The Science-Backed Cognitive Benefits of Daily Creatine Supplementation

Written by Cyrus Khambatta, PhD

When most people hear "creatine," they immediately think of bodybuilders and athletes looking to enhance physical performance. However, emerging research is revealing a fascinating and often overlooked benefit of this popular supplement: improved brain function. 

Your brain, despite representing only 2-3% of your body weight, consumes approximately 20% of your body's energy – and creatine plays a role in how that energy is both produced and utilized by neurons in your brain.

How Creatine Affects Your Brain

In neurons in your brain, creatine works similarly as it does in your muscles. Creatine helps to generate ATP molecules – high energy molecules that cells use for energy. 

The brain stores creatine as phosphocreatine, which acts as an extremely rapid energy warehouse. When neurons need a quick burst of energy, phosphocreatine donates a phosphate group to ADP, converting it back to energy-rich ATP – essentially providing an energy backup system that helps top off the ATP reservoir, especially during mentally demanding tasks.

In neurons in your brain, ATP is vital for everything from maintaining basic cellular functions to powering extremely complex cognitive processes like memory, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Cognitive Benefits Across Different Age Groups

Children and Adolescents

Research on creatine supplementation in younger populations is still emerging, but studies show promising results:

• A 2003 study found that vegetarian children given creatine supplements showed improved performance on intelligence and memory tests (1).
  
• Research by Benton and Donohoe in 2011 suggested that creatine supplementation might be particularly beneficial for vegetarian children and adolescents, who naturally consume less dietary creatine (2).

Young Adults

For college students and young professionals, creatine shows benefits for mental performance under stress:

• A landmark study by Rae et al. (2003) demonstrated that six weeks of creatine supplementation in young adults improved both working memory and intelligence scores, particularly on tasks requiring speed of processing (1).
• Watanabe et al. (2002) found that creatine reduced mental fatigue during mathematical calculations, suggesting it helps maintain cognitive performance during extended periods of mental exertion (3).
• Research by McMorris et al. (2006) showed that creatine supplementation helped maintain cognitive performance during sleep deprivation—a finding particularly relevant for students during exam periods or professionals working long hours (4).

Middle-Aged Adults

As we enter our 30s and 40s, subtle cognitive changes begin to occur, and creatine may help counteract these effects. Studies examining brain metabolism show that creatine supplementation can enhance frontal lobe function – the brain region responsible for executive functions like planning, decision-making, and multitasking that become increasingly important in professional life.

• A 2018 study found that creatine supplementation improved memory and reduced mental fatigue in adults aged 35-50 during demanding cognitive tasks (5).
• Research by Rawson and Venezia (2011) suggests that creatine may help maintain cognitive processing speed, which typically begins to decline in middle age (6).

Older Adults

Perhaps the most impressive cognitive benefits of creatine are seen in older adults:

• A comprehensive meta-analysis by Avgerinos et al. (2018) found that creatine supplementation significantly improved short-term memory and intelligence/reasoning in older adults (5).
  
• Research by McMorris et al. (2007) demonstrated that creatine supplementation in older adults improved performance on memory and cognitive tasks, particularly those requiring rapid processing (7).
• Roschel et al. (2021) outlined in their review how creatine may offer neuroprotective effects that could help slow age-related cognitive decline by supporting mitochondrial function in aging brain cells (8). 

Specific Cognitive Functions Enhanced by Creatine

Memory

Multiple studies have demonstrated creatine's positive impact on both short-term and long-term memory.

• Research shows improvements in recall speed and accuracy after creatine supplementation
• Working memory—your ability to hold and manipulate information in mind—appears particularly responsive to creatine

Processing Speed

Mental quickness tends to decline with age, but creatine may help maintain mental agility.

• Studies demonstrate faster reaction times and information processing with creatine supplementation
• This benefit is especially pronounced under conditions of stress, fatigue, and sleep deprivation

Focus and Attention

In our distraction-filled world, creatine may help maintain attention.

• Research indicates enhanced concentration during extended cognitive tasks
• Reduced mental fatigue allows for longer periods of sustained attention

Mood and Brain Health

Beyond performance, creatine appears to support overall brain health.

• Some studies suggest creatine may have mood-stabilizing properties
• Research indicates potential neuroprotective effects that could support long-term brain health

How to Supplement Effectively for Cognitive Benefits

Dosage Considerations

Research on cognitive benefits typically uses similar protocols to those studying physical performance. Most studies showing cognitive benefits use daily doses of 3-5 grams, although some studies utilize a 5-7 day loading phase with 20 grams per day. Some research suggests cognitive benefits may take slightly longer to manifest than physical benefits like increased strength, improved recovery times, and increased bone density. 

Much like with using Complement Essential on a daily basis for extended periods of time, consistency is key when it comes to daily supplementation with creatine, because the physical and cognitive benefits compound over time.   

Who Might Benefit Most?

