more here.

This content is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult a Medcan clinician or your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your health needs. 

This article was written by Medcan’s editorial team with review and contribution from Dr. Peter Nord, Chief Medical Officer at Medcan, Dr. Jason Abrams, Medcan’s Vice President of Medical Affairs, and Head of Clinical Innovation, Allison Hazell. 

Leslie Beck, RD

Registered Dietitian (RD) and Clinical Director of Food and Nutrition

Clinical Director of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

Beyond the buzz: why creatine is evolving from a sports supplement into a widely studied tool for muscle strength and mass

What is creatine, and should you take it? Why it’s not just for bodybuilders, and never really was 

Creatine is the most widely used sports supplement in the world. It's moved beyond bodybuilding circles into everyday conversations about long-term health and longevity.

Creatine is Not Just for Bodybuilders: Learn the Research-Backed Reasons You Might Want to Take It

In the mid-1990s, if you walked into a gym, you’d likely see tubs of creatine powder with shaker bottles and hear conversations about “gains.” Since then, creatine - more clinically, and officially, creatine monohydrate - has remained one of the most widely used sports supplements in the world. 

More recently, however, it has moved beyond bodybuilding circles into everyday conversations. From young adults focused on strength training to those over 40 looking to maintain muscle as they age, many are asking: What exactly is creatine? Do I need it? And how should I use it?  

Part of this surge is driven by the depth of research behind it, along with growing interest in strength as a foundation for healthy aging. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied performance supplement today, and since the 1970s, more than 500 peer-reviewed clinical trials have examined the supplement. Therefore, the evidence is strong on creatine monohydrate for improving multiple aspects of health, including increased strength and power, preservation of lean muscle mass, and enhanced performance. There has also been preliminary research exploring its potential role in brain health, sleep deprivation, chronic stress management, and even depression and anxiety.  

But, as with most trending topics, misinformation persists. Some believe creatine monohydrate is only relevant for men or athletes, while others may have bought in to an outdated idea that proliferated from inaccurate research that it causes kidney damage.  

This article draws on insights from Medcan’s Clinical Director of Food and Nutrition, Leslie Beck, RD, along with Medcan’s Clinical Director of Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dr. Miners, to provide clear, evidence-based guidance on whether creatine monohydrate has a place in your health routine.

What is creatine and how does it work?  

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that helps your body produce energy quickly. It’s made in the liver and kidneys, with about 95% stored in skeletal muscle as phosphocreatine, a higher-energy form of creatine. The remaining 5% is found in the brain and other tissues. 

When your body needs a rapid burst of energy during weightlifting, sprinting or other high-intensity efforts, creatine helps meet that demand. One simple way to think of it is as your body’s backup battery. 

Creatine: a naturally occurring compound made by the body and found in foods such as red meat and fish that helps produce energy for muscles and the brain.

Your cells rely on a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as their primary energy source. ATP is what allows you to move, think, and function. But during short, intense efforts, your muscles use ATP in seconds. This is where phosphocreatine comes in. It helps regenerate ATP by donating a phosphate, allowing you to maintain high-intensity output for a little longer. 

ATP (adenosine triphosphate): the body's primary energy-carrying molecule that provides fuel for virtually every cellular process, including muscle contraction, movement, and brain function.

Over time, that added capacity can translate into measurable improvements in: 

Endurance: you get more total work in a training session 

Strength: you gain an increased ability to lift slightly heavier weights or complete more repetitions 

Power: you perform better in repeated sprints or explosive movements 

These small gains, repeated over weeks and months, can drive meaningful increases in strength and muscle mass and enhance your performance in all areas. Research shows that creatine monohydrate – the supplemental form of creatine –  can help you achieve the following benefits: 

Strength and muscle gain: when paired with progressive resistance training, creatine consistently improves strength and lean mass compared with training alone. 

High intensity performance: activities that involve short bursts of effort, such as sprinting, jumping or repeated shifts in team sports, often improve with creatine. 

Healthy aging and function: for older adults, creatine paired with strength training can support muscle, bone loading and functional capacity – such as getting up from a chair or climbing stairs. 

Muscle maintenance during dieting: in calorie deficits, creatine may help preserve muscle mass when combined with adequate protein and resistance training. 

Boosting energy during periods of intense stress or sleep deprivation: stress and lack of sleep can disrupt regular creatine synthesis. Therefore, creatine supplementation may be helpful for boosting energy during these periods. 

These benefits become more evident when you understand how the body gets creatine monohydrates and what can disrupt health processes. 

How does your body get its creatine, and what disrupts healthy synthesis? 

