Creatine is a naturally occurring substance found in the body, primarily in muscle tissue. It plays a crucial role in providing energy for high-intensity, short-duration activities such as weightlifting, sprinting, and other explosive exercises. In recent years, creatine has gained popularity as a dietary supplement, particularly among athletes and bodybuilders. This article will discuss the benefits and risks of using creatine as a supplement.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of creatine supplementation in improving athletic performance. Some of the benefits of creatine supplementation include:
Neuroprotective Effects: Some studies have suggested that creatine supplementation may have neuroprotective effects, potentially reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Increased Muscle Strength: Creatine supplementation has been shown to increase muscle strength in both men and women. This is particularly beneficial for athletes involved in strength-based sports such as football, rugby, and weightlifting.
Improved Muscle Endurance: Creatine supplementation can also improve muscle endurance, allowing athletes to perform more reps and sets during their workouts.
Enhanced Power Output: Creatine supplementation has been shown to increase power output, which is essential for athletes involved in explosive sports such as sprinting and jumping.
While creatine supplementation is generally considered safe, there are some potential risks and side effects to be aware of:
Interactions with Medications: Creatine supplementation may interact with certain medications, such as blood thinners and diabetes medications.
Gastrointestinal Distress: Some individuals may experience gastrointestinal distress, including diarrhea, stomach cramps, and nausea, when taking creatine supplements.
Weight Gain: Creatine supplementation can cause weight gain due to increased water retention in the muscles.
Kidney Strain: There is some concern that creatine supplementation may put a strain on the kidneys, particularly for individuals with pre-existing kidney problems.
Now and then in medicine, a discovery transforms the way we think about and treat illness. Often, these discoveries are fueled by major scientific advances, like the discovery of antibiotics or the mapping of the human genome. But sometimes long-forgotten knowledge resurfaces and, through the application of scientific advances, transforms our understanding of human health.
The recent application of metabolic psychiatry for mental health conditions is such a transformation. The ketogenic diet was used successfully to treat schizophrenia over a century ago and has been a mainstay of epilepsy treatment for decades. We are just now beginning to understand why this diet can have such dramatic effects on neurologic illness.
Researchers and psychiatrists are turning their attention to the intricate relationship between metabolism and mental health. Metabolic psychiatry, a rapidly growing area of study, seeks to understand how metabolic processes impact brain function and behavior, and how dietary interventions, such as the ketogenic diet, can treat mental illness at the cellular level.
The brain is a metabolically demanding organ, accounting for only 2% of body weight but consuming 20% of daily energy expenditure. Typically, the brain’s primary source of energy is glucose, which is obtained from the breakdown of carbohydrates. However, research has shown that many individuals with mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, have impaired glucose metabolism in the brain.
This metabolic dysfunction can lead to inflammation, oxidative stress, and impaired neurotransmitter function, all of which contribute to the development and progression of mental health disorders..
The ketogenic diet, a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein diet, has been shown to have a profound impact on metabolic function and brain health. By drastically reducing carbohydrate intake, the body is forced to shift from relying on glucose for energy to relying on ketones, which are produced by the liver from the breakdown of fat. This metabolic shift has been shown to have numerous benefits for mental health, including:
Reduced inflammation: The ketogenic diet has anti-inflammatory effects, which can help to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain.
Improved neurotransmitter function: The ketogenic diet has been shown to improve the production of neurotransmitters, such as GABA and glutamate, which are essential for mood regulation and cognitive function.
Improved energy: Ketones are a more consistent and stable form of energy, and the ketogenic diet has been shown to improve energy levels.
For some people with serious mental health disorders, conventional medication therapy is quite helpful. For far too many, however, antidepressant and antipsychotic medications are either ineffective or intolerable due to adverse side effects. While the ketogenic diet is not a cure-all for mental health disorders, research has shown that it can be a highly effective treatment for a range of conditions, including:
Depression: Studies have shown that the ketogenic diet can reduce symptoms of depression and improve mood in individuals with treatment-resistant depression.
Anxiety: The ketogenic diet has been shown to reduce anxiety symptoms and improve cognitive function in individuals with anxiety disorders.
Bipolar disorder: Research has shown that the ketogenic diet can reduce symptoms of mania and depression in individuals with bipolar disorder and reduce or eliminate the need for antidepressants and mood stabilizers.
Schizophrenia: The ketogenic diet has been shown to reduce and even eliminate hallucinations and delusions, and reduce the need for antipsychotic medications.
Metabolic psychiatry is an exciting and rapidly evolving field that holds great promise for the treatment of mental health disorders. For too long, too many patients with serious mental health disorders have suffered from treatments that either do not work or cause serious side effects.
The ketogenic diet, with its ability to improve glucose metabolism, increase energy production, reduce inflammation, and improve neurotransmitter function, is a promising and highly effective treatment for a range of mental health conditions.
