Creatine and the Brain: What Does Research Say? | Hardworkout Magazine
Key takeaways
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomised studies found small but statistically significant improvements in memory, reaction time and processing speed from creatine supplementation.
- Creatine shows no clear effect on complex cognitive functions such as planning, evaluation and decision-making.
- In a study where participants were kept awake for 21 hours, the group given a high dose of creatine responded faster and completed tasks better than the placebo group.
- A daily dose of 3–5 grams of creatine monohydrate is enough to saturate the body's creatine stores, and intake beyond that point gives no additional effect.
- People with low creatine levels to begin with, such as those who eat little or no animal food, tend to see the largest effect from supplementation.
Creatine is primarily known as one of the most effective supplements for strength and muscle growth. In recent years, research has also emerged on something entirely different: how creatine affects the brain.
The question is no longer whether creatine works – but how much of the effect also applies to the brain.
How does creatine actually produce energy in the body?
ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the energy source that cells use in all processes that require energy.
When ATP is broken down to release energy, ADP (adenosine diphosphate) is formed. For cells to continue functioning, ADP must quickly be converted back to ATP.
Phosphocreatine (creatine phosphate) contributes to this process by enabling the rapid formation of new ATP when the demand increases. This is especially important during strength training, where the energy demand increases rapidly within a few seconds. Increased availability of phosphocreatine allows one to maintain high power and perform more repetitions before becoming exhausted.
Over time, this means that one can train heavier and with higher quality, which is one of the main reasons why creatine leads to increased strength and indirectly contributes to muscle growth.
Creatine also plays a role in high-intensity training, such as sprints and intervals. Here, it is about maintaining speed and power over multiple efforts. The effect is less relevant in prolonged endurance training, where energy comes more from other processes.
The same mechanism applies in nerve cells. These are dependent on a continuous supply of ATP to function normally.
When ATP is produced faster, it can help nerve cells function more efficiently, which is relevant for cognitive function.
Which mental functions does creatine actually improve?
When looking at the effect of creatine on the brain, it is not about general measures like "mental performance," but concrete functions that can be measured.
In studies, tests are used to measure how quickly one reacts to signals, how well one can maintain concentration over time, and how much information one can remember and use in short tasks.
A systematic [review and meta-analysis](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10721691/) that included 16 randomized studies provides a good picture of what has actually been investigated.
In these studies, participants have received creatine monohydrate in various doses and over different time periods, from one week to several months. Common doses are around 3–5 grams daily, while some studies use higher doses over shorter periods.
The results show small improvements in, among other things, memory, reaction time, and how quickly one reacts and solves tasks.
The effect is statistically significant in several studies, but the magnitude is limited. This means that the differences can be measured in tests, but may not necessarily be clearly noticeable in all situations.
At the same time, clear improvements are not found in more complex functions such as planning, evaluation, and decision-making.
This suggests that creatine primarily affects basic processes such as reaction time and the ability to maintain concentration consistently over time.
Effects of Sleep Deprivation and Various Conditions
An important explanation for the varying results is that the studies are different. They vary in dose, duration, the tests used, and who participates.
This means that the results are not always directly comparable. It is also not clear that higher doses provide better effects in themselves, as studies with higher doses are often conducted in different situations than those using lower doses.
Does creatine help when you are sleep-deprived?
This becomes particularly evident in studies examining sleep deprivation. Little sleep affects cognitive function by slowing reaction time, decreasing attention, and making it more difficult to maintain consistent performance over time.
In a [study](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-54249-9) where participants were kept awake for 21 hours, these functions were measured through tasks that test reaction time and problem-solving. The group that received a high dose of creatine performed better than the placebo group, with faster responses and better task completion.
At the same time, measurements in the brain showed more stable levels of substances directly linked to energy production, suggesting that creatine helped maintain energy production in nerve cells.
A consistent finding is also that the effect is often greater in individuals with lower creatine levels in the body beforehand. This applies, for example, to individuals who consume little creatine through their diet, and who may therefore experience a greater effect from supplementation.
How much creatine do you get from food?
Creatine is naturally found in animal products, especially in meat and fish, where it is stored in muscle tissue. The richest sources include herring, beef, and fatty fish such as salmon.
Typical amounts are approximately:
- Herring: up to about 1.0–1.1 grams per 100 grams
- Beef: around 0.8–1.0 grams per 100 grams
- Salmon and other fish: around 0.4–0.7 grams per 100 grams
A typical diet usually provides around 1-1.5 grams of creatine daily. To reach the levels used in studies and supplements (3–5 grams daily), one would need to consume significant amounts. This corresponds to about 500-800 grams of meat or fish daily, for example.
This is the main reason why creatine supplements are used, even among individuals who eat meat and fish.
Individuals who do not consume animal products get little or no creatine through their diet, and therefore have lower levels in their bodies. This is also one of the reasons why the effect of supplements is often greater in these groups.
Creatine is also produced in the body, primarily in the liver and kidneys, but the amount is limited compared to what can be obtained through diet and supplements.
How much creatine should you take daily?
In research on both training and cognitive function, it is creatine monohydrate that is used. This is the form for which there is by far the most documentation, and it has not been shown that other forms provide better effects.
The most common dose is 3–5 grams daily over time. This is sufficient to replenish the creatine stores in the body. In studies on cognitive function, higher doses are also used in certain cases, especially when testing effects in the short term or in more demanding situations.
[The meta-analysis](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10721691/) (the same study as above) shows that both short-term and longer periods of supplementation can have effects, but it is not clear that longer use provides greater effects on cognitive function. This differs somewhat from the effect on training, where storage over time is more important.
Can you take too much creatine?
High doses, such as 10–20 grams daily, are used in some studies, but this is not necessary for regular use. Such doses can lead to a faster increase in creatine levels, but do not necessarily provide better effects over time.
When the creatine stores are full, a higher intake will not provide additional effects. The body regulates the levels, and excess is excreted.
Too high intake over time can cause side effects, particularly gastrointestinal issues. This is especially true for doses over 10 grams daily.
The most relevant for both training and any potential effects on the brain is therefore a consistent, moderate intake over time.
Sources: Creatine supplementation and brain health: Methodological challenges, current evidence, and translational perspectives – [The Journal of Nutritional Physiology](https://www.jnutritionalphysiol.org/article/S3050-6247(26)00003-3/fulltext)
Single dose creatine improves cognitive performance and induces changes in cerebral high energy phosphates during sleep deprivation – [Scientific Reports](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-54249-9)
Creatine supplementation and muscle-brain axis: a new possible mechanism? – [Frontiers in Nutrition](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1579204/full)
“Heads Up” for Creatine Supplementation and its Potential Applications for Brain Health and Function – [National Library of Medicine NIH)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10721691/)
Everything you want to know about creatine – [Universitetet i Agder](https://www.uia.no/forskning/forskningsnyheter/helse-idrett/alt-du-lurer-pa-om-kreatin.html)
The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis – [Frontiers in Nutrition](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1424972/full)
Effects of 6 weeks of high-dose creatine monohydrate supplementation with or without guanidinoacetic acid on cognitive function – [Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15502783.2025.2550206)