In this episode, Jeremiah Velasquez—also known as the Optimized NP—breaks down the science, history, and practical applications of creatine monohydrate, a supplement backed by decades of research. Whether your focus is strength, cognition, aging, or recovery, understanding creatine’s role can transform your approach to health and performance.
In this episode:

The historical discovery and evolution of creatine's reputation
The critical function of creatine in cellular energy, both muscle and brain
How much creatine you really need and why diet alone often falls short
The mechanics of creatine in boosting ATP, the fuel source for intense efforts
The significance of intracellular hydration and its role in muscle growth
The importance of ongoing, consistent supplementation over loading phases
Myths busted: creatine is safe, not a steroid, and does not cause hair loss—here’s why
Practical tips for maximizing creatine benefits: timing, dose, pairing, and patience

Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, lived through his own hormone crash before realizing "normal" and "optimized" are not the same thing. Now, as founder and provider at Steel City HRT & Weight Loss, he brings that same directness to The Optimized NP — real talk on testosterone, hormone optimization, and weight loss from someone who has been on both sides of the exam table.

🎧 Listen: Spotify open.spotify.com/show/0m1DcHmFgvVDxpVBSXs5qH | Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimized-np/id1896811667

Connect with Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC / Steel City:

🔗 All links: https://t.mtrbio.com/steel-city-hrt-and-weight-loss
🎙️ Podcast YouTube: youtube.com/@the_optimized_np
📱 TikTok: @the_optimized_np
📸 Instagram: @steel_city_hrt
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/steelcityhrt
📌 Pinterest: pinterest.com/SteelCityHRT
✉️ Email: [email protected]
🌐 Steel City HRT & Weight Loss: steelcity-trt.com
👤 Provider Page: steelcity-trt.com/jeremiah-velasquez
💊 Velasco Supplements: velascosupps.com
📞 Book a consult: 719-669-4223

Resources & Links:
Creatine Monohydrate - velascosupps.com

Remember: The key to maximizing creatine’s benefits lies in consistent daily use—no need for loading phases or cycling. It’s a safe, proven, and versatile supplement that supports both your body and your brain at the cellular level. Get it right, and it becomes your performance baseline, not a shortcut or gimmick.

Struggling with unexplained fatigue, stubborn belly fat, or insulin resistance? It could be more than just burnout—it might be fatty liver disease, a silent condition that’s affecting millions. In this episode, gastroenterology and hepatology expert Sarah Gallegos joins Jeremiah to unpack the links between liver health, weight gain, and metabolic dysfunction—and what you can do to stop it early.

You’ll learn:
✅ What fatty liver disease is and why it's on the rise
✅ How insulin resistance, obesity, and poor diet fuel liver dysfunction
✅ Why early detection matters more than ever
✅ How sustainable lifestyle change—not shame—is the key to healing
✅ Actionable ways to improve liver health and reduce inflammation

Whether you’re navigating midlife weight changes, metabolic syndrome, or just want to feel better in your body, this episode offers real, science-backed solutions with compassion and clarity.

#FattyLiverDisease #MetabolicHealth #SarahGallegos #WeightGainSolutions #LiverHealth #NAFLD #InsulinResistance #MidlifeWeightLoss #FunctionalMedicine #hormonehealth

Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, lived through his own hormone crash before realizing "normal" and "optimized" are not the same thing. Now, as founder and provider at Steel City HRT & Weight Loss, he brings that same directness to The Optimized NP — real talk on testosterone, hormone optimization, and weight loss from someone who has been on both sides of the exam table.

🎧 Listen: Spotify open.spotify.com/show/0m1DcHmFgvVDxpVBSXs5qH | Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimized-np/id1896811667

Connect with Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC / Steel City:

🔗 All links: https://t.mtrbio.com/steel-city-hrt-and-weight-loss
🎙️ Podcast YouTube: youtube.com/@the_optimized_np
📱 TikTok: @the_optimized_np
📸 Instagram: @steel_city_hrt
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/steelcityhrt
📌 Pinterest: pinterest.com/SteelCityHRT
✉️ Email: [email protected]
🌐 Steel City HRT & Weight Loss: steelcity-trt.com
👤 Provider Page: steelcity-trt.com/jeremiah-velasquez
💊 Velasco Supplements: velascosupps.com
📞 Book a consult: 719-669-4223

Tired of rushed doctor visits and insurance headaches? This episode is for you. Physician assistant and health coach Logan Crist joins us to break down how Direct Primary Care (DPC) is transforming healthcare with longer appointments, personalized care, and prevention-focused medicine—all without the insurance chaos.