To learn more about Metabolic Psychiatry, visit www.metabolicmind.org, read Brain Energy by Dr. Christopher Palmer, or talk to your functional medicine physician at Carolina Total Wellness.
If you’ve ever started the ketogenic (keto) diet—or know someone who has—you may have heard about the dreaded “keto flu.” Don’t worry, it’s not an actual virus. The term simply describes temporary side effects that some people experience in the first week or so of starting keto.
Why does it happen?
When you reduce carbs dramatically, your body has to shift from using glucose (sugar) as its main source of energy to using fat and ketones. That transition is called nutritional ketosis, and it can feel a little bumpy at first.
Here’s why:
Adaptation stress: The sudden shift in fuel source can leave you feeling sluggish until your cells adjust.
Carb withdrawal: Your body is used to quick energy from carbs, and it takes a few days to learn how to run on fat instead.
Water and electrolyte loss: Carbohydrates hold onto water and electrolytes (like sodium, potassium, and magnesium). When carbs are cut, the body flushes out extra fluid, leading to dehydration and mineral loss.
Adaptation stress: The sudden shift in fuel source can leave you feeling sluggish until your cells adjust.
Common symptoms of the keto flu
Everyone is different, but the most common complaints include:
Fatigue or low energy
Headaches
Irritability or “brain fog”
Nausea
Muscle cramps
Trouble sleeping
The good news? These symptoms are temporary. Most people notice improvement within 3–7 days as their bodies adjust to ketosis.ate if you’re sensitive—they can be high in histamine or trigger release.
How to beat the keto flu
You don’t have to suffer through it! Here are some practical ways to ease the transition:
Stay hydrated 💧Aim for at least 8–10 cups of water per day. Remember, you’re losing extra fluid at the beginning, so replenishing is key.
Boost electrolytes ⚡Salt your food a little more than usual, sip on broth, and include potassium- and magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, avocado, and nuts. Some patients also benefit from an electrolyte supplement such as ElectroPure Hydration by Designs for Health.
Ease into keto gradually 🍳Instead of slashing carbs overnight, try lowering them step by step over a week or two. This gives your metabolism more time to adjust.
Eat enough fat and protein 🥑Don’t skimp on calories. Healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, salmon, nuts) and adequate protein help stabilize energy and keep you full.
Prioritize sleep and rest 😴Fatigue can worsen symptoms. Try to get 7–9 hours of quality sleep and listen to your body during the transition.
Histamine intolerance can feel like an invisible burden—causing symptoms like headaches, hives, digestive issues, and fatigue without a clear cause. Unlike typical allergies, histamine intolerance stems from the body’s inability to effectively break down histamine, a compound involved in immune responses, digestion, and the nervous system. Fortunately, many natural strategies can help manage histamine levels and support your body’s ability to process it. Now that you’ve learned more about histamines (see Dr. Hart’s previous blog post on Histamines), I would like to share some ways to help them naturally.
Natural Ways to Manage and Reduce Histamine Intolerance:
Follow a Low-Histamine Diet
Start by reducing foods that are naturally high in histamine or that trigger histamine release: Foods to limit or avoid:
Avoid teas like black tea, green tea, and yerba mate if you’re sensitive—they can be high in histamine or trigger release.
Reduce Stress:
Stress can trigger histamine release from mast cells. Chronic stress makes intolerance worse.
Try:
Deep breathing or meditation
Gentle exercise (like yoga, stretching or walking)
Adequate sleep
Time in nature in the fresh air
Minimize Environmental Triggers:
Histamine intolerance isn’t just about food—external triggers can add to the load:
Pollen
Mold
Dust mites
Pet dander
Fragrances and household chemicals
Reduce triggers with:
HEPA air purifiers
Fragrance-free cleaning and personal care products
Regular cleaning to minimize dust and allergens
Since there is no histamine test one can take, and histamine intolerances vary from person to person, tracking what you eat and how you feel can reveal hidden triggers.
Histamine intolerance can feel overwhelming, but lifestyle and diet changes can dramatically improve symptoms.
If symptoms are severe or persistent, consult a Carolina Total Wellness practitioner. They can run stool tests to check the health of your gut microbiome, blood tests, nutrient testing, and temporarily eliminating certain foods from your diet.
Balancing histamine isn’t about perfection—it’s about reducing your overall histamine load so your body can recover. See one of our Functional Medicine certified providers to learn more about whether your symptoms are related to histamine and what you can do about it.
It is a chemical that is made by your immune system and its main function is to help the body get rid of allergens. When histamine builds up in the body, it has an effect on mostly every system in the body.
Histamine intolerance is a condition characterized by an imbalance between the accumulation of histamine and the body’s ability to degrade. It is broken down by different enzymes and when the enzymes are not present or you may be suffering from an issue that makes it difficult to break down histamine, then histamine levels will build up and create a cascade of symptoms. These symptoms can be non-specific and may resemble those of other conditions, making diagnosis challenging.
