In another blow to federal programming, the Department of Labor has decided to temporarily shut down hundreds of Job Corps centers serving teens and young adults nationwide. An alternative route for teens in need of help and, in many cases, a home, the program has been a lifesaver for young people for decades. And the decision to shut program centers down has drawn criticism from both sides of the political divide.

What's the Job Corps?
It is the "largest nationwide residential career training program" in the U.S. and has been in operation for over 50 years, said the U.S. Department of Labor. The program has trained and educated over two million individuals, helping eligible young people ages 16 through 24 complete high school, prepare for careers and gain employment. Students are provided room and board while they "learn skills in specific training areas for up to three years."

Why is it being shut down?
The Department of Labor will begin a "phased pause in operations" at Job Corps centers nationwide, which will be completed by June 30. A "startling number of serious incident reports" and an "in-depth fiscal analysis reveal the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes," said Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer. The department cited "significant financial challenges," with a reported $140 million deficit in 2024 and projected deficit of $213 million for the 2025 program year.

Why is the shutdown drawing pushback?
More than 4,500 Job Corps students were homeless before joining the program and "potentially face a perilous future," said the National Job Corps Association in a news release. The government also used a "deeply flawed report" to justify the cuts.

The program has become "important pillars of support for some of our most disadvantaged young adults," said Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) in a statement. She urged Chavez-DeRemer to "reverse the department's proposed elimination."

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (Wisc.), the top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees annual DOL funding, also said the decision was in the "wrong direction, exacerbating our state's workforce shortage, locking students out of good-paying jobs." Congress appropriated funding for Job Corps, and the Trump administration "can't just decide to not spend it because they want to make room for tax cuts for billionaires."

"Olympians tout it, fitness influencers experiment with it, and Patrick Schwarzenegger's gym bro character in 'The White Lotus' added it to his famous shake," said The Guardian. Creatine, long popular among athletes and bodybuilders for boosting performance, was once called a "wonder drug" by former footballer Ian Wright. Now, scientists are increasingly curious about its wider potential benefits for cognitive and mental health. 

What is it? 
Made from three amino acids and produced in the liver, kidneys and pancreas, creatine is mostly stored in muscles and enhances the regeneration of adenosine triphosphate, the "basic fuel body cells rely on to produce energy," James Goodwin, of the Brain Health Network, said to The Times. ATP delivers energy faster than glucose or oxygen, making it valuable during high-intensity exercise. 

The body produces about 1 gram of creatine daily, which "typically isn't enough for our total requirements," said BBC Future. Most people get additional creatine from animal proteins, like meat and oily fish, or from a supplement, usually creatine monohydrate. 

Why is it so popular? 
Creatine "exploded as a consumer product" in the 1990s, after "influential" Swedish research showed its effectiveness in "improving stamina and recovery during short bursts of physical exercise," said Vox. Creatine powder "hit the shelves of drugstores and workout gyms" as a cheap, easy way for bodybuilders and exercise fanatics to improve. Today, one in four adults have used creatine, with $400 million worth of it sold in the U.S. every year. 

What else can it do? 
Over the past 20 years, studies have suggested that creatine might have cognitive benefits because of the role it plays in neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons in the brain). Research has linked creatine supplementation to improved memory and brain health, increased energy, and alleviation of depression. 

Scientists are exploring whether creatine could help ease depression symptoms by "supporting brain energy, memory, attention and information-processing speed and promoting dopamine and serotonin production," said The Guardian. A 2024 meta-review of studies suggested that creatine is effective in supplementing other treatments, such as antidepressants and CBT. The benefits of creatine are also a "hot topic for women in perimenopause and menopause," said Axios, because of its potential for maintaining cognitive function, bone health and muscle mass.