Researchers at Forschungszentrum Jülich found that a single high dose of creatine can temporarily strengthen cognitive functions impaired by sleep deprivation, particularly improving processing ability and short-term memory. The study warns against taking too much creatine due to potential health risks, but suggests lower doses may improve cognitive function in the future.
Creatine is a widely used supplement among athletes to improve physical performance, and it has also been shown to temporarily enhance cognitive performance that is affected by sleep deprivation. This discovery was made in a scientific study conducted by researchers from the Jülich concentration camp, the results of which were published in the journal. scientific report.
Significantly improved processing power and short-term memory
As part of the study, 15 subjects were kept awake overnight during which they had to solve cognitive tasks. Sleep deprivation changes the brain’s metabolism, increasing the uptake of creatine by cells. Participants were given a single high dose of creatine, an important metabolite found in food and produced within the body.
Positive effects on brain metabolism and cognitive performance in subjects were already observed 3 hours after ingesting creatine. The effects peaked after 4 hours and lasted up to 9 hours. In particular, improvements were seen in processing ability and short-term memory.
“These results suggest that a single high dose of creatine enhances thinking ability and induces changes in brain energy stores during sleep deprivation,” from the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-2). said study coordinator Dr. Ali Gorzinejad. At Forschungszentrum Jülich.
Excessive intake of creatine is not recommended
Various studies have already reported improvements in cognitive performance after long-term creatine meals. This substance also interferes with metabolic changes caused by sleep deprivation. This is why the Julich researchers considered creatine a potential candidate for this study.
Because nerve cells in the central nervous system (CNS) can only absorb small amounts of creatine, it has previously been impossible to demonstrate the short-term effects observed here. Typically, they primarily cover their needs through proprietary synthesis. Increased uptake of creatine within cells was only stimulated by putting the brain in a “stressed” state through the experimental conditions of the Urich study.
“However, at this time it is not recommended to take such high doses of creatine at home. High doses of creatine can place a heavy burden on the kidneys and pose health risks,” Dr. Golzinejad said. says. “However, if future studies show improved cognitive performance at lower doses, creatine could become a strong competitor to coffee during long work nights.”
Reference: “A single dose of creatine improves cognitive performance and induces changes in high-energy phosphates in the brain during sleep deprivation” Ali Golgi Nejad, Andreas Matusch, Sophie Kriedolfer, Harshal Written by Jayeshkumar Patel, Alexander Drezga, David Elmenhorst, Ferdinand Binkowski, and Andreas Bauer, 28 February 2024 scientific report.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54249-9
