Hi All, My husband is nearly a year out from his hypoxic Brain injury and he’s doing really well all things considered. But like many brain injury sufferers he gets tired far more easily than he used to.
One of the things he has tried recently has helped and I’d thought I’d share it with you all to thank you for all of your support in the past year.
He takes 5g of creatine mixed with orange juice a day. Creatine is a traditional bodybuilding supplement but it turns out it’s also involved in helping how the brain uses energy. Creatine is really safe to take it’s been studied for decades. The only time you shouldn’t take it is if you have kidney problems.
Now it’s not a miracle cure for fatigue by any measure, but it definitely helps. It takes about 2 weeks to build up in the system and to notice a difference. If he doesn’t take it for a few days he definitely notices.
Just thought I’d share in case anyone wanted to try it.
Written by
Sarbear123
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It is good to know your husband is seeing the benefit. However, there are a lot of dangers with taking powdered creatine very frequently. Most body builders take the supplement for a short time when then are "bulking up" for an event and then stop to let their system recover. This is normally for only a month then drop to much, much lower than you are giving your husband maybe 2 or 3 mg at most but remember these are big guys with a faster metabolism and bigger fluid intake to absorb the creatine.
What specialist prefer to recommend is to get protein and the same amino acid from sea food and good quality red meat. The protein will especially help develop the brain plasticity to develop new neuro pathways. Indeed the energy bodybuilders need, comes from the large amounts of protein they consume especially the vast amounts of chicken and eggs.
Similarly with nuts and vegetables such as kale and spinach, peas and beans. Spinach contains B, E, & K vitamins, folate, and L-tyrosine. These nutrients can help improve memory and mental focus.
Sorry to contradict you but this is simply not true. All the research shows it to be one of the safest supplements to take long term. Are you perhaps confusing it with anabolic steroids?
5g a day is the standard dose in all studies and there’s no evidence you need to cycle it (ie take a break)
Here is a study of people taking 5g every day for nearly 2 years with no adverse effects on their health:
I have a lot of experience of people with supplements, the current mr Olympia and Wales's strongest man are friends.
The professionals and amateur athletes whom take Creatine regularly a by their nature is a good physical condition and they have their blood and urine measured regularly plus they take in an above average amount of liquid to deal with the effects of creatine.
Apart from the physiological risks which have been explored further than the 2003 report you quoted, there are interactions with simple things such as caffeine and NSAID such as brufen which can cause a stroke.
The additional problem is that creatine in the blood system is a key indicator for a number of illnesses. If your husband was to have a blood test it may set off a number of false positives and lead to more stress.
As I said in my original post, it is a suggestion and it is entirely up to you.
Many thanks for sharing things that have helped with fatigue - it's certainly one of the most common, and debilitating, effects of a brain injury.
As with all similar posts, we just wanted to remind everyone that's it's really important to seek medical advice before trying any new supplements or dietary changes to help ensure it is right for you. Some 'health supplements' may have unintended side effects or interactions with your medications so experiences, benefits and risks can vary.
Please don't hesitate to contact us at Headway if you need to talk things through.
That is great Advice Andrew and I should have mentioned that my husband’s GP is aware of his usage of creatine and approves of it for him if he finds it helps.
Any update how supplement went with your husband, my husband referred for hormonal therapy, but I'm so worried about this intervention with him being high risk for seizures, so came across this post again to help with researching and help with questions, as I've lost faith in nhs or the person not specialised enough to understand the consequences of getting it wrong
My husband solely relies on my thoughts with route of treatment , at 38 I feel so many researching, decisions on my own without husband input has been hard road these past 14months
Don't forget to keep talking to Headway about your options NB, you don't have to do it all in your own. Do you have a local Headway group as well that might be starting up again soon? x
I spoke to Headway end of April I think, told to contact my local Headway after 40min letting an element off my shoulders; I really want to reach out, but I just cant, I can roll off so many reason but none gives reasoning with this new life and unknown territory I'm now in.
It's purely down to being solo, absent family, friends, professionals yet these would give good enough why to reach out despite struggling, I just haven't accepted my new role as a wife, I haven't accepted husbands disability or health condition (each sees it differently), it's a major barrier in reaching out. This is only source of support on this forum, I've not looked at other forums, I dont do social networking I literally dont have anyone to talk to that has observed our life, it's just me, husband, toddler and teenager
I think Sarbear is right about you finding some respite NB . Try and think about it as part of your care for your family that you are working so hard at. True support sometimes comes from just from being open to what's out there. Will be thinking of you. Tperhaps treat a Headway call like another fact finding mission? Take care x
Hiya, it continues to help with fatigue but honestly I wouldn’t risk it with seizures. Has your gp offered anything? There are several medications that can be tried such as modafinil but I don’t know if UK gps prescribe them? (I’m in Ireland)
GP always refers to Southmead with advice even doing bloods as all over shot. Local hospital even for ENT refers to GP who refers to Southmead and relies on my observations and care. We dont get actual medical advice from local BI Team as centred on managing behaviour
That sounds so frustrating it seems like there’s just no joined up thinking in the health service sometimes. I do think you need more support than this forum though, Please contact Headway again and see if they can put you in touch with some kind of resource that would give you some kind of respite. Xx
Covid prevented and on medical notes/letters states his care not followed care pathway due to this, I get 30mins before bed for my timeout like now, until next September when toddler starts education no time for break, but I'm nearly half way so trying to keep together best I can , I dont know how though I'm just so focused on children and husbands needs x
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Which symptoms were you not told about?
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