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Comment by cyberdrunk2 | Hacker News Reader

I wonder if this could help explain why creatine helps mitigate the effects of sleep deprivation. Since creatine aids in water retention.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16416332/

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I would imagine it has more to do with its principal function in recycling ADP back to ATP (fuel for cells). People who are sleep deprived also have impaired glucose metabolism, meaning that the cellular "fuel pipeline" is impeded. Perhaps creatine is especially helpful under these conditions.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1991337/

Mix your cheap instant coffee with creatine powder and ORS for that ultimate early morning flavor bomb!

The mechanism of creatine isn't that straight forward.

You need to take it for a while for it to build up, and for water to accumulate in cells.

It would also be disgusting in a cup of coffee!

Don't forget to intensely shake your head after consumption for a proper brain flush

Welp, now I’m bout to make the nastiest coffee known to man for the next 3 months

It’s not clear how water retention would help with the needed flushing.

Hypothetically, more water retention would mean that the fluid being flushed is less concentrated, and if the flushing mechanism is triggered by a certain concentration level then it'll happen less frequently.

Hard to imagine that it would be worth more than a few percent though.

Less flushing sounds like it would also worsen the sleep deprivation, even if it reduces the momentary lapses.

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