[SoftTalker]

I use it as a supplement because I do weightlifting. 5g/day. I did 20g/day for a week once, and didn't notice it made any difference, so I'm back to 5g now. In terms of stuff like memory, mood, etc. I can't say it's made any improvement but the idea that it might be helping prevent decline is nice.

[wtetzner]

I've found it helps cognitively if under a lot of stress and/or sleep deprived. If I'm not especially stressed and am well rested, I don't know that I notice any difference.

[ai_fry_ur_brain]

Its changed my life. Im also a long time vegan with MTHFR gene mutations and sleep issues though.

[adrian_b]

For vegans, creatine is among the recommended supplements, because the amount that is produced internally is insufficient for most people, so they need some extra amount in food. (The same is true for a few other substances, e.g. choline, taurine, menaquinone.)

I also take some creatine, for this reason.

[SoftTalker]

I've heard others say it helps with mood, energy, depression, etc. and if that's the case for some people then great. I don't notice it myself but that's just me. Not everyone has the same body chemistry.

[ai_fry_ur_brain]

Did you try higher dose. You need to take 0.35g/kg body weight for effects on brain, atleast thats the doses that are usually used in the studies. I believe your body will distribute it to your muscles before any goes to the brain, so you need to take a dose that will saturate your muscles and then have extra left over. I take 25grams whereas the usually reccomend daily dose is 5grams

[SoftTalker]

I did a week trial at 20 or 25g/day once. This was after being on the standard weightlifter's 5g/day for a while so muscles should have been fairly saturated. Didn't notice any effect. 0.35g/kg dose seems like way more than our bodies would have ever had even in a prehistoric hunter's diet. For me that would be 30g/day.

[throwmeowaway]

I also have MTHFR gene mutations and sleep issues.

What exactly helped you?

[ai_fry_ur_brain]

As a vegan you dont get any creatine since you're not eating meat, so your body has to make it itself, which requires a ton of methylation and if you're like me and have bad genes for methylation your body had a hard time with it as it is. So by supplmenting creatine you're reducing some of that burden.

As far as sleep goes, high dose creatine has been studied to have an extermely positive effect on brain function during sleep deprevation, better than stimulants/caffine

I think the prescribed dosing for creatine and sleep deprevation is 0.35g per KG, much higher than the typically recommended dose of 5gs a day for muscle. The positive effects on the brain come at much higher doses. Which is perfectly safe for your kidneys, this is a myth (as long as you dont already have poor kidney function).

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-54249-9

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16416332/

[matwood]

Also note, that if someone is going to start taking creatine they need to up their hydration - likely a lot.

[iwontberude]

That’s a pretty amazing acronym if real

[Insanity]

Say MTHFR one more time, I dare you.

Never heard of the acronym though so not sure what the mutation implies.

[radial_symmetry]

For lifting you hit a saturation point quickly where your muscles will only hold so much of it. Not sure if there is an equivalent for any brain related effects.

[insanitybit]

I'm sure there's something for the brain too. The thing is, there's a floor for the brain. If your muscles aren't saturated already and you don't "megadose" (from a muscle perspective) then you won't see any cognitive effects it seems.