"Man's mind is his basic tool of survival. Life is given to him, survival is not."
Beyond the Gym
For many, the first thing that comes to mind with creatine is the “bulking bros” that you see strutting around the gym. While creatine has been shown to aid in muscle development when used consistently along with strength training, the lesser-known cognitive benefits of creatine can be substantial. It is not just beneficial for muscle building; it also provides essential fuel for brain cells.
The Brain’s Battery Pack
The human brain weighs about 2% of your body mass yet consumes around 20% of your energy. Your cells require a constant supply of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) in order to execute every thought and impulse.
Your brain cells that process information, neurons, hold only a limited supply of ATP and when you are stressed, underrested, or engaged in complex problem solving, your brain burns through your stores of ATP quickly, breaking it down into ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate.) Like a battery pack for your neurons, creatine rapidly reloads your ATP by recycling ADP into ATP. Creatine adds a phosphate group to the depleted ADP to create more ATP to power your brain. While it won’t increase your brainpower, it keeps you from crashing when your brain is overworked.
Resilience Under Pressure
Studies have shown that the positive effects of creatine for your brain are most powerful when you are fatigued or burned out. A high dose of creatine dramatically improved processing power and short-term memory in subjects suffering from sleep deprivation.
The best natural source of creatine in our diets is red meat. For vegetarians or those who do not eat enough red meat, brain creatine levels can be lower than optimal. Creatine supplementation for these individuals can provide even higher cognitive improvements than for red-meat eaters as they are finally “refilling the battery.”
Dosage
Achieving the mental benefits of creatine is more difficult than achieving the muscle-building benefits due to the blood-brain barrier which has a less efficient transport mechanism than muscle tissue. Because the brain takes longer to saturate, consistency is key.
Baseline: For weight lifting, a normal dose of creatine monohydrate is 5g per day. If you do not take a creatine supplement currently, this may be a good place to start.
Optimization: An NIH study concludes that 10g per day is recommended to promote cognitive benefit.
Side Effects: Creatine is one of the most studied and safest supplements on the market, but it can cause stomach upset, so starting low to test your tolerance is advisable before moving up to 10g per day.
If you are looking to stay at the top of your game after a night of restless sleep or as you age, creatine has proven benefits. It is a low-risk, high-reward investment for your brain. This simple step can ensure your cognitive function matches your ambition.