What you'll discover in this episode:
✅ How DPC works—and why it’s growing fast
✅ Why leaving the insurance model leads to better care
✅ The role of health coaching in long-term wellness

Contact Logan with COS Health Collective!
Website: https://coshealthcollective.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579765478524#
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cos.health.collec
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coshealthcollective
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coshealthcollective/

#DirectPrimaryCare #DPCModel #LoganCrist #PatientCenteredCare #HealthCoaching #InsuranceFreeCare #PreventiveMedicine #JeremiahVelasquez #HealthcareWithoutInsurance

Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, lived through his own hormone crash before realizing "normal" and "optimized" are not the same thing. Now, as founder and provider at Steel City HRT & Weight Loss, he brings that same directness to The Optimized NP — real talk on testosterone, hormone optimization, and weight loss from someone who has been on both sides of the exam table.

🎧 Listen: Spotify open.spotify.com/show/0m1DcHmFgvVDxpVBSXs5qH | Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimized-np/id1896811667

Connect with Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC / Steel City:

🔗 All links: https://t.mtrbio.com/steel-city-hrt-and-weight-loss
🎙️ Podcast YouTube: youtube.com/@the_optimized_np
📱 TikTok: @the_optimized_np
📸 Instagram: @steel_city_hrt
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/steelcityhrt
📌 Pinterest: pinterest.com/SteelCityHRT
✉️ Email: [email protected]
🌐 Steel City HRT & Weight Loss: steelcity-trt.com
👤 Provider Page: steelcity-trt.com/jeremiah-velasquez
💊 Velasco Supplements: velascosupps.com
📞 Book a consult: 719-669-4223

Looking for personalized healthcare, affordable medical care without insurance, or longer appointment times with a provider who actually listens? In this episode, nurse practitioner Temberly Long shares why she left traditional healthcare to open a Direct Primary Care (DPC) clinic in Casper, Wyoming—and how this growing model is changing lives.

You’ll learn:

What is Direct Primary Care and how it works
How DPC offers patient-centered care without insurance
Why longer visits lead to better outcomes
The power of prevention vs. reactive medicine
How providers are reclaiming autonomy—and patients are too

Whether you're exploring cash-based clinics, insurance-free primary care, or affordable alternatives to traditional healthcare, this conversation will give you the insights you need to make empowered choices.

Contact Temberly with Transparent Health DPC!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AQWuhSkbd/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Website: https://www.transparenthealthdpc.com
Sign up link: https://transparenthealthdpc.hint.com/signup/membership/contacts?=

#DirectPrimaryCare #DPC #CashBasedClinic #HealthcareWithoutInsurance #PreventiveCare #TemberlyLong #JeremiahVelasquez #HormoneHealth #FunctionalMedicine

Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, lived through his own hormone crash before realizing "normal" and "optimized" are not the same thing. Now, as founder and provider at Steel City HRT & Weight Loss, he brings that same directness to The Optimized NP — real talk on testosterone, hormone optimization, and weight loss from someone who has been on both sides of the exam table.

🎧 Listen: Spotify open.spotify.com/show/0m1DcHmFgvVDxpVBSXs5qH | Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimized-np/id1896811667

Connect with Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC / Steel City:

🔗 All links: https://t.mtrbio.com/steel-city-hrt-and-weight-loss
🎙️ Podcast YouTube: youtube.com/@the_optimized_np
📱 TikTok: @the_optimized_np
📸 Instagram: @steel_city_hrt
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/steelcityhrt
📌 Pinterest: pinterest.com/SteelCityHRT
✉️ Email: [email protected]
🌐 Steel City HRT & Weight Loss: steelcity-trt.com
👤 Provider Page: steelcity-trt.com/jeremiah-velasquez
💊 Velasco Supplements: velascosupps.com
📞 Book a consult: 719-669-4223

Struggling with fatigue, hormone imbalance, or feeling unheard in traditional healthcare? This episode of Hormones Happen dives deep into functional medicine, hormone optimization, Direct Primary Care (DPC), and the real reasons so many patients are searching for better answers. Jeremiah sits down with licensed provider and functional medicine expert Courtney Contreras, PA-C, for a raw, insightful conversation about what modern health care should look like.

