By: Yekta Dowlati, PhD Introduction Creatine is one of the most extensively studied dietary supplements, supporting its role in exercise performance, recovery, and clinical health. Despite this robust evidence base, discussions of creatine supplementation have historically centered on men, particularly athletes and bodybuilders.1 This has left a significant gap in the clinical dialogue on women’s health—despite the fact that women possess 70–80% lower endogenous creatine stores compared to men, and often consume less through diet.1 Emerging research now suggests that…

By: Yekta Dowlati, PhD The Hidden Crisis of Skeletal Decline Osteoporosis represents a major clinical and public health challenge, with an estimated one in two women experiencing an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. While fractures are often considered a problem of advanced age, the biological processes that predispose women to skeletal fragility accelerate dramatically during the menopausal transition. Bone is a dynamic tissue, continuously remodeled through the interplay of osteoclast-mediated resorption and osteoblast-mediated formation. This remodeling ensures that old, damaged…

By: Yekta Dowlati, PhD Vitamin C (ascorbic acid/ascorbate) is indispensable for immune defense, yet insufficiency remains widespread even in high-income nations. Data from the U.S. NHANES 2003–2006 survey revealed that 41.8% of adults had insufficient plasma Vitamin C levels, spanning deficiency (<11 µmol/L), hypovitaminosis (11–23 µmol/L), and inadequate concentrations (23–49 µmol/L).1 Notably, males, smokers, individuals with elevated BMI, and populations experiencing food insecurity were disproportionately affected. While scurvy is now rare, subclinical Vitamin C insufficiency exerts significant biological consequences. Inadequate…

By: Yekta Dowlati, PhD Pain is not merely a symptom; it is the consequence of disrupted immune resolution, tissue stress, metabolic dysfunction, and maladaptive neuroplasticity. The historical emphasis on symptom suppression through analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs has overlooked the body’s own endogenous mechanisms for controlling inflammation and restoring homeostasis. As a result, conventional therapies often provide only temporary relief, while doing little to address the biological underpinnings of chronic pain. Emerging research in resolution biology, enzymatic signaling, and phytochemical immunomodulation…

As the widespread adoption of GLP-1 receptor agonists reshapes the treatment landscape for obesity and metabolic disease, a new and arguably more intricate challenge is emerging: guiding patients through the phase that follows with GLP-1 nutritional support. The discontinuation of GLP-1 therapy is not merely the end of pharmacologic appetite suppression; it represents a critical metabolic inflection point, where compensatory physiology can rapidly unravel previous progress if left unchecked.1,2 What follows is far from benign. Appetite mechanisms recalibrate, often overshooting…

By: Yekta Dowlati, PhD GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), including semaglutide and liraglutide, have redefined therapeutic strategies for type 2 diabetes and obesity by harnessing incretin biology to achieve profound metabolic benefits.1 These agents enhance glucose-dependent insulin secretion, suppress glucagon, delay gastric emptying, and reduce appetite through central and peripheral pathways. However, the same physiological mechanisms that underpin their efficacy are intrinsically linked to gastrointestinal (GI) side effects—an area of growing clinical significance.2 Nausea, early satiety, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation…

By: Yekta Dowlati, PhD   The therapeutic landscape for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been revolutionized by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), with weight reductions approaching magnitudes once exclusive to bariatric surgery. Yet, alongside dramatic fat mass loss, emerging data underscore a concerning reality: a substantial fraction of weight shed on GLP-1 RAs is lean mass — up to 40% in some trials.1,2 As muscle quantity and quality are integral to metabolic resilience, physical function, and…

By: Yekta Dowlati, PhD The advent of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) marks a transformative era in obesity and type 2 diabetes management. As of 2024, 6% of adults in the United States are currently using GLP-1 medications, with 12% reporting either current or previous use.1 Among those who have been diagnosed with overweight or obesity by a healthcare provider, this figure increases to 22%.1 These agents—such as semaglutide and tirzepatide—deliver clinically meaningful weight loss, improved glycemic control, and cardiovascular…

By: Yekta Dowlati, PhD Let’s face it—supporting women’s health isn’t simple. It’s not just about digestion, hormones, or immune balance. It’s all of those things—plus stress, vaginal health, sleep quality, energy levels, and how women feel in their own bodies, every single day. These multidimensional challenges are further influenced by age, microbiota imbalances, and environmental factors, necessitating an integrative, evidence-based strategy to support health and vitality. Across puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause, shifts in estrogen and progesterone affect not only…

By: Yekta Dowlati, PhD Maintaining gut homeostasis is foundational to overall health, with increasing research emphasizing the gut microbiota’s pivotal role in immunity, digestion, and systemic well-being. Modern lifestyle factors such as poor diet, antibiotic exposure, infections, and aging can disrupt this microbial balance, creating opportunities for health deterioration. Probiotics are defined by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) as “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.”1 In contrast,…