Can creatine keep your brain active?

With Silicon Valley pouring billions of dollars into energy solutions to meet the massive electricity demand of artificial intelligence, it’s easy to forget that conventional human intelligence also consumes a lot of energy. Recent research points to a potential solution to boosting brain power: a nutritional supplement called creatine.

Human brains are demanding; they burn about 20% of the body’s energy at rest. Creatine is an organic compound that comes from food and the body’s natural production. It keeps energy flowing where the body needs it most. Hundreds of studies have examined the benefits of taking creatine as a nutritional supplement, focusing on how it activates muscles during short bursts of exercise.

Researchers are now exploring whether these supplements can improve cognition. A creatine boost could make us more resilient to life’s biggest memory drains, such as a head injury, working hard, or even facing the challenges of aging.

“There’s good scientific reason to believe that creatine is good for the brain, but these theories need to be tested,” says Matthew Taylor, associate professor of nutrition and dietetics at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Before we start fortifying bread and pasta with creatine or taking supplements, here are some scientists’ opinions on its benefits and risks.

How Creatine Works

Creatine plays a vital role in supporting cells and providing them with the energy needed for brain activity, muscle contraction, and even immune responses.

The primary source of energy in our cells is not creatine itself, but adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. When our cells use ATP, this molecule loses a small unit called a phosphate (made up of phosphorus and oxygen). But creatine stays on standby, having stored phosphate for this specific occasion. It donates phosphate to replenish ATP molecules for use as an energy source again. These instant recharges occur frequently, billions of times per second, during periods of high demand (you can imagine the magnitude of that statistic).

As we age, the brain becomes less efficient at using creatine for energy production, leading to multiple dysfunctions. Mitochondria, energy-producing structures, begin to deteriorate. Excess inflammation and oxidative stress can overwhelm brain cells. As they die, cognition declines.

“Older brains become more energy-hungry because they don’t produce or use energy as efficiently,” Taylor says. “It makes sense that creatine supplements could help prevent brain metabolic changes before people develop cognitive problems.”

Creatine from Food

We get creatine from eating certain types of meat. But most dietary creatine goes to the muscles, not the brain. You must eat large amounts of creatine-containing foods to have any effect.

Tuna, salmon, and red meat are high in creatine. Herring tops the list, containing one gram per five-ounce fillet. One might assume, then, that meat-free diets offer no potential brain benefits. However, research on this point is mixed. At least one study found that creatine levels in the brains of vegetarians were similar to those of meat eaters—likely because the brain relies primarily on natural creatine production, rather than food sources.

However, studies show that when vegetarians significantly increase their creatine intake through a supplement, short-term memory markers improve.

The Right Dosage

Supplements provide much more creatine than food, increasing the likelihood that this compound will reach the brain. The typical exercise supplement intake of five grams per day is equivalent to the amount found in about five pounds of cooked chicken, and more may be needed to improve cognition.

The brain is surrounded by a layer of tightly bound cells called the blood-brain barrier, which acts as a barrier to prevent any substances deemed unworthy of access to our most precious resource. It’s unclear how much creatine the blood-brain barrier allows in. If you send a larger crowd of energetic revelers to your door, more may leak out.

“I’m a big proponent of taking more than what’s typically recommended for athletes,” says Darren Kando, a professor of exercise physiology, nutrition, and aging at the University of Regina in Canada. “The muscles are like a vacuum cleaner that sucks up creatine. Whatever’s left over, the brain says, ‘Okay, we’ll let you in slowly.'” Kando, who is paid to advise supplement companies, takes 10 grams per day.

Others, such as Mark Tarnopolsky, a professor of neurometabolic disorders at McMaster University in Canada, recommend a lower dose of five grams, especially if you’ve been taking supplements for many years. “Over a lifetime, I don’t think it makes sense to take a very high dose,” Tarnopolsky says.

