Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance

[h=3]Abstract[/b]Creatine supplementation is in widespread use to enhance sports-fitness performance, and has been trialled successfully in the treatment of neurological, neuromuscular and atherosclerotic disease. Creatine plays a pivotal role in brain energy homeostasis, being a temporal and spatial buffer for cytosolic and mitochondrial pools of the cellular energy currency, adenosine triphosphate and its regulator, adenosine diphosphate. In this work, we tested the hypothesis that oral creatine supplementation (5 g d(-1) for six weeks) would enhance intelligence test scores and working memory performance in 45 young adult, vegetarian subjects in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design. Creatine supplementation had a significant positive effect (p < 0.0001) on both working memory (backward digit span) and intelligence (Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices), both tasks that require speed of processing. These findings underline a dynamic and significant role of brain energy capacity in influencing brain performance.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14561278/

I've read it can also help some with depression
[h=4]OBJECTIVES:[/b]Creatine plays a pivotal role in brain energy homeostasis, and altered cerebral energy metabolism may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Oral creatine supplementation may modify brain high-energy phosphate metabolism in depressed subjects.
[h=4]METHODS:[/b]Eight unipolar and two bipolar patients with treatment-resistant depression were treated for four weeks with 3-5 g/day of creatine monohydrate in an open add-on design. Outcome measures were the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, and Clinical Global Impression scores, recorded at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4.
[h=4]RESULTS:[/b]One patient improved considerably after one week and withdrew. Both bipolar patients developed hypomania/mania. For the remaining seven patients, all scale scores significantly improved. Adverse reactions were mild and transitory.
[h=4]CONCLUSIONS:[/b]This small, preliminary, open study of creatine monohydrate suggests a beneficial effect of creatine augmentation in unipolar depression, but possible precipitation of a manic switch in bipolar depression.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17988366

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3340488/

There are a ton of studies and apparently a ton of benefits from creatine as summarized here:
https://examine.com/supplements/Creatine/

But recently I've read reports of creatine being tied to hair loss - due to increasing DHT. Here's Examine's assessment of the situation:
https://examine.com/faq/does-creatine-cause-baldness/

Makes me reluctant to take it, at least until I get DHT levels checked.

I like creatine but I have to be careful with bloating and/or diarrhea is I take more than 5 grams per day.

It is a great supplement proven to have many benefits.

Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain ...

www.excelmale.com/showthread.php?7603-Oral-creatine...brain...




Creatine supplementation and aging musculoskeletal health.

www.excelmale.com/showthread.php?1014-Creatine...and-aging...


The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Biochemical, Body ...

www.excelmale.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=753&d...

Creatine supplementation has been widely used for athletes and in some studies ... and/or contained the necessary information to obtain effect sizes. Creatine.

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Taking Creatine While on Testosterone