In this episode, I explore one of the most misunderstood molecules in medicine: creatine. Most people think of it purely as a muscle-building supplement, but its real power lies in something far broader. Creatine builds a reservoir of energy that any tissue in the body can draw on when demand spikes, whether that's the brain, the immune system, or the body healing from surgery.

We dive into the science of how creatine restores ATP, why I've come to view surgery as a metabolic stress rather than a purely mechanical event, and how this energy reserve supports recovery, protects the brain around anesthesia, and improves sleep in the postoperative period. I also cover the practical side of using creatine, including dosing, timing, loading, which forms actually matter, and why I now have nearly every patient on it going into a procedure. I share how my thinking has evolved over fifteen years of clinical use, why I take it myself and give it to my kids, and how it fits into my larger philosophy of preparing, executing, and recovering like an athlete. If you're interested in surgical recovery, cognitive performance, longevity, or the science of energy and healing, this episode reframes what creatine really is and why it may be one of the most valuable tools available.

CONNECT WITH HOST
Website: https://5c.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chesnut.md/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chesnutMD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-chesnut-a6910baa/

WAYS TO WATCH/LISTEN
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@5CodesPodcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FZ7vpmq21iA1noPcFhixb?si=992ef6c8d859463f
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5-codes-podcast/id1866214238
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5codespodcast/

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:51 - Creatine's Branding Problem
02:44 - The ATP Energy System Explained
04:07 - Surgery as a Metabolic Stress
05:28 - Fifteen Years of Clinical Use
07:20 - Dosing and Tissue Saturation
09:51 - Effects on the Brain and Sleep
14:24 - Safe Across Every Population
15:44 - How to Choose and Dose Creatine
20:25 - Preparing and Recovering Like an Athlete
21:21 - Creatine and Inflammation
23:39 - Closing Thoughts

ABOUT HOST
Dr. Cameron Chesnut is the host of the 5 Codes Podcast and the founder of 5C, where he leads a team dedicated to integrative cosmetic surgery, regenerative medicine, and functional health. An internationally recognized facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Chesnut is known for producing natural, refined results that enhance rather than alter one’s appearance. His approach blends surgical precision with biological optimization and disciplined restraint, drawing patients from around the world who value excellence, longevity, and holistic care. On the 5 Codes Podcast, Dr. Chesnut uncovers the mindsets and evidence-backed strategies he lives by, helping high performers perform better, recover smarter, and feel their best in every area of life.

DISCLAIMER
The views shared on this podcast are my own and are not associated with, affiliated with, or representative of my clinical teaching role at the University of Washington School of Medicine. This content is for general educational purposes only and should not be considered individualized medical advice.

In this episode, I share the story of the friend surgeon, a case involving a fellow physician who came to me for a complex revision after a procedure performed by a local plastic surgeon she knew and trusted. Her results included asymmetric brows and eyelids, hollowed upper lids, a bony growth on her forehead, and one of the most dreaded complications of all, lower eyelid retraction that required a graft from her hard palate to correct.

We dive into why intelligent, educated people make predictable thought errors when choosing who operates on them, and how the psychology of familiarity, loyalty over objectivity, and the cost of convenience can quietly steer us toward the wrong decision. I also explore why specialization exists, how repetition changes the way a surgeon thinks, and why comfort should never be substituted for competency. If you're interested in facial surgery, revision work, decision making, or the hidden dynamics of choosing a surgeon, this episode offers an honest look at what happens when the easy choice turns out to be the harder one.

CONNECT WITH HOST
Website: https://5c.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chesnut.md/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chesnutMD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-chesnut-a6910baa/

WAYS TO WATCH/LISTEN
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@5CodesPodcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FZ7vpmq21iA1noPcFhixb?si=992ef6c8d859463f
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5-codes-podcast/id1866214238
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5codespodcast/

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:12 - The Friend Surgeon
00:33 - What Went Wrong
01:38 - Why Smart People Make Errors
01:59 - The Psychology of Familiarity
02:51 - Loyalty vs Objectivity
04:44 - The Cost of Convenience
05:20 - Why Specialization Matters
05:56 - Comfort vs Competency
07:12 - Why My Patients Travel
08:15 - The Seven Out of Ten Result
09:27 - Choosing the Harder Option
09:42 - Closing Thoughts

