Creatine may limit concussive brain damage

[ying]

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In this study, published in the November issue of The Annals of Neurology, researchers fed rats and mice a diet high in creatine, and then simulated a concussion. They found that rats who ate a creatine diet for four weeks had a 50% reduction in brain damage ([Only registered and activated users can see links]), compared to rats on a normal diet. Mice who received three days of creatine pretreatment had a 21% decline in damaged cells, while those who received five days of creatine pretreatment had a 36% decline.

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[elTerrible]

You ever read about the NFL and the effects from all the concussions they had?

Theyve had quite a few guys die young (40s or whatever) and they examined their brains and a lot had signs of dementia. The doctors said their brains looked like 80 year olds.

[achillesthegreat]

i feel sorry for the animals.

[Pugsley]

Believe it or not, a study has been done on that. Apparently people who drank alcohol after sustaining a head trauma suffered less damage to their brain cells.

[RDJ]

The result of this research may actually be the reverse, that a lack of creatine increases your chances at brain damage. Creatine should be in your natural diet, and it's unclear what the diet of the rats not taking creatine was.

[scrap]

The only way I could see that is creatine retains water, so theres a better supply of oxygen

[RDJ]

The only way I could see that is creatine retains water, so theres a better supply of oxygen

That's about what I meant. Which would lead to the logical conclusion that dehydration increases the chance of brain damage, something we already knew. In similar fashion you could say that eating salt decreases the risk of brain damage, while it's actually the opposite case, a lack of salt may lead to dehydration, which may lead to an increased chance of brain damage.

I hate "research" like that because it usually has an agenda.

[RightHooker]

You ever read about the NFL and the effects from all the concussions they had?

Theyve had quite a few guys die young (40s or whatever) and they examined their brains and a lot had signs of dementia. The doctors said their brains looked like 80 year olds.
Yup. Same thing with pro wrestlers.

[MrSmall]

The result of this research may actually be the reverse, that a lack of creatine increases your chances at brain damage. Creatine should be in your natural diet, and it's unclear what the diet of the rats not taking creatine was.

Well rats aren't the most meat-eating of mofos are they!

[RDJ]

Well rats aren't the most meat-eating of mofos are they!

That's why I said it was unclear to me, I have no idea how they naturally take these substances. As far as I know the rat is an omnivore, which would make them comparable to ourself.