CAN CREATINE BOOST COGNITION, MEMORY, AND ENERGY?
Small but significant improvements in short-term memory and speed of cognitive processing.
Creatine is already one of the most effective, safest, and most researched supplements in sports science.
But what if it does more than just build muscle?
A 2025 meta-analysis just asked that exact question:
Can creatine actually improve cognitive function?
Here’s what they found and what it means for you:
WHAT WAS STUDIED?
This wasn’t just another single-trial hype piece.
It was a systematic review and meta-analysis, the gold standard for scientific evidence, analyzing data from multiple randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
The researchers wanted to know:
Does creatine help with memory?
With reaction time?
With mental fatigue or executive function?
WHAT DID THEY FIND?
The results were clear, but nuanced:
Small but significant improvements in short-term memory and speed of cognitive processing.
No consistent improvement in long-term memory, complex problem-solving, or general intelligence
Most benefits were seen in stressful or cognitively demanding conditions, like sleep deprivation or multitasking
In other words:
Creatine helps your brain when it’s under pressure.
It’s not a miracle pill but it’s a buffer against mental fatigue.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Creatine’s primary role in the brain is the same as in muscles:
Energy support.
It helps regenerate ATP, the cellular fuel that powers everything from muscle contractions to mental tasks.
The brain is a massive energy hog. During tough tasks, it burns through ATP fast.
Creatine steps in and keeps the engine running, especially under strain.
WHO BENEFITS THE MOST?
The research suggests that creatine has the biggest impact when you’re cognitively compromised:
Sleep-deprived
Under high stress
Studying or working for long hours
Older adults with declining brain energy metabolism
Vegans and vegetarians (who consume less creatine through diet)
If you fall into any of these camps, creatine may level you up.
HOW TO SUPPLEMENT
The brain doesn’t need megadoses.
3–5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily is enough
No need to cycle or load
Stay hydrated, it pulls water into cells
Micronized creatine = better solubility, but not essential
This is the same dose used for strength and hypertrophy, so if you’re already taking it for training, your brain’s getting benefits too.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Creatine isn’t just for lifters.
It’s starting to look like a smart supplement for the brain, especially when things get hard, fast, or stressful.
It won’t turn you into Einstein.
But it might help you think clearer, remember faster, and stay mentally sharp when it matters most.
For one of the cheapest, safest, and most researched compounds on Earth?
That’s a damn good deal!
Sources:
The effect of creatine supplementation on cognitive function: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials – Front. Nutrition, 2025
PMID: 40034739