The Surprising Cognitive Benefits of Creatine for Stroke Recovery

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Like most men in their 20s who hit the gym regularly, I started supplementing with creatine years before I had a stroke.

However, when I returned home from the inpatient rehab center, about three weeks after my stroke, the kitchen cabinet full of my workout supplements, including creatine, went untouched.

For weeks, I didn’t feel the need to use anything outside of a protein shake here or there.

“What’s the point?” I thought. I wasn’t any closer to getting back in the gym considering I struggled to walk up the stairs most days.

Looking back, that may have been a mistake.

Research suggests that creatine can do more than just boost physical performance in the gym. Creatine can potentially also help to reduce mental fatigue, improve memory, and enhance other cognitive functions.

When it comes to recovery after stroke, one small study found that stroke survivors who supplemented with creatine experienced a significant increase in their performance on a 6-minute walk test.

What is Creatine?

Creatine monohydrate is a popular supplement used to build muscle.

It adds to your body’s naturally produced levels of creatine, which are located in your muscles and brain.

Creatine comes in powder form and mixes with your drink of choice.

Creatine – “A Fuel Source for Neurons”

A few weeks after returning home from rehab, I was emptying the dishwasher and listening to an episode of the Huberman Lab podcast.

At one point, Andrew Huberman said something along the lines of “Creatine is a fuel source for neurons in the brain.”

I froze, paused the podcast, and listened to it again to make sure I heard it correctly.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I thought to myself.

Lord knows how many neurons I lost during the bloodbath that was my hemorrhagic stroke, but now I had stopped using creatine, something I had used daily for the past decade.

Did I really have something just sitting in my kitchen cabinet that could potentially help me in recovery after stroke?

After that podcast, I started looking for more details on the potential cognitive benefits associated with creatine and the results were surprising.

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How Creatine May Support Brain Function

What I had previously known to be a supplement to enhance physical performance in the gym carried with it some impressive claims for supporting brain health.

Specifically, research on creatine suggests:

• Creatine is an essential compound for the brain providing energy and neuroprotection.
  
• Creatine supplementation may reduce the severity of, or improve recovery from mild traumatic brain injury.
  
• Early clinical trials indicate that creatine may be effective as an antidepressant.
  
• In animal models, creatine increased Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein often cited for its role in helping stroke survivors recover movement.

Additionally, Dr. Darren Candow, a leading creatine researcher, has discussed the latest findings on the benefits of creatine for brain health on various podcasts and he often dispels some common myths associated with creatine use.

“I’m not seeing any data to suggest it’s not favorable to be on creatine from a brain health perspective,” Candow said on an episode of The Ready State Podcast.

Creatine for Stroke Recovery

It’s impossible to quantify how creatine supplementation may have supported my recovery after stroke.

Once I built back up to my pre-stroke levels of creatine, I felt moderately better.

However, it wasn’t a substantial difference, and at this point I was also nearing the one-year mark of my recovery, so I was naturally getting better with time.

I’m grateful I was in the habit of using creatine pre-stroke since research indicates creatine supplementation may potentially reduce the amount of brain tissue damage caused by stroke, but I do regret not using it earlier, especially in the immediate weeks after returning home from rehab.

Creatine is by no means a miracle cure for stroke survivors, but the numerous studies indicating improved cognitive function from creatine supplementation are eye-opening.

Combined with the many studies showing how creatine can improve physical performance, creatine appears to be a simple supplement that many people could potentially benefit from.

However, it’s important to note that any supplement for stroke recovery won’t overcome a poor diet or inconsistent sleep and a lack of exercise.

Consistent sleep, exercise, and proper nutrition are essential principles for stroke survivors.

Basic Tips on How to Take Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is the form of creatine you’ll want to use because it’s the most often studied, including the stroke survivor study mentioned above.

Personally, I use Nutricost’s creatine monohydrate and have for years.

Five grams a day is often cited as a standard dose of creatine. However, determining an appropriate dose level is a conversation to have with your doctor if you’re interested in starting to use creatine.

Proper hydration is also critical in using creatine and the timing of when to take creatine is irrelevant. You can take it in the morning, afternoon, or evening, whichever is most convenient for you.

*The information provided on supplements on this page and others on this site is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before starting any new supplement regimen.