Should You Take Creatine for Brain Health Benefits?

If someone told you that you should take creatine, you’d assume they were recommending it for its ability to help increase muscle growth and strength. Well, you’re not wrong, but what if they recommended it for brain health? WHAT?! While many people focus on using creatine to enhance their physique and performance, they’re leaving out a key benefit that not many people know about. 

More and more research has been coming out about the brain benefits associated with the use of creatine. For instance, a test was performed on individuals in Australia for a period of six weeks that showed those who used creatine performed better in a test than people who were given a placebo during that period. 

Let’s take a closer look into some of the research surrounding creatine and brain health.

Effects of Creatine on Brain Health

Here’s a little background on the supplement to lay the framework of the research behind the brain health claims. 

Creatine is an amino acid that can be manufactured in our liver, kidney, and pancreas and is generally stored in the muscles for the growth of muscle tissue and is also used as a source of energy. Even though it is known to enhance muscle growth and athletic performance, doctors have found that the use of creatine has acted as a cushion against traumatic brain injuries. 

In a piece of research organized between two groups who were vegetarians, one group was given creatine supplementation, and another group was given a placebo powder. The groups were vegetarian because vegetarians have lower levels of creatine since they don’t consume meat. After six weeks, when standardized intelligence and memory tests were given, the group with the creatine supplementation scored slightly better. 

Another study shows that creatine had positive effects on sleep-deprived subjects. The study conducted by the University of Chichester showed that sleep-deprived subjects were able to go through a day with better cognitive functioning if they supplemented with creatine monohydrate.

Another study published showed that creatine has an even better impact on the brain health of females. This is because women produce 70-80% less creatine than men do, and supplementation has been shown to help improve cognitive functioning and restore homeostasis. 

Creatine has been shown to work wonders by showing that it has the power to stop the degeneration of motor patterns in rodents. Although assuming what has worked on animals will work on humans, studies have inferred that creatine can counteract the effects of neurological issues. 

The Journal of Neuroscience reports that creatine supplementation has resulted in better cognitive performance when our body is in a state of oxygen deprivation. This is yet another reason why people should be supplementing with creatine as a pre-workout enhancer to help sustain their brain health during workouts. 

Another major effect of creatine on brain health is post-viral fatigue recovery. Researchers in Hungary have found that creatine has helped people recover from fatigue syndromes that resulted from various viruses and diseases, along with the restoration of cognitive functioning.

How Should You Dose Creatine?

There are a lot of opinions out there on how to properly dose creatine monohydrate. There seem to be two recommended ways in which you can use creatine. 

The first method is that you could consume 5 grams of creatine every day because this has been a tried and tested method to raise brain creatine levels. There is another method where you can load 20 grams of creatine monohydrate and spread it out over four or five doses throughout the day. 

Which is best? It comes down to personal preference. In the case of muscle saturation, loading with 20 grams for a week and then going with a 5-gram daily dose may saturate the muscles faster, but simply using the maintenance 5-gram dose every day will fully saturate the muscles after about a month of use.

The other contentious issue of using creatine comes down to whether or not you should cycle it. This appears to be a myth created by the internet and has no scientific backing. If you choose to cycle creatine, you may, but there is no evidence that you need to stop use at any point.

Creatine Monohydrate is Still KING

When you look at all the research out there today, it shows that creatine monohydrate is still the king. Whether it’s for brain health or muscle-building, creatine monohydrate has been deemed safe and effective to use. 

If you’re looking for a high-quality creatine monohydrate supplement, check out Old School Labs Classic Creatine. Not only does Classic Creatine provide you with 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per serving, but the product also provides you with BioFit^™ probiotic to help improve gut flora health and aid in better ingredient absorption.

Something else to consider if you’re looking for more of an all-in-one supplement, Vintage Build not only contains creatine monohydrate, but also BCAAs and L-glutamine if you were looking for a solid post-workout recovery product.

With so many benefits that can be had through the use of creatine monohydrate, it’s no wonder it’s one of the best-selling supplements on the market today. Do you want bigger muscles and help improve brain health? If so, add creatine to your supplement regimen today!