You probably don’t need an education to tell you that lack of sleep can seriously affect your mental performance. But if you’re still on the fence, there is a lot of research to support the fact that getting less than seven to eight hours a night can wreak havoc on your ability to perform even basic daily tasks.
While our number one tip will always be ‘get enough sleep’, new research offers a possible boost for those days when a full night’s rest just wasn’t possible and your morning coffee not reduced: creatine.
In a new study published in Scientific Reports, researchers found that a single high dose of creatine can significantly prevent cognitive decline caused by sleep deprivation. Known for its muscle strengthening benefits, creatine has also been researched for its role in brain strengthening, but these studies often focus on the long-term effects of small doses. This new study shows that high doses can have immediate benefits for your mental performance, especially when you are inactive.
After a sleepless night, your brain feels foggy and your reaction time slows to a crawl. This cognitive decline may be caused by a depletion of high-energy molecules in the brain. Scientists, already aware of the long-term benefits of creatine supplementation in these molecules, conducted experiments to see if a larger dose of creatine could damage the sleep-deprived brain more quickly.
The study
Participants in the study were given a large amount of creatine monohydrate – 0.35 grams per kilogram of body weight, around 20-30g – while they were awake for 21 hours straight. Their cognitive performance and brain chemistry were monitored at different times after taking the supplement. This involved doing a number of battery selection tests, memory tasks and various math and language tests.
Results
The findings paint a convincing picture and are good news for those of us who often find ourselves in the wrong position of a long night. Using high doses of creatine, researchers found:
- It improved the balance of important energy molecules in the brain.
- Prevents a drop in pH levels in the brain – essential for proper brain function.
- Improved mental performance and processing speed, helping participants to think clearly and act quickly.
What This Means for Us
This study suggests that a single high dose of creatine can provide rapid brain power during sleep deprivation, which can be a game changer for late night work sessions or early morning meetings. after a restless night.
The Bottom Line
Forget the old opinion that creatine only works for increasing or strengthening the bench press. This versatile and cost-effective supplement may be your new secret weapon for staying sharp and on top of your mental game, even when you’re short on sleep. short.
With nearly 18 years in the health and fitness space as a personal trainer, nutritionist, breathing coach and author, Andrew has spent nearly half of his life exploring how helping people improve their bodies and minds.
As our fitness editor, he prides himself on keeping Men’s Health at the forefront of reliable, trustworthy and reliable fitness information, whether it’s by writing and testing thousands of fitness tests each year. instead, delve deeper into the science of muscle building and fat loss or explore the psychology of performance and recovery.
While developing his knowledge base through workshops and courses, Andrew loves practical learning as much as theory, and constantly puts his training to the test in everything from competitions from Crossfit and strongman, to multiple marathons, to hours of 24-hour training and (very unofficial) world record attempts.
You can find Andrew on Instagram at @theandrew.tracey, or just hold up the ‘free pizza’ sign and wait for him to appear.
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