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Creatine
Boosts Brain Power
Creatine, a compound found in meat, can bulk up your brain
power, claims an Australian study.
The study says taking creatine as a dietary supplement boosts
your working memory and general intelligence. The findings
appear in an issue of Proceedings B, a journal published
by the Royal Society.
The Australian researchers monitored the effect of 5 grams
per day of creatine supplement given to 45 young adult vegetarians.
"The level of creatine supplementation chosen was 5g
per day as this is a level that has previously been shown
to increase brain creatine levels. This level is comparable
to that taken to boost sports fitness," lead researcher
Dr. Caroline Rae says in a news release.
"Vegetarians or vegans were chosen for the study as
carnivores and omnivores obtain a variable level of creatine
depending on the amount and type of meat they eat - although
to reach the level of supplementation in this experiment
would involve eating 2 kilograms of meat a day," Rae
says.
The study subjects were divided into two groups. One group
received the creatine supplement while the other group received
a placebo for six weeks. That was followed by six weeks
of no intake of placebo or creatine by either group. In
the final 6 weeks, the control and placebo group were swapped.
The subjects' memory and intelligence were tested at the
start of the trial, the end of the first six-week period,
and the start and end of the final six-week period.
"The results were clear with both our experimental
groups and in both test scenarios: creatine supplementation
gave a significant measurable boost to brain power,"
Rae says.
The study findings echo previous research showing that increased
brain creatine levels correlate with improved memory and
reduce mental fatigue.
"These findings underline a dynamic and significant
role of brain energy capacity in influencing brain performance.
Increasing the energy available for computation increases
the power of the brain and this is reflected directly in
improved general ability," Rae says.
Article Source: HealthDay
Article Author: N/A
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