Nutritional Supplements for Aging Brain Protection

Some animal studies have shown that creatine supplements help protect against cognitive problems associated with aging. “In older adults, we see damage to mitochondrial DNA in the brain, including areas involved in memory. That’s where creatine’s greatest benefit lies,” says Tarnopolsky, 63, who started taking creatine in his late 40s.

“There may be subtle improvements that aren’t seen daily,” says Taylor. He takes five grams of creatine most days but hasn’t noticed any cognitive benefits. Sometimes he forgets to take creatine. “It doesn’t seem to help me remember to take it,” he says.

More research is needed. A 2018 study initially found that creatine supplements improved short-term memory and reasoning ability in healthy young adults. Since then, two carefully conducted studies with control groups have found similar benefits. One study reported small increases in IQ, with the authors noting that even small differences could support vital tasks like learning and planning.

Specific Brain Stressors

Compared to its effects on memory and age-related brain health, further research suggests that creatine supplements may protect against specific cognitive stressors.

For example, young adults who were sleep-deprived for 21 hours performed better on memory tests when taking 25 grams of creatine. Because travel can be exhausting, Kando doubles his dose to 20 grams to combat jet lag from international flights. A 2024 review found that creatine improved cognition only in people with fatigue, although it considered studies that mostly included lower doses.

Research suggests that creatine supplements may protect against greater stressors like strokes, making them 30–50% less severe. It may also mitigate the impact of mild to moderate head injuries. “There is some evidence that it helps with brain energy metabolism in such cases,” says Taylor.

These injuries appear to cause metabolic changes similar to the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. In a small pilot study, Taylor found that Alzheimer’s symptoms improved with 20 grams of creatine daily. However, Taylor describes this result as “very limited” and is currently considering a larger follow-up trial.

Risks

Extensive research has revealed minimal side effects from creatine at low doses. Creatine monohydrate is the most widely studied form. “Significant side effects are unlikely,” says Tarnopolsky, who founded a company that produces creatine supplements after decades of research. “But at 10 grams or more, creatine becomes unthinkable.”

Tarnopolsky says that in some children with impaired creatine synthesis who have taken large doses, creatine has crystallized into kidney stones, but this is rare. He adds that research shows that the belief that supplement users are putting themselves at risk for kidney damage is a myth.

Another potential problem is that if you take high-dose supplements for many years, your body may produce less creatine than it normally does. However, Kando believes that when you stop taking the supplements, “your brain function may return to normal.” More research is needed in this area.

Taylor points to several studies in which patients with Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease took large doses over long periods of time. Only minor side effects, such as mild indigestion and muscle cramps, were reported.

How to Take It

Creatine powder is consumed by mixing it with water or other liquids. Tarnopolsky notes that taking creatine with a small amount of food may help prevent stomach pain.

One of the active ingredients in supplements is a creatine precursor called GAA. Laboratory studies suggest that creatine, along with GAA, benefits spatial memory. Kando notes that this research is promising, but “it’s in its early stages.” Tarnopolsky recommends avoiding precursors because there is much more evidence to support the final product.

Future Research Questions

Stacy Ellery, a researcher at the Hudson Institute for Medical Research in Australia, is investigating whether taking creatine supplements during pregnancy can protect against complications in the developing fetal brain.

“Brain cells produce and use creatine as they develop in the womb,” Ellery says. “A creatine supplement may significantly enhance these cells.” In sheep given creatine, the fetal brain was more protected from oxygen deprivation. Ellery will soon begin clinical trials in humans. More research is needed before recommending creatine for pregnant women to improve pregnancy outcomes.

Ellery also points to how creatine can support another group of people experiencing stress: new mothers. Some research shows that creatine may help treat mood disorders, including postpartum depression, in addition to addressing sleep deprivation. “Creatine may be beneficial after birth for maternal recovery, hormonal fluctuations, and other issues associated with childbirth,” she says.

At the same time, the best way to protect brain energy levels isn’t by taking creatine supplements, but rather by exercising, eating healthy, and managing stress. “Preliminary evidence suggests that creatine can provide added value, but it will never replace the impact of a healthy lifestyle,” Taylor says.