Creatine and Brain Health
Does creatine really help improve brain health? Is it too good to be true? Is it a supplement you should consider taking? Do vegans need it? All great questions! Read on for some great information and updates about creatine...
Creatine is an amino acid found mostly in the muscle and the brain. We consume it through animal proteins like meat and fish and our body’s make around 1 gram per day. The body stores creatine as phosphocreatine, which is the main component of the body’s initial energy system (ATP-PC) and can provide enough energy for about 10 seconds of high intensity activity. After this, the body relies on other stores of energy until phosphocreatine can be regenerated. Athletes are usually drawn to creatine because of its positive effects on muscle mass, strength, and weight gain. While these are certainly positive effects of having more creatine in your daily nutrition plan, there is also great efficacy in using creatine to improve athletic performance in shorter, high intensity efforts that require a large amount of energy in a short amount of time. Think of a 100 meter runner or short-course swimmer. Having more creatine in the muscles on a daily basis is a major advantage in training because it supports the body in producing higher intensity efforts which can provide a competitive advantage in any type of event or race.
Creatine is one of the most studied supplements in the world and its positive effects have been proven over and over but this article is not about what we already know. I want to highlight some of the newer research linking creatine to better brain health. A recent study done in 2021 (see reference below) found that the data with supplementing creatine for better cognitive functioning was promising. What this means in research speak is that more studies will be forthcoming to look into the mechanisms in more detail but here are a few, very important take away messages if you have any interest in supporting and possibly enhancing your brain function:
The brain is about 2% of our body weight but uses about 20% of our calorie intake
Brain functioning is extremely important when there are higher cognitive loads (such as sports with a high focus/concentration component, school work) or in sleep deprivation times (ultra-endurance events)
Aging decreases the creatine found in the brain (and muscles)
Initial creatine research in the brain shows that using supplemental creatine for 2-4 weeks can increase the concentration of creatine in the brain by 5-15%
It may take larger daily doses of supplemental creatine to promote optimal levels in the brain but this is not exactly known at this time
Vegans and vegetarians may respond better to creatine supplementation since they consume very low amounts (if any) in their daily nutrition plan
So, where do we go from here? I believe this changes the lens that we have used for looking at creatine. Once thought of as a muscle building supplement, creatine is now carving another path which effects every single person irrespective of gender, activity level, sport and performance goals. I believe we will see an influx of research in the next few years with enhanced methodologies, population groups (young, old, male, female, athlete, non-athlete), study designs and sample sizes, and I strongly believe that the association between supplemental creatine and brain health will become only stronger.
For now, it appears fairly clear that supplementing creatine on a daily basis could have positive benefit on brain health and cognitive functioning. I personally include this in my daily supplement regimen (HERE is my favorite brand) and know of many others who support it 100%. If you have questions about if it would be a good supplement for you (especially if you are vegan), please email me.
Reference:
Roschel, H., et al. Creatine supplementation and brain health. Nutrients, 13(2), 586. 2021.
