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Daily Edition • Friday, May 8

Can Creatine Help Heal Your Gut? Here’s What the Research Says

A person wearing a black crop top and high-waisted blue jeans, hands in pockets, against a pink background.

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Gut Check: Jocks. For a long time, that was the main market for creatine supplements. But over the past few years, researchers have found evidence that the supplement may do more than just improve athletic performance and muscle building. A new review suggests creatine’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties might also make it an effective therapeutic option for irritable bowel disease (IBD).

The Study: Researchers reviewed existing studies on creatine’s effect on intestinal health. They wanted to see if what they already knew about creatine — specifically, its ability to increase cellular energy production, regulate immune response, and calm inflammation — could translate to IBD. They found supplementation with creatine monohydrate may help balance and protect the gut and return it to homeostasis.

The Takeaway: In IBD, the epithelial barrier is compromised or damaged, resulting in inflammation, pain, and digestive issues. Creatine supports mitochondrial function to protect intestinal epithelial cells and provides energy to intestinal smooth muscles via the creation of ATP. This aids digestion and protects the lining of the gut. Plus, creatine can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.

Keep in Mind: It’s not totally clear how much creatine you’d need to take to experience gut benefits, though most recommended dosages are around three to five grams per day. Research is still ongoing, but it might not hurt to chat with your physician about it if you have IBD.

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Most Supplement Routines Fail — Here’s a Better Way

A bottle of Physician's Choice Probiotic Gummies surrounded by vibrant watermelon slices.

Courtesy: Physician’s Choice

The key to being consistent with taking your supplements is to simplify your routine. Instead of managing individual capsules and powders for different needs, these 3-in-1 Probiotic Gummies from Physician’s Choice offer a convenient, all-in-one alternative.

Each serving provides 1 billion CFUs of a clinically studied probiotic, 3g prebiotic fiber, and vitamin D, to support gut, digestion, and immune health. Sticking to your routine is easy and delicious with these watermelon gummies. Plus, they’re made without sugar, artificial sweeteners, and flavors, so you can feel good about adding them to your supplement stack.

See How Simple It Is

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Beauty & Skincare

The Tea Tree Oil Fertility Scare, Explained

A person is using a dropper to apply serum onto their wrist from a small glass bottle.

Valeriia Miller/Unsplash

You Should Know: Tea tree oil has been used as a household antiseptic for decades. The EU is now looking to reclassify it as a reproductive toxin, which could remove it from cosmetic shelves across Europe and disrupt Australia's tea tree industry (the world's largest producer).

Going Deeper: The proposed category 1B classification is based on animal studies in which rats and other animals were force-fed concentrated oil, which affected sperm formation. A pharmacologist wrote in The Conversation that the human translation is unreliable for two reasons: rats metabolize the oil into a toxic byproduct humans barely produce, and the human-equivalent dose would be nearly 1.5 mL of pure oil per day, which is far above topical use since less than 4% of the oil's components absorb through skin. In late 2025, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety looked at updated human data and found no signs of reproductive harm.

Takeaway: A few drops in a serum or a DIY scalp treatment is different from chugging a bottle of tea tree oil.

Bottom Line: The data from the animal studies is legit, but so is the human-equivalent math that shows topical use is much less of a concern.

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Personal Development

Here’s How To Use Affirmations To Ease Anxiety

A person in casual attire writing notes in a spiral notebook while seated on a wooden chair.

Kateryna Hliznitsova/Unsplash

Pep Talk: Self-affirmations have a reputation for being a little too Pinterest-board for serious mental-health work. But the research is more compelling than the mirror talk cliché suggests.

How to Do It: Generic mantras like “I am amazing” don't tend to do much. But try writing a short list of values that actually matter to you (like family, creativity, integrity, service, etc.), then spend two or three minutes reflecting on a recent moment when you lived one of them. Tying the reflection to a future intention seems to boost the effect. Aim for affirmations that are short, specific, honest, and tied to a genuine belief.

The Benefits: A 2015 fMRI study found that when participants reflected on their core values, their brain's self-processing and reward circuits lit up. A larger meta-analysis grouping 67 studies and about 17,700 participants found that affirmations produce small (but noteworthy) boosts in self-perception and overall well-being. Effects on anxiety were more mixed though, with modest positive effects in some situations but minimal or even counterproductive effects when the cause of stress felt uncontrollable.

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Quick Picks

Words to Live By — This centenarian’s longevity secret is a 7-word motto.

Summer Vacay? — Save these 8 tips to avoid food poisoning while traveling.

From the ER — This hospital-used skin repair ingredient is something your body already makes.*

Get a Read on It — How can you test for the flu at home?

Mental Workout — This antioxidant “wakes up” the brain.

^*Indicates a brand partnership

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This, Not That

Late-Night Bite

A bowl of pink yogurt topped with fresh raspberries, with a spoonful of yogurt and raspberries poised above it.

THIS

Bowl of alternating chocolate and vanilla ice cream scoops with a spoon resting on the edge.

NOT THAT

Mariah Hewines/Unsplash, David Trinks/Unsplash

This: Greek Yogurt + Berries
Not That: Ice Cream Before Bed

Ice cream late at night delivers sugar and fat that can disrupt sleep and digestion. Greek yogurt with berries satisfies the creamy-and-sweet craving while offering protein that helps stabilize blood sugar. It’s lighter, easier on the stomach, and still feels like dessert.

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What We're Cooking

Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs With Asparagus

Baked chicken thighs garnished with herbs, surrounded by asparagus, radishes, and lemon slices on a baking tray.

Courtesy: Serious Eats

Serves: 4-6 | Cook Time: 50 minutes

Juicy, crispy chicken thighs come together with simple spring vegetables in this easy sheet pan dinner. Roast the asparagus and radishes until everything’s tender and lightly charred. The real burst of flavor comes at the end with a bright lemon herb sauce made from slightly pickled shallots, fresh dill, chives, Dijon, and honey. Once emulsified, drizzle the sauce over the chicken and finish with a squeeze of roasted lemon for a weeknight meal that’s easy to pull off, but still full of flavor.

Get The Full Recipe

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The Shortcut to a Smarter Supplement Routine

Many probiotic gummies are loaded with sugar and artificial additives that can actually disrupt gut health. Physician’s Choice is different. Developed with doctors, these watermelon-flavored Probiotic Gummies are free from unnecessary ingredients and designed to strengthen your gut, digestive, and immune health — making your daily wellness routine convenient and effective.

See The Formula

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HEALTHY HABIT

Add One Pause to Your Day

Pick a consistent moment — after lunch, before dinner — and sit quietly for one minute. No phone, no input. A single daily pause can reset your nervous system more than you’d expect.

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Final Thought

Clear turquoise water revealing smooth rocks and pebbles beneath the surface.

We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy.”

– Joseph Campbell, Reflections on the Art of Living

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