Get in touch with Courtney!
For providers who want to open a DPC: Www.thedpclaunch.com
Website: Www.vitalifeinfusion.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pa_courtney
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pa_courtney.c/#
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/VitaLife-Infusion-100090636052673/
Skool: https://www.skool.com/root-cause-rx-with-pa-courtney-4824/about?ref=a68a64b18d5a41a78213045f2db9837c

Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, lived through his own hormone crash before realizing "normal" and "optimized" are not the same thing. Now, as founder and provider at Steel City HRT & Weight Loss, he brings that same directness to The Optimized NP — real talk on testosterone, hormone optimization, and weight loss from someone who has been on both sides of the exam table.

🎧 Listen: Spotify open.spotify.com/show/0m1DcHmFgvVDxpVBSXs5qH | Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimized-np/id1896811667

Connect with Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC / Steel City:

🔗 All links: https://t.mtrbio.com/steel-city-hrt-and-weight-loss
🎙️ Podcast YouTube: youtube.com/@the_optimized_np
📱 TikTok: @the_optimized_np
📸 Instagram: @steel_city_hrt
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/steelcityhrt
📌 Pinterest: pinterest.com/SteelCityHRT
✉️ Email: [email protected]
🌐 Steel City HRT & Weight Loss: steelcity-trt.com
👤 Provider Page: steelcity-trt.com/jeremiah-velasquez
💊 Velasco Supplements: velascosupps.com
📞 Book a consult: 719-669-4223

The episode discusses the use of HCG as an adjunct to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to address side effects and optimize testosterone production. It covers the science behind testosterone production, the role of HCG, its benefits, and considerations for its use.

Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, lived through his own hormone crash before realizing "normal" and "optimized" are not the same thing. Now, as founder and provider at Steel City HRT & Weight Loss, he brings that same directness to The Optimized NP — real talk on testosterone, hormone optimization, and weight loss from someone who has been on both sides of the exam table.

🎧 Listen: Spotify open.spotify.com/show/0m1DcHmFgvVDxpVBSXs5qH | Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimized-np/id1896811667

Connect with Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC / Steel City:

🔗 All links: https://t.mtrbio.com/steel-city-hrt-and-weight-loss
🎙️ Podcast YouTube: youtube.com/@the_optimized_np
📱 TikTok: @the_optimized_np
📸 Instagram: @steel_city_hrt
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/steelcityhrt
📌 Pinterest: pinterest.com/SteelCityHRT
✉️ Email: [email protected]
🌐 Steel City HRT & Weight Loss: steelcity-trt.com
👤 Provider Page: steelcity-trt.com/jeremiah-velasquez
💊 Velasco Supplements: velascosupps.com
📞 Book a consult: 719-669-4223

The conversation with Tamara Bowman covers her fitness journey, competing, and the creation of Fervor Women's Fitness Studio. It delves into empowering women through fitness, tailored class schedules, and the importance of consistency. It also explores the intersection of fitness and business ownership, as well as the value of taking it day by day in a fitness journey.

Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, lived through his own hormone crash before realizing "normal" and "optimized" are not the same thing. Now, as founder and provider at Steel City HRT & Weight Loss, he brings that same directness to The Optimized NP — real talk on testosterone, hormone optimization, and weight loss from someone who has been on both sides of the exam table.

🎧 Listen: Spotify open.spotify.com/show/0m1DcHmFgvVDxpVBSXs5qH | Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimized-np/id1896811667

Connect with Jeremiah Velasquez, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC / Steel City:

🔗 All links: https://t.mtrbio.com/steel-city-hrt-and-weight-loss
🎙️ Podcast YouTube: youtube.com/@the_optimized_np
📱 TikTok: @the_optimized_np
📸 Instagram: @steel_city_hrt
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/steelcityhrt
📌 Pinterest: pinterest.com/SteelCityHRT
✉️ Email: [email protected]
🌐 Steel City HRT & Weight Loss: steelcity-trt.com
👤 Provider Page: steelcity-trt.com/jeremiah-velasquez
💊 Velasco Supplements: velascosupps.com
📞 Book a consult: 719-669-4223

In this special solo episode, dual board-certified NP Jeremiah shakes things up by answering the internet's biggest pain points and questions about Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and overall wellness, directly sourced from ChatGPT. Jeremiah candidly debunks the misconception that HRT and TRT are magic cures, explaining that while they are powerful tools, they can be a "horrible crutch" if you don't already have a strategic plan for your life, goals, and relationships.

