Can Creatine Help Your Brain?
Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Brain Function and Health
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Creatine supplementation sometimes showed no increase—or even a slight decrease—in brain creatine levels in some studies.
Everyone assumes supplements always work—this shows biology is messy. Your brain might reject extra creatine unless it’s under stress.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re sleep-deprived or recovering from a concussion, try 5g of creatine monohydrate daily for 2–4 weeks.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Creatine supplementation sometimes showed no increase—or even a slight decrease—in brain creatine levels in some studies.
Everyone assumes supplements always work—this shows biology is messy. Your brain might reject extra creatine unless it’s under stress.
Practical Takeaways
If you’re sleep-deprived or recovering from a concussion, try 5g of creatine monohydrate daily for 2–4 weeks.
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2022
Authors
Scott C. Forbes, Dean M. Cordingley, S. Cornish, B. Gualano, H. Roschel, S. Ostojić, E. Rawson, B. Roy, K. Prokopidis, P. Giannos, D. Candow
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Claims (3)
Some tiny studies suggest that taking creatine (a supplement often used by athletes) along with antidepressants might help women who haven’t improved with medication alone, but we can’t be sure yet because the studies were too small and haven’t been repeated.
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.
Taking creatine supplements might help you think a little better and stay in a better mood when you're tired from not sleeping enough, especially if you're also doing light exercise—based on two small studies.