According to Leslie, “Most people consume about 1-2 grams of creatine monohydrate per day through food, primarily from beef, pork, lamb, fish and shellfish. The body also produces roughly 1 gram daily." Together, this is enough to support normal function, assuming your body is operating optimally and your environment supports it. 

- Medcan Clinical Director of Food and Nutrition, Leslie Beck, RD

However, there are three key factors that can disrupt healthy creatine synthesis: 

As you get older, creatine synthesis may decline. Since creatine is produced mainly in the kidneys and liver, age-related changes in these organs can reduce efficiency. At the same time, natural muscle loss can lower the body’s total creatine stores and its ability to recycle and use it effectively. 

Aging is also associated with increased oxidative stress, inflammation, and metabolic changes. These shifts can raise energy demands while reducing efficiency. Your body may develop a greater reliance on creatine but a diminished ability to maintain optimal levels. 

Research suggests that sleep deprivation alters creatine biomarkers, which means your body may not regulate or use creatine as efficiently when you’re sleep deprived. Poor sleep also affects ATP and phosphocreatine systems in the brain by increasing demand while accelerating depletion. Since creatine helps buffer energy in the brain, disruptions in sleep are also linked to reduced cognitive performance and changes in energy metabolism. 

Chronic stress may further impair creatine production. Elevated cortisol can increase the breakdown of protein, disrupt liver function, and interfere with methylation (a normal body process that turns genes on and off and helps your body respond to its environment) - all processes related to creatine synthesis.  

This is where supplementation may be helpful beyond athletic performance.  Still, whether it is worth considering depends on your goals, diet, age, and overall health.  

Compensate for poor sleep, high stress or inadequate nutrition 

Deliver instant results without consistent effort 

According to Dr. Miners, “Creatine always works best when it supports, rather than replaces, the fundamentals of training, nutrition and recovery.” 

Certain groups may benefit greatly from a creatine monohydrate supplement. Evidence shows the best candidates may be:  

Strength and power athletes: people who lift weights, sprint or play sports that involve repeated high-intensity efforts often see improvements in strength, power and training volume. 

Recreational exercisers focused on muscle: adults who train consistently and want to support lean muscle, especially during calorie deficits, may benefit. 

Older adults (50+): when combined with resistance training, creatine monohydrate may help preserve muscle mass and strength, which are critical for mobility and independence with age. This includes both men and women. The strongest aging-muscle data come from studies conducted in adults ages ≥ 50, often 60+ and postmenopausal women participating in resistance training. 

People with low dietary creatine intake: vegetarians and vegans typically have lower baseline creatine stores because plant foods contain very little creatine. They may see a more pronounced response to supplementation. 

People with rare genetic creatine synthesis disorders. GAMT deficiency (short for guanidinoacetate methyltransferase) is a creatine synthesis condition that impacts approximately 1 in 250,000, but it has no symptoms and lack of screening that number may be more. 

Creatine is exceptionally well tolerated in healthy individuals when used at recommended doses. Only a select few may need to be cautious. Those who fit the below description should speak with a physician before starting creatine monohydrate.: 

Have kidney disease or reduced kidney function: creatine is broken down into a compound called creatinine, which is filtered out by the kidneys. If kidney function is already impaired, adding more creatine can increase the kidneys’ workload and may complicate monitoring (since creatinine levels are also used to assess kidney health). 

Take medications that affect kidney health: some medications already put strain on the kidneys or alter how they function. Taking creatine alongside these could increase that strain or make it harder to tell whether changes in kidney markers are due to the medication or the supplement. 

Complex medical conditions or multiple medications: if someone has multiple health issues or takes several medications, there’s a higher chance of unexpected interactions or side effects. Even if creatine is generally safe, it’s important to make sure it fits within the bigger picture of their health and treatment plan. 

According to Leslie, “Creatine monohydrate is considered generally safe and well tolerated with studies conducted in adults that have lasted up to five years. However, there’s limited evidence about the safety of creatine supplements in children and adolescents.” 

If you are unsure where you stand, a comprehensive check‑in, such as Medcan’s Annual Health Assessment, can help clarify your baseline health and whether supplements like creatine fit into your overall plan. 

How to use creatine safely and effectively 

If you decide creatine monohydrate aligns with your goals, using it correctly matters. Leslie recommends choosing a high-quality source. “While other forms exist, monohydrate is the most studied, so look for that on the label.” 

Other forms are available, but none have consistently outperformed creatine monohydrate in high-quality trials. “It’s also important that the product is third-party tested,” adds Dr. Miners.  

