If older adults who've had a certain kind of stroke take 20 grams of creatine every day for a week, their body shows signs that it's absorbing and using the supplement, based on a rise in a related blood marker.

Older adults in the hospital for a certain kind of stroke can safely take a specific dose of creatine for a week — it’s generally well-tolerated, though some might get mild stomach issues or temporary changes in a kidney-related blood test.

Older adults who had a stroke didn’t get stronger or gain more muscle from taking creatine for a week, even if they ate enough protein and started moving early.

Taking 20 grams of creatine a day for a week after a certain kind of stroke might lower a brain-related protein linked to inflammation in older adults — suggesting it could help with brain healing.

Older adults getting better after a certain kind of stroke tend to gain strength and move better over three months, whether or not they take creatine — so most of the improvement probably comes from regular rehab and the body healing on its own.

Taking creatine supplements can slightly boost the amount of creatine in your brain—by about 3 to 10%—but not as much as it boosts your muscles, probably because your brain is harder to reach with supplements and makes some creatine on its own.