I was there when my wife gave birth to all three of our daughters.
Fast forward 30 years, and my wife and I had the privilege of supporting our eldest daughter after she gave birth herself.
Anyone who’s witnessed that time knows it: the fatigue is brutal.
You’re so tired and sleep-deprived that your brain stops working normally.
Lately, I’ve been reading more about creatine—yes, the same supplement you associate with bodybuilders.
In private practice, I’ve seen patients through every stage of life—new parents, night-shift workers, exhausted students.
You can see sleep deprivation in the mouth—more clenching, inflamed gums, a scalloped tongue, dry mouth. So when I see a study about a supplement that helps the brain function under sleep loss, I pay attention.
The more I’ve learned about creatine, the more I wonder if it could help during these sleep-deprived stretches—especially the postpartum period.
When you go days or weeks without real sleep—like new parents do—your brain runs on empty.
Creatine helps cells recycle ATP, the molecule that powers every thought and movement.
It’s not just for muscle—it’s active in the brain.
In a lab study, 15 healthy adults stayed awake for ~21 hours and received a single high dose of creatine monohydrate (0.35 g/kg, ~24-30 g for a 70 kg person) or placebo.
Researchers tested cognition and used brain imaging at baseline, then ~3, 5.5 and 7.5 hours later.
Creatine improved processing speed and word-memory tasks, and shifted brain energy markers (higher phosphocreatine/ATP, maintained pH) compared to placebo.
The results:
- Sharper reaction times
- Better working memory and processing speed
- Higher brain energy markers (phosphocreatine, ATP)
- More stable brain pH, even under total sleep loss
The effect peaked ~4 hours after ingestion and lasted up to ~9 hours. The authors caution that this is a high acute dose in young healthy adults—not postpartum mothers.
It’s a small but sophisticated study—15 people, one sleepless night, brain scans and all. And it fits a pattern seen in earlier trials showing that creatine supports cognitive performance under stress, fatigue, and sleep loss.
Lately I’ve been taking 10 grams daily—5 grams for muscle, 5 grams for brain. (That’s a routine maintenance dose, not the acute, high one from the study.)
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or supporting someone who is, data in lactation are limited—personalize with your OB or pediatrician.
We’ve pigeonholed creatine as a gym supplement.
But maybe it belongs in hospital wards, nurseries, and night shifts.
What if postpartum women—who lose sleep, muscle mass, and mental clarity—had access to a safe, brain-supportive recovery tool instead of just caffeine and willpower?
Doctors, doulas, midwives, and nurses should be talking about this.
It’s time to reframe creatine—not as a muscle supplement, but as an energy molecule for the real body builders—mothers.
I take Creapure-certified creatine monohydrate for purity and safety. Here’s a link to the one I take.
P.S. If you try it, make sure it’s Creapure and third-party tested (like this one)—that’s the standard I look for when I’m comparing brands.
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