Look for a recognized seal of approval to ensure quality and purity. The biggest indicator is an official third-party logo printed on the front or back of the package. Common ones include: 

These logos mean the product has been independently tested for purity (what’s on the label is actually in the product), contaminants (heavy metals, microbes) and banned substances (especially important for athletes). 

For most healthy adults, Leslie recommends 3 to 5 g/day of creatine monohydrate per day. This is evidence-based and sufficient for maintenance once muscle stores are saturated.  

Some studies in older adults have used weight-based doses around 0.1 g/kg/day (often about 7 to 9 g/day) but there is not strong evidence from randomized controlled trials showing these doses are more effective than 5 g/day for muscle gains when combined with resistance training. According to Leslie, “Higher creatine doses have also been studied for sleep-deprivation-related cognitive performance, but this evidence is early, short-term and not strong enough to recommend higher doses for those with chronic stress or poor sleep.” 

There is also a traditional 20 g/day loading two-phase dose approach for creatine monohydrate that is well established as a short-term way to saturate muscle creatine stores faster, followed by 3–5 g/day for maintenance. A loading phase approach is as follows: 

Phase 1 (loading): 20 grams per day, split into four doses, for 5–7 days 

Phase 2 (maintenance): 3–5 grams per day 

For most people, however, a no-loading approach is simpler and reduces the likelihood of mild gastrointestinal discomfort. 

Creatine monohydrate can be taken with a meal to support absorption and reduce stomach upset, or mixed into water, juice, a smoothie or a post-workout shake. And since creatine draws water into muscle cells, staying well hydrated is important. Aim for consistent fluid intake throughout the day, especially if you are training in warmer environments. 

Timing is flexible, but consistency is key.  Missing a day occasionally is not a concern, but regular use is needed to maintain elevated muscle stores.  

Research shows that long-term use of creatine monohydrate is well-tolerated and safe for most people who are focused on building muscle strength and mass. There are, however, minor side effects. Here are the three most common ones: 

Mild water retention that may show up as a small increase in body weight  

Creatine pulls water into muscle cells, which can cause a slight increase in body weight or a feeling of fullness. However, this effect is short-lived. “After the first week, as you move into a maintenance dose, fluid balance stabilizes, and the water is retained in the muscle rather than under the skin,” explains Dr. Miners. 

- Medcan Clinical Director of Sports Therapy, Dr. Andrew Miners

For those who prefer to avoid mild water retention, a lower, gradual dosing can help. But this also means it will take longer to fully saturate muscle stores and realize the same performance benefits. 

Stomach upset can happen if large doses are taken at once. To reduce the risk, split your intake into smaller doses throughout the day rather than taking it all at once. 

Taking creatine with food can also help improve tolerance, as can mixing it thoroughly into fluid to ensure its fully dissolved. For some, starting with a lower daily dose (rather than loading) and gradually increasing over time can minimize digestive discomfort while still allowing muscle stores to build. 

If you’re taking creatine, it’s important to know that it can affect certain lab results, particularly creatinine levels. Creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine, and it’s commonly used as a biomarker of kidney function. (Creatinine is one of the 100+ biomarkers we test for as part of your Annual Health Assessment). 

When you supplement with creatine, research shows that creatinine levels may appear slightly elevated on blood tests. This does not necessarily indicate kidney dysfunction. In many cases, it reflects increased creatine intake rather than a true issue with filtration. 

However, because creatinine is used clinically to assess kidney health, it’s important to let your healthcare provider know if you are taking creatine so they can interpret your results accurately. Those with underlying kidney issues should also only use creatine under medical supervision. 

The decision to use creatine should start with a simple question: what am I trying to achieve? If you are considering creatine, a structured approach can help you use it safely and effectively. 

Step 1: Clarify your current health status 

Before adding any supplements, you want to understand your baseline health. Consider: 

Recent blood work, including kidney function 

Current medications and medical conditions 

Your training history and injury profile 

A comprehensive evaluation, such as an Annual Health Assessment, can help you identify any red flags and ensure your supplement choices align with your broader health picture. 

Step 2: Define your training and nutrition plan 

Creatine works best when it supports a clear plan. Map out: 

The type of exercise you will focus on (for example, resistance training) 

Your protein intake and overall nutrition 

If you are unsure how to structure your workouts, partnering with a trainer as part of Medcan’s Personalized Fitness Training can help you build a fitness program that makes effective use of tools like creatine. 

Begin with 3–5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day, taken with food. Over the first few weeks: 

Monitor how you feel, including digestion and energy 

Track training performance and recovery 

Keep an eye on body weight and hydration 

Evidence-Based Insights from Medcan's Clinical Experts

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