Sleep Deprived? Creatine May Help

And now, a review of studies published in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine has suggested it could be a great way to keep us sharp after a bad night’s sleep, too.

Here’s how it may work:

To explain how this benefit seemed to happen, it helps to understand the way in which creatine functions.

Creatine is not a steroid, despite some confusion among people who know it for its muscle-boosting benefits.

Instead, GP and medical director of Midland Health, Dr Rupa Parmar, previously told HuffPost UK that it’s a compound already present in our bodies.

“We naturally produce half the body’s creatine supply in our liver, kidneys, and pancreas, but the other half comes from our diet,” she explained.

“Protein-rich foods, like red meat, seafood, and milk, all contain creatine, but nowhere near the amount found in supplements.”

Creatine works by contributing to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. ATP is a molecule our tissues rely on for energy, and it also helps our muscles contract.

The higher store of ATP linked to creatine supplementation means people taking the compound can often push themselves further in the gym. It may also improve our mood and brain health.

The authors of this review combed through six databases “for studies investigating creatine’s effects on cognitive, psychomotor, and mood outcomes during acute sleep deprivation”.

Out of 160 options, only five met the criteria for inclusion.

It’s believed that sleep deprivation leads to lower ATP availability in the brain, which explains some of its effects on our mood and focus.

The argument goes that creatine – which, as we know, boosts ATP production – might help with this.

And after analysing the eligible research, this review found “a positive trend for creatine supplementation as an intervention for acute sleep deprivation, though effects may vary by cognitive domain”.

In other words, creatine does seem to help our brains cope better with a lack of sleep – but memory, mood, and psychomotor skills (like driving) may not see equal benefits.

However, the paper concluded, “future high-quality trials are needed”.