Creatine has gained a load of attention in the last couple of years for it’s reported ability to enhance athletic performance, increase muscle size, and improve brain function.

With accolades like that, it’s no wonder that people are starting to ask “is there a use and benefit for taking creatine in the backcountry to enhance performance while in the mountains?”

We’re here to answer that question today by evaluating:

• What is creatine exactly?

• Should we care- why or why not?

• What’s the deal- does it actually work?

• Is it dehydrating- a common question that comes up in the conversation?

• Should I avoid or take it into the mountains?

• Should I avoid or take it in preparation and training for the mountains?

Let’s dive in…

My guest this week is Dustin Diefendurfer. Dustin runs MTNTOUGH- a program and app that has become synonymous with training the dedicated. This includes folks in the military, backcountry hunters, thru-hikers, wildland firefighters, ultra-runners, and just about everything in between.

Having had the chance to get to know Dustin and the entire crew over at MTNTOUGH through work we’ve done together in the last year has been nothing short of a great experience and learn from the exception attitudes, work ethic, and thinking they operate from everyday. I wanted you all to get to experience that.

So, we cover the origins of MTNTOUGH and it’s grown over the years. What’s been good- and difficult- about that. How the most impactful things rarely start out as trying to create any kind impact at all. We talk about making decisions and when to take leaps and at what point are decisions just plain stupidity….and so much more.

----

Check out more from MTNTOUGH here.

Resources on nutrition? Check out Valley to Peak here.

Science is ever-evolving.

The science of nutrition is not immune to this.

The worst thing someone who studies nutrition can do is plant their feet so firmly on an idea that they're unwilling to hear how it might've changed over the years. I'm not immune to that.

Mark and I cover three things that we've both changed our minds on over the last five years when it comes to the topic of nutrition.

We delivered on the recipes for the backcountry bars. You can find them linked here!

More from Exo Mtn Gear.

More from Valley to Peak.