Habits and Hustle

Episode 490: JJ Virgin on HRT and Creatine HCL: The Protocol That Actually Works for Women

October 3, 2025

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  • Starting Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) at the first signs of hormone shifts, such as those experienced in perimenopause, can normalize symptoms like low energy and thyroid issues, but individual responses (e.g., to progesterone) require personalized dosing. 
  • Creatine HCL is presented as a superior form of creatine for women over 40 compared to monohydrate because it has 85% better absorption, avoids common GI distress and bloating, and supports energy, focus, and potentially jet lag recovery. 
  • Body composition tracking (like DEXA scans) is crucial because scale weight changes can be misleading; significant body recomposition (e.g., losing 27 lbs of fat and gaining 24 lbs of muscle for a net 3 lb change) can occur without a major shift on the bathroom scale. 

Segments

Prolon Fasting Mimicking Diet
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(00:00:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Prolon is a patented, plant-based fasting mimicking diet developed at USD’s Longevity Institute that triggers cellular repair.
  • Summary: Prolon offers a five-day program designed to trigger the body’s natural repair and renewal process at the cellular level, avoiding the pitfalls of quick fixes. It is scientifically backed to promote deep cellular rejuvenation, fat-focused weight loss, and improved metabolic health. The program requires no willpower battles and is structured to optimize the body in just five days.
HRT Timing and Symptoms
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(00:02:16)
  • Key Takeaway: HRT should be initiated at the first signs of hormone shifts, which can manifest as cold intolerance, constipation, or hair loss, even if standard lab markers appear normal.
  • Summary: JJ Virgin began HRT in her early 40s upon noticing symptoms like feeling cold and constipation, despite a TSH of 2.25 being within the normal range, indicating early hypothyroidism. Symptoms like poor workout recovery and bleeding gums signaled low estrogen, prompting treatment with thyroid, testosterone, and eventually cycled, low-dose estrogen. Finding a doctor specializing in menopause is crucial because standard training often leaves practitioners unprepared to manage these nuanced hormone shifts.
Creatine Benefits and HCL Superiority
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(00:07:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Creatine is the most important supplement for women over 40, and the HCL form is superior to monohydrate due to better absorption and fewer side effects.
  • Summary: Creatine supports energy production (ATP) in muscles and the brain, aiding physical performance, recovery, focus, and mood, especially in women who naturally store less of it than men. Creatine monohydrate has poor bioavailability, with only about 15% entering the bloodstream, causing GI distress and fluid retention for many users. Creatine HCL allows for a much smaller dose (750mg to 1.5g) with complete absorption into the bloodstream, eliminating bloating and GI issues.
Creatine for Travel and Cognition
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(00:16:33)
  • Key Takeaway: Creatine supplementation is highly effective for mitigating the negative effects of sleep deprivation and jet lag during international travel.
  • Summary: Taking creatine during extensive international travel helped solve sleep deprivation issues by supporting mental performance when sleep was lacking. Studies suggest that creatine can help maintain mental performance even when sleep deprived, provided sufficient amounts reach the brain. Researchers are now using the highly absorbable HCL form in neurodegenerative studies, replacing the high doses of monohydrate previously required.
Body Composition Over Scale Weight
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(00:12:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Tracking body composition via metrics like DEXA scans reveals critical changes that scale weight obscures, as demonstrated by a case study showing massive recomposition with minimal weight change.
  • Summary: Moving away from tracking only weight is essential because body composition dictates how the body functions and looks. JJ Virgin’s husband went from 25% to 10% body fat by implementing testosterone therapy, adequate protein, and creatine, resulting in a net weight change of only three pounds. This transformation, involving dropping 27 pounds of fat and gaining 24 pounds of muscle, proves that significant physical changes are invisible when only monitoring the scale.