The physicians at Carolina Total Wellness will thoroughly evaluate your history and determine if the symptoms you are experiencing are related to histamine intolerance. Other factors that can contribute to histamine intolerance include genetic predispositions, dietary factors, hormonal imbalances, stress, alcohol consumption and environmental factors. For example, certain foods, such as fermented foods, vinegars, cured meats, citrus fruits, and bananas, can be high in histamine or contain histamine-releasing compounds.
High stress can have a big impact on histamine production as it can cause the immune cells to release more histamine. Lastly, having a hormonal imbalance such as estrogen dominance can lead to excess histamine release and interfere with the enzymes that degrade the histamine worsening the problem.
Lifestyle Recommendations for Histamine Intolerance
Lifestyle modifications can help alleviate symptoms. A low-histamine diet is currently the most advised strategy for preventing symptoms. This diet involves excluding high histamine-containing foods, and opting for fresh, whole foods instead. Additionally, DAO supplementation can help support histamine degradation.
At Carolina Total Wellness, our health coaches are very knowledgeable of Histamine Intolerance and will provide counseling on the foods high in histamine and what it better to eat instead.
Other lifestyle recommendations for managing histamine intolerance include:
Gut health support- Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is essential for histamine degradation. Probiotics, such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium infantis, and Lactobacillus plantarum, can help support gut health. It is important to assess for gut dysbiosis or imbalances in the gut microbiome. Be mindful that not all probiotics are useful if someone has high histamine. Certain types of bacteria can produce histamine, whereas some may have the ability to degrade histamine, and some have no direct effect on histamine.
Stress management – Stress can exacerbate histamine intolerance symptoms. Engaging in stress-reducing activities, such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture, or deep breathing exercises, can help mitigate symptoms. Carolina Total Wellness Health Coaches will provide you with an individualized plan for stress management based on your history.
Avoiding histamine-releasing compounds – Certain compounds, such as alcohol, caffeine, and certain medications, can release histamine and exacerbate symptoms.
Treatment Recommendations for Histamine Intolerance
While lifestyle modifications can help alleviate symptoms, treatment may be necessary for severe cases of histamine intolerance. There are various medications that can help alleviate symptoms.
In conclusion, histamine intolerance is a complex condition that requires a comprehensive approach to management. By understanding the symptoms, causes, and lifestyle recommendations for histamine intolerance, you can take the necessary steps to alleviate symptoms and improve your quality of life. If you suspect you have histamine intolerance, consult with one of your physicians here at Carolina Total Wellness who can evaluate histamine intolerance and recommend the most appropriate treatment plan for you.
Summer cookouts are a time for connection, sunshine, and great food—but they’re often filled with processed meats, sugary desserts, and disposable, well, everything. Traditional menus can leave us feeling bloated, fatigued, or inflamed. This season, choose nourishing, sustainable swaps that taste amazing and help you feel even better.
SWAP #1: Kabobs Instead of Burgers or Hot Dogs
Skip the heavy burger buns and enjoy colorful protein-packed skewers that are naturally gluten-free and customizable.
Build-your-own kabob ideas:
Marinade: olive oil + lemon juice + garlic + oregano or rosemary
Proteins: wild-caught salmon or shrimp, organic chicken, grass-fed steak, marinated tofu or tempeh
Veggies & Fruit: zucchini, red onion, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, pineapple, mushrooms
SWAP #3: Grilled Fruit Instead of Cobbler
Ditch the sugary, gluten-heavy desserts and grill up nature’s candy for a fiber-rich, antioxidant-packed, naturally sweet treat without the crash.
Easy grilled fruit ideas:
Top with coconut whipped cream, chopped toasted nuts, or a sprinkle of cinnamon
Peaches or nectarines: halved, brushed with coconut oil, grilled 2–3 mins per side
Pineapple rings or watermelon slices: caramelize for a smoky-sweet flavor
SWAP #4: Corn-Based or Bamboo Plates Instead of Plastic
Did you know plastic plates and utensils can leach hormone-disrupting chemicals, especially when exposed to heat and sunlight?
Here are some better options to support hormone health and reduce landfill waste:
Compostable corn-based or bamboo plates and flatware
Enamel or stainless steel reusable sets
Cloth napkins for a zero-waste, elegant upgrade
Takeaways
Enjoy real food. Celebrate connection. Support your health—naturally.
Summer cookouts don’t have to derail your health goals. It IS possible to avoid gluten, dairy, and highly processed foods without missing out on celebrations with friends and family.
Perfection is not the goal. Choose one swap that sounds good to you and let yourself enjoy the rest, if it won’t make you feel terrible afterwards.
Subtle changes add up over time – and are more likely to be sustainable.
To schedule an appointment with one of our certified Functional Medicine Physicians, please give us a call. We are excited to partner with you on your journey to optimize your health and wellness through personalized care tailored to your unique needs.
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