Key topics covered in this episode include:

• The Root of Hormone Decline: How naturally aging gonads and adrenal glands combine with modern endocrine disruptors (like BPAs and fluorides) to accelerate a generational decline in hormones.
• Redefining "Normal" Labs: Why having "normal" testosterone levels on paper doesn't necessarily mean you feel normal, and why prudent providers must treat the person instead of just a number on a lab report.
• The Secret to Restorative Sleep: The complex relationship between hormones, cortisol, and sleep architecture, including how testosterone and progesterone can help you escape "s***** sleep" and achieve deeply restorative "phase three" sleep.
• Libido and Mental Drive: The physiological and emotional drivers behind low libido for both men and women, and how optimized hormones can dramatically improve decision-making, risk tolerance, and confidence.
• The Truth About Risks and Natural Boosters: A breakdown of the flawed early-2000s Women's Health Initiative study that caused widespread fear of HRT, plus a reality check on natural testosterone boosters—revealing that sleep, protein, and weight training are your most effective options.
• Progesterone for Men: The under-discussed benefits of progesterone for men, specifically for calming the brain, treating insomnia, and managing anxiety.
• Receptor Sensitivity: Why some patients don't respond to standard hormone doses due to their genetic androgen receptor sensitivity (CAG repeats).

Whether you are considering optimization to fix debilitating symptoms, improve your body composition, or gain a competitive edge in the boardroom, this episode provides practical, real-world guidance on how to define your goals before starting therapy

Entrepreneur and operator Dean gets real about what it actually takes to build a business: relentless discipline, a love for “boring” work, and the mindset to ignore shiny distractions. This episode is a field manual for founders who are tired of motivational fluff and ready to do the reps that move the needle—day after day, especially when it’s not glamorous.

Highlights

• Why there are no “easy days” in entrepreneurship—and why that’s okay
• Turning discipline into your unfair advantage
• Learning to love the boring work that compounds growth
• How “shiny object syndrome” silently kills momentum
• Practical ways to structure your week for consistent output
• Mindset shifts to handle challenges without burning out
• Building a balanced operator’s routine: focus, recovery, repeat

Get in touch!

Linktree: https://t.mtrbio.com/steel-city-hrt-and-weight-loss

Website: https://steelcity-trt.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556820675433

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steel_city_hrt/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/105480676/admin/dashboard/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Steel_City_HRT

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@steel_city_hrt

Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/SteelCityHRT

Board-certified nurse and founder of E & O Wellness, Natalie, joins Jeremiah to unpack the Direct Primary Care (DPC) model—why she left corporate medicine, how longer visits transform outcomes, and the power of truly listening to patients. They dig into navigating insurance (and when to skip it), building genuine provider-patient relationships, and integrating hormone therapy within a wellness-first approach. If you care about time, trust, and personalized care, this episode shows how DPC puts patients back at the center.

Highlights

• Why Natalie moved from insurance-driven care to DPC
• Longer appointments → better diagnostics, rapport, and results
• How feeling heard changes adherence and outcomes
• When to involve insurance—and when DPC is simpler
• Hormone therapy as a pillar of whole-person wellness
• Relationship-based care that builds trust over time
• DPC works for insured and uninsured patients alike
• Collaborative care: provider + patient as a team

How to get in touch with Natalie with E&O Wellness

Website: Eandowellness.com

IG: @eandowellness

TikTok: @natalie.santucci

Get in touch!

Linktree: https://t.mtrbio.com/steel-city-hrt-and-weight-loss

Website: https://steelcity-trt.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556820675433

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steel_city_hrt/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/105480676/admin/dashboard/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Steel_City_HRT

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@steel_city_hrt

Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/SteelCityHRT