Sports Supplements For Brain Health? Creatinine May Improve Cognitive Ability Among the Sleep-Deprived, Study Reveals

According to a new study, a high creatinine dose could help enhance cognitive abilities among sleep-deprived participants.

Creatine

Creatine is a sports supplement thought to boost the energy that muscle cells generate during exercise. Some fitness enthusiasts and athletes take creatine to boost their physical performance.

The body produces roughly one gram of creatine each day, mostly in the kidneys and livers. It may also be produced in smaller amounts within the pancreas. Creatine consists of three amino acids.

Creatine can also be found in some foods, mostly fish and meat. An omnivore may consume roughly one gram of creatine each day. Roughly 95% of the body's creatine is kept in skeletal muscle and the brain.

The supplement has garnered the attention of sports scientists as it aids the body in regenerating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell's primary energy source. According to Scott Forbes, PhD, creatine becomes converted to phosphocreatine, a molecule that can be rapidly broken down into ATP.

Forbes, the chair of Brandon University's physical education studies department, also says that the most significant part of such a system is that oxygen is unnecessary. Hence, if the brain quickly requires energy, it can use creatine.

Potential Cognitive Effects of Creatine

The new study, entitled "Single dose creatine improves cognitive performance and induces changes in cerebral high energy phosphates during sleep deprivation," found that a single large dose of creatine supplements could enhance cognitive performance among individuals with acute sleep deprivation.

Experts hope that certain creatine-based interventions could assist individuals who require high-level performance despite sleep deprivation in the future. These may include firefighters, healthcare professionals, and those who work graveyard shifts.

However, further research is necessary before deciding to purchase creatine in bulk.

Marco Machado, who did not participate in the recent study, says that while some studies show that creatine could enhance thinking abilities, this could only be helpful in certain situations. Machado explains that creatine has exhibited the potential to boost the cognition of older adults, especially those who have a lower consumption of animal-derived foods. This was also observed in cases of sleep deprivation and mild brain trauma.

Nevertheless, as part of the latest study, the researchers gathered 15 participants. Each one went to the laboratory for two nights, with an interval of at least five days. In one visit, they took a high, single dose of creatine and a placebo on the other.

Earlier studies have shown that the brain only takes up creatine when stressed. However, since sleep deprivation puts the brain under duress, the researchers ensured that the participants stayed awake through the night and had to finish certain cognitive tasks. The participants performed the tests at the beginning of the study, prior to taking the creatine and placebo. They also did the tests at three other points throughout the night.

The researchers discovered that brain metabolism saw positive changes three hours after the creatine does, while cognitive performance was boosted. The effect peaked at roughly four hours and lasted up to nine hours.

Most notably, short-term memory and processing capacity got better.

Forbes explains that since several people experience sleep deprivation, the study is quite great in examining creacrea's function. While further research is necessary, the findings could be helpful for first responders, pilots, healthcare workers, and athletes who find it difficult to sleep.

However, there are certain concerns about safety. According to Ali Gordji-Nejad, PhD, from the Jülich Research Centre, the dose used in the study was extremely high (over 20g). Such a dosage is not recommended as it could strain the kidneys.

Gorji-Nejad says that creatine must only be considered for long night shifts if further studies reveal that the same cognitive impacts could be yielded at notably lower dosages of roughly five grams.

Machado also says it is important to consult a nutrition professional regarding guidance and proper dosage. He also adds that it remains unclear who may benefit from the supplement, noting that evidence is insufficient to conclude that the supplement could cognitively benefit young people with a balanced diet. Machado also reminds us that the study covered a single-dose protocol of supplementation.