Creatine is a nutritional supplement that is primarily used to increase muscle size and strength in athletes, but may also have implications in the treatment and rehabilitation of stroke victims. A stroke is the result of a blood clot blocking a blood vessel that interrupts blood flow to your brain, causing brain cells to die. A stroke can have many effects on your body, including a loss of awareness, hearing, speech and muscle function. Although the research is ongoing, creatine supplementation has been shown to improve some of the effects of a stroke, particularly with regards to brain and muscle function. Ask your doctor before beginning a creatine supplementation program following a stroke.
Creatine and Brain Function
Most of the creatine in your body is stored in your skeletal muscles, however about 5 percent of it is stored in your brain and used for energy production. Energy is required to produce neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine and serotonin, two hormones produced in the brain that may be affected following a stroke. Low levels of these neurotransmitters after a stroke can increase your risk for developing depression, psychosis and dementia, as well as decrease your muscle function. The presence of creatine in your brain may encourage greater production of these two neurotransmitters.
Creatine and Muscle Function
Creatine provides energy potential for your muscles to perform work, especially during exercise. After a stroke, your muscles may atrophy, or lose size and strength, which can increase your risk of muscle swelling, loss of function and mobility and osteoporosis. Creatine, when combined with an appropriate exercise program, may increase muscle strength and power in individuals who have suffered a stroke. This increase in muscle function can improve your overall mobility and increase the speed of your recovery after a stroke.
Creatine and Your Nervous System
Your central and peripheral nervous system carry electrical signals from your brain to your muscles, telling them when to contract and relax. The transmission of these signals may be interrupted and nerve damage can occur after suffering a stroke. Creatine may play a critical role in improving and maintaining nerve function, particularly after they have been damaged resulting from a stroke. This is due to a form of creatine called creatine kinase, which acts as an enzyme that may assist in the generation of new nerve tissue, and can improve the neurological connection between your brain and muscles.
Creatine For Stroke Prevention
Not only may creatine help you recover from some of the effects of a stroke, it may also help prevent a stroke from occurring in the first place. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that creatine supplementation may help naturally lower plasma levels of the amino acid, homocysteine. The presence of homocysteine increases your risk of heart disease, including a stroke. Although not clearly understood, creatine blocks the action of homocysteine and its effects on your cardiovascular system, reducing the likelihood of plaque buildup in your blood vessels.
References
- "Journal of Hyperplasia Research"; Creatine: A Meta-analysis; 2005
- National Stroke Association; What is a Stroke?
- American Heart Association; Stroke Effects
- "Human Anatomy and Physiology"; Elaine N. Marieb; 2004
- UMMC; Creatine; Steven D. Ehrlich; 2009
