Does creatine improve cognitive performance in vegetarians during sleep deprivation?

Creatine is a compound naturally found in muscle and brain tissue, and while meat-eaters get some from food, vegetarians rely mostly on their body’s own production. When sleep is restricted, cognitive functions like reaction speed and mental clarity can decline. In this case, the single study we reviewed found that giving creatine to sleep-deprived vegetarians helped maintain performance in these areas better than without it.

We don’t know if this effect lasts beyond a single dose, or if it applies to non-vegetarians, or how strong the benefit is in real-world settings. There’s no evidence yet showing the opposite — no studies have found creatine to worsen or have no effect — but we only have one assertion to work with.

What we’ve found so far is limited but consistent: under sleep deprivation, vegetarians may benefit from creatine supplementation in terms of mental speed and reaction time, likely due to their lower baseline creatine levels.

If you’re a vegetarian and often feel mentally sluggish after poor sleep, trying a single dose of creatine before an important task might help — but more research is needed to understand how consistent or long-lasting this effect is.