EP 52. Creatina: El Suplemento que Debes Conocer.

11 May 2024

EP 52. Creatine: The Supplement You Need to Know About.

33min 03sec

Spotify Amazon Apple

Creatine and the Brain: What Science Says About Its Role in Mental Energy

Hello, I am Dr. Isabel Viña Bas, a physician and Scientific Director of IVB Wellness Lab. When someone asks me about creatine, the first thing I think of is no longer the gym.I think of the brain.

For years, we have reduced this molecule to an exclusively sports-related supplement, but the evidence is pushing that idea into much more interesting territory: its role in the energy the brain needs to function well, whether you train or not.

I already spoke in another article about all the benefits of creatine for health and longevity, so here I want to focus on something more specific: what happens when creatine reaches the brain and why it is increasingly linked to memory, concentration, and mood.

What is creatine and why does the brain need it too?

Creatine is a molecule that the body itself produces from three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. We can also obtain it through diet or supplementation.The body itself produces between 1 and 3 grams per day, an amount that is supplemented by what we provide from outside.

It is found mainly in muscle, including the heart, but it also has a presence in the brain, one of the tissues where it is most relevant. There, it participates in processes related to neuronal energy production, something that went largely unnoticed for a long time.

Producing it is not free for the body. The process consumes methyl groups that come from SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine), a compound that is also needed to produce glutathione, melatonin, or carnitine. That is why providing part of the creatine from outside allows those metabolic resources to be freed up for other functions.

Creatine and the brain: what role does it really play in neuronal energy?

Approximately 95% of the body's creatine is in the muscle. The rest, 5%, is distributed between the brain and other organs. It may seem like a small amount, but that small percentage carries a lot of weight.

The brain is one of the organs with the highest energy demand in the body. Neurons need to produce energy constantly to communicate with each other and sustain functions such as memory or concentration, and that is where creatine and the brain come in as a pair that is of increasing interest to science.

Just as it happens in muscle, creatine acts in neuronal tissue as a rapid reserve of ATP, the molecule we use as energy currency. When the energy availability of neurons is compromised, it can be noticed in processes such as memory, concentration or even mood.

What does research say about creatine, memory, and concentration?

The current line of research explores the role of creatine on several fronts: cognitive function, mental performance, brain aging, and situations of higher energy demand for the brain.

Some studies have observed that people with higher levels of creatine have a lower risk of depression, something that could be related to better energy availability for brain cells. It is not a treatment: it is understanding that the brain, just like muscle, needs energy to perform well.

This is especially interesting in stages where emotional vulnerability increases, such as postpartum, perimenopause, or periods of sustained stress. For this reason, at IVB we usually recommend the collection of supplements for memory and concentration when someone asks us what can support their mental performance day by day.

How much creatine is needed to notice benefits in the brain?

The dose depends on the goal. For physical performance and muscle mass, the most studied range is between 3 and 5 grams daily.

When specifically investigating greater cerebral energy supply, in contexts of high demand or neurological vulnerability, studies have worked with higher doses, between 10 and 20 grams daily. More dosage does not always equal more benefit, and above 5 grams some people may notice digestive discomfort.

What makes the difference is daily consistency, rather than a one-off amount. Creatine reserves, both muscular and cerebral, take time to accumulate: between 20 and 30 days with a regular dose. The benefit comes with time, not with a single dose.

Is taking creatine for the muscle the same as for the brain?

Not exactly, although the underlying mechanism is the same: providing a reserve of rapid energy wherever it is needed. In muscle, that energy sustains strength, recovery, and muscle mass. In the brain, it sustains neuronal communication and, with it, processes such as memory or concentration.

That is why I do not propose creatine as something exclusive to those who train for strength. It can make sense in situations where conserving cellular energy is important, such as aging, periods of higher mental load, or stages of greater emotional vulnerability.

How to choose a quality creatine if you are looking for these benefits

Scientific evidence has been built almost entirely around one specific form: creatine monohydrate. It is the one that has demonstrated benefits both at the muscular level and in lines of research on cognition.

When choosing a supplement, there are several points worth checking on the label: that it is monohydrate, that it does not include added sugars, that it has good quality control, and, if possible, that it uses certified raw material such as Creapure®. At IVB we work with Creavitalis® creatine monohydrate precisely for that reason: purity and scientific backing rather than marketing claims like the famous "200 mesh," which only indicates particle size, not quality.

So, what does science tell us about creatine and the brain?

That this molecule goes far beyond sports performance. It participates in muscle energy, but also in cerebral energy metabolism, and that makes it an interesting tool within strategies aimed at taking care of memory, concentration, and emotional well-being in the long term.

As I like to repeat: the key is to maintain adequate levels consistently, within the context that corresponds to each person, rather than chasing a larger amount.

Transforming your health is a matter of applying science with consistency, day by day. Understanding what creatine does for your brain, in addition to your muscles, is another way to make better-informed decisions.

I hope you like it :)

For more information, you know you can find me on my Instagram @isabelvina where I share daily content
My TikTok @isabelvinabas
On my YouTube channel

And the supplements formulated by me https://ivbwellness.com