ABOUT HOST
Dr. Cameron Chesnut is the host of the 5 Codes Podcast and the founder of 5C, where he leads a team dedicated to integrative cosmetic surgery, regenerative medicine, and functional health. An internationally recognized facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Chesnut is known for producing natural, refined results that enhance rather than alter one’s appearance. His approach blends surgical precision with biological optimization and disciplined restraint, drawing patients from around the world who value excellence, longevity, and holistic care. On the 5 Codes Podcast, Dr. Chesnut uncovers the mindsets and evidence-backed strategies he lives by, helping high performers perform better, recover smarter, and feel their best in every area of life.

DISCLAIMER
The views shared on this podcast are my own and are not associated with, affiliated with, or representative of my clinical teaching role at the University of Washington School of Medicine. This content is for general educational purposes only and should not be considered individualized medical advice.

In this episode, I sit down with one of my best friends, my business partner, and my training partner, Tyler Alvarado. Tyler is a CPA turned serial entrepreneur who once led a next-level tech startup out of Coeur d'Alene, and he brought that same startup mindset into helping build our practice from the inside out.

We trace how our relationship evolved from two dads crossing paths at a coffee shop and a kids' soccer team, into training partners grinding through the pain cave, into business partners who now do life together. Along the way we get into what it actually takes to build trust, why betting on yourself matters more than waiting for someone to bet on you, and how discomfort in the gym reveals a person's true character. We also dig into faith, marriage, fatherhood, and legacy, plus the aesthetics conversation I care deeply about: why younger patients are chasing procedures they don't need, how fat transfer and natural approaches differ from filler, and how to think about aging the right way. If you're interested in entrepreneurship, high performance, relationships, or the philosophy behind how we practice medicine, this one carries a genuine, unfiltered look at a friendship that turned into a partnership.

CONNECT WITH HOST
Website: https://5c.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chesnut.md/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chesnutMD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-chesnut-a6910baa/

WAYS TO WATCH/LISTEN
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@5CodesPodcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1FZ7vpmq21iA1noPcFhixb?si=992ef6c8d859463f
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/5-codes-podcast/id1866214238
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5codespodcast/

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
02:02 - How We Met
06:20 - From Acquaintances to Business Partners
09:03 - Getting Tyler Into Jiu Jitsu
10:40 - How Trust Was Really Built
12:40 - Bet On Yourself
14:40 - The Asset of No Medical Background
16:30 - What Makes a Rare Friendship
20:30 - Choosing the People Around the Table
25:20 - Priorities and Alignment
27:50 - Rapid Fire: Childhood and Upbringing
32:30 - Fitness, Discipline, and the Labor Day Workout
37:00 - Reflecting on Seven Years of Friendship
43:30 - The Struggles Nobody Sees
44:30 - Aesthetics Gone Wrong: Younger Patients and Filler
50:20 - Fat Transfer and the Natural Approach
53:20 - Why People in Their Thirties Reach Out
56:40 - Boats, Family, and Doing Life Together
01:04:30 - The Invitation That Changed Everything
01:07:20 - Curiosity, Growth, and the White Belt Mindset
01:12:20 - Tyler's 5 Codes
01:16:50 - Earning It and Pushing Each Other
01:19:40 - One Plus One Equals Three
01:21:30 - Closing Thoughts

ABOUT HOST
Dr. Cameron Chesnut is the host of the 5 Codes Podcast and the founder of 5C, where he leads a team dedicated to integrative cosmetic surgery, regenerative medicine, and functional health. An internationally recognized facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Chesnut is known for producing natural, refined results that enhance rather than alter one’s appearance. His approach blends surgical precision with biological optimization and disciplined restraint, drawing patients from around the world who value excellence, longevity, and holistic care. On the 5 Codes Podcast, Dr. Chesnut uncovers the mindsets and evidence-backed strategies he lives by, helping high performers perform better, recover smarter, and feel their best in every area of life.

DISCLAIMER
The views shared on this podcast are my own and are not associated with, affiliated with, or representative of my clinical teaching role at the University of Washington School of Medicine. This content is for general educational purposes only and should not be considered individualized medical advice.