Jenerise Advisor Makes the Scientific Case for Creatine in the Era of GLP-1 Medications

Felipe Ribeiro, RD, Jenerise Advisor and researcher at the University of São Paulo, has published the very first peer-reviewed editorial in The Journal of Nutritional Physiology, arguing that creatine supplementation deserves urgent clinical investigation as a strategy to protect muscle during treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonists.

The editorial, co-authored with leading creatine researchers Darren G. Candow (University of Regina) and Scott C. Forbes (Brandon University), alongside colleagues from Lindenwood University, Coastal Carolina University, and the University of São Paulo;  identifies a significant and under-discussed consequence of GLP-1 therapy: up to 40% of total weight lost during treatment with medications such as semaglutide may derive from lean mass rather than fat tissue.

Skeletal muscle plays a central role in glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and long-term metabolic resilience. Its loss during pharmacologically induced weight reduction represents an emerging clinical concern, one that the paper argues has not yet received adequate nutritional attention.

The case for creatine

The editorial outlines three mechanistic pathways through which creatine supplementation may benefit individuals using incretin-based medications: support for ATP resynthesis and training capacity; modulation of anabolic signalling, including IGF-1 and satellite cell activity; and potential improvement in glycaemic control through AMPK activation and GLUT-4 translocation.

While the evidence base for creatine in other populations (including older adults, clinical populations, and resistance-trained individuals) is robust, the authors note that no randomised controlled trials have yet examined its role specifically in people taking GLP-1 medications. The paper is, in part, a formal research agenda: mapping exactly what those trials should measure, how they should be designed, and what outcomes matter most.

Felipe joined the Jenerise education team in late 2025, bringing his expertise in creatine science (particularly its cognitive and therapeutic applications) to our global mission. This publication represents exactly the kind of evidence-led thinking Jenerise was built to support and amplify.

The review is published open access under a CC BY-NC-ND licence and is available now via The Journal of Nutritional Physiology.