5 Unexpected Ways Creatine Supports A Sharper, Healthier Brain
Creatine may be best known for its muscle benefits, but the research and consumer interest in the supplement has expanded to brain health. While 95% of the body’s creatine stores are found in the muscles, about 5% is stored in the brain. So it’s not surprising that studies have linked creatine intake to multiple cognitive benefits.*
What are they, you ask? Let’s dive in.
Fuels brain energy
Your brain burns through more energy than any organ in your body. Creatine supports this energy production by acting as a type of energy reserve that the brain (or muscle cells) can tap into to regenerate ATP1, the body’s main form of energy.
By reinforcing that energy buffer, creatine helps keep your mental engine running smoothly throughout the day.*
Supports memory & learning
Recalling and storing memories, facts, and information requires a lot of mental energy—energy that creatine could help generate.
A 2023 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of studies specifically looking at the impact of creatine supplementation and memory. Results showed that creatine may help enhance measures of cognitive performance, especially for those over 65.
And, a 2024 systematic review2 and meta-analysis found that those supplementing with creatinine:*
- Experienced a 15% improvement in recall and learning capacity.
- Improved processing speed (how quickly the brain reacts) by 19%
- Increased attention span by 13%
Helps you stay sharp under stress (& after sleeping poorly)
Late nights, tight deadlines, travel, and emotional stress all increase the brain’s energy demand. Creatine can help support cognitive resilience during those high-pressure moments by keeping energy stores fully saturated.*
For example, a 2024 study3 found that taking a larger dose of creatine countered the sluggishness that typically comes from only sleeping three hours. Results showed that this single creatine dose led to positive changes in brain metabolism and cognitive performance within three hours, with benefits peaking at the four hour mark and lasting nine hours altogether.
The biggest benefits as for processing capacity (the information or workload a person can handle at a time) and short-term memory*
Promotes healthy neurotransmitter activity
Creatine also helps promote healthy neurotransmitter activity.* Why does this matter? Your neurons “talk” to each other through chemical messengers, and that communication relies on adequate cellular energy.
Overall, this results in healthier signaling, smoother “neuron-to-neuron” communication, and more reliable cognitive function over the course of the day.*
Supports healthy brain aging
Creatine stores naturally decline4 as we get older, which can affect the brain’s energy balance. Supplementing helps maintain that supply, supporting clarity, focus, and overall cognitive vitality over time. This is why many studies find that creatine supplements are especially beneficial for folks in their 50 or 60+.
Plus, there’s emerging evidence that creatine can help combat oxidative stress, which otherwise speeds aging processes.*
How to take creatine for brain health
The same 5-gram dose of creatine monohydrate that supports your muscle health also supports your brain (you can even bump it up to 10 grams a day). But not all creatine supplements are truly optimized for cognitive health. But mindbodygreen’s creatine brain+ is.
This supplement combines 5 grams of pure creatine monohydrate with 500 milligrams of Cognizin® citicoline, which has been clinically shown to further promote long-term brain health while improving processing speed, attention span, and memory performance.*
Creatine and Cognizin® are truly the ideal duo for supporting your brain (and it still fuels your muscles in the process!).*
Remember: It’s important to take creatine every day, not just on days you work out.
The takeaway
Creatine may have started out as just a fitness supplement. But we know it’s something that promotes brain health and overall longevity.* If you’re particularly interested in creatine's cognitive benefits, then opt for a supplement like creatine brain+ for a more targeted approach.