While everyone can potentially see cognitive benefits from creatine, certain groups may notice more pronounced effects:

• Vegetarians and vegans, who ingest zero creatine from their diet strongly benefit from creatine supplementation. David Goldman, colleagues, and I recently wrote a paper on the effects of various micronutrients in plant-based eaters, and found that creatine supplementation can improve cognitive function significantly (9).
• Adults over 40, who naturally experience some degree of cognitive processing decline can strongly benefit from daily creatine supplementation.
• Anyone under significant mental stress or who performs cognitively demanding work may experience sharper and more focused mental fitness.
• Individuals experiencing "brain fog" or mental fatigue may also experience sharper cognitive abilities.

Combining with Other Brain-Supporting Habits

Creatine works best as part of a comprehensive approach to total body health. Regular physical exercise is always a great idea to maintain both physical and mental agility into older age. Adequate sleep allows your brain to fully utilize creatine's energy-supporting properties, so make sure not to skimp on sleep simply because you choose to supplement with creatine. And finally, a nutrient-rich diet provides essential macronutrients and micronutrients needed for optimal energy metabolism in all tissues.

Addressing Common Questions

"Will creatine make me smarter?"

Creatine won't increase your IQ or make you smarter overnight. Rather, it helps optimize your brain's ability to regenerate ATP, potentially allowing you to perform closer to your cognitive ceiling, especially under demanding conditions or as you age.

"How long until I notice cognitive benefits?"

Most research shows that cognitive benefits begin to appear after 1-2 weeks of consistent supplementation, with optimal effects typically observed after 4-8 weeks of daily supplementation with 3-5 grams per day. 

"Are there any cognitive side effects?"

Research has not demonstrated negative cognitive effects from creatine supplementation at recommended doses. In fact, the safety profile of creatine is excellent, with decades of research confirming its safety for most healthy individuals. Creatine is the most widely studied supplement in the world, and is considered extremely safe for short-term and long-term use. 

Choosing the Right Creatine Supplement

For optimal cognitive benefits, several factors matter when selecting a creatine supplement:

1. Purity matters: Choose pharmaceutical-grade creatine monohydrate with third-party testing
2. Consider absorption: Micronized forms may offer better dissolution and absorption
3. Avoid blends: A common marketing trend right now is to blend creatine with other non-transparent fillers that look good on a label callout. For the most part, avoid anything other than pure creatine monohydrate. 

If you're looking to experience these cognitive benefits for yourself, Complement Creatine offers a premium option specifically formulated for optimal absorption and bioavailability. 

Complement’s pharmaceutical-grade creatine monohydrate is third-party tested for purity and manufactured in a GMP-certified facility, ensuring you get a clean, effective supplement to support your brain health journey.

Conclusion: Investing in Your Cognitive Future

The research is clear: creatine isn't just for athletes and bodybuilders. 

It's a valuable tool for anyone looking to support their cognitive performance and brain health across the lifespan. From students facing exams to professionals navigating demanding careers to older adults wanting to maintain mental sharpness, creatine offers evidence-backed benefits for your most important biological asset—your brain.

With almost zero side effects, excellent safety data, and significant potential upside, creatine supplementation represents one of the most accessible and well-researched ways to give your brain the energy it needs to perform at its best. 

Here at Complement, we like to think of daily creatine supplementation as a “no brainer.” 

References

1. Rae, C., Digney, A. L., McEwan, S. R., & Bates, T. C. (2003). Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 270(1529), 2147-2150.
2. Benton, D., & Donohoe, R. (2011). The influence of creatine supplementation on the cognitive functioning of vegetarians and omnivores. British Journal of Nutrition, 105(7), 1100-1105.
3. Watanabe, A., Kato, N., & Kato, T. (2002). Effects of creatine on mental fatigue and cerebral hemoglobin oxygenation. Neuroscience Research, 42(4), 279-285.
4. McMorris, T., Harris, R. C., Swain, J., Corbett, J., Collard, K., Dyson, R. J., et al. (2006). Effect of creatine supplementation and sleep deprivation, with mild exercise, on cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood state, and plasma concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol. Psychopharmacology, 185(1), 93-103.
5. Avgerinos, K. I., Spyrou, N., Bougioukas, K. I., & Kapogiannis, D. (2018). Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Experimental Gerontology, 108, 166-173.
6. Rawson ES, Venezia AC. Use of creatine in the elderly and evidence for effects on cognitive function in young and old. Amino Acids. 2011 May;40(5):1349-62. doi: 10.1007/s00726-011-0855-9. Epub 2011 Mar 11.
7. McMorris, T., Mielcarz, G., Harris, R. C., Swain, J. P., & Howard, A. (2007). Creatine supplementation and cognitive performance in elderly individuals. Neuropsychology, Development, and Cognition. Section B, Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, 14(5), 517-528.
8. Roschel, H., Gualano, B., Ostojic, S. M., & Rawson, E. S. (2021). Creatine supplementation and brain health. Nutrients, 13(2), 586.
9. Goldman DM, Warbeck CB, Barbaro R, Khambatta C, Nagra M. Assessing the Roles of Retinol, Vitamin K2, Carnitine, and Creatine in Plant-Based Diets: A Narrative Review of Nutritional Adequacy and Health Implications. Nutrients. 2025 Jan 31;17(3):525. doi: 10.3390/nu17030525. PMID: 39940383; PMCID: PMC11820685.