A recent paper published in the journal Scientific ReportsTrusted Source finds that just one large dose of creatine supplements may improve cognitive performance in people who are acutely sleep-deprived.
Experts hope that, in the future, creatine-based interventions could help people who need to perform at a high level despite insufficient sleep, like healthcare professionals, firefighters, and night-shift workers.
However, much more research is needed before we rush out and bulk-buy creatine.
What to know about creatine supplements
Some athletes and fitness enthusiasts take creatine supplements to enhance physical performance. However, its role in cognitive performance has recently entered the spotlight. But what is creatine, and where does it come from?
Formed of three amino acids, the human body produces around 1 gram (g)Trusted Source of creatine daily, mostly in the liver and kidneys, and to a smaller degree, in the pancreas.
It is also present in some food — mostly meat and fish. Someone who follows an omnivorous diet will consume around 1 g per day. Around 95% of the body’s creatine is stored in skeletal muscle but also in the brain.
Sports scientists are interested in creatine because it helps the body regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) — our cells’ primary energy source. Medical News Today spoke with Scott Forbes, PhD, about how this works.
He told us that “[c]reatine gets converted into a molecule called phosphocreatine and this molecule can be broken down rapidly into energy (ATP).”
Forbes, who was not involved in the new study, is department chair of physical education studies at Brandon University in Canada and has published papers on creatine and brain function.
“The best part of this energy system is that it does not require oxygen. Therefore, if your brain requires energy quickly, it can use creatine (or phosphocreatine),” he explained.
Creatine’s potential cognitive benefits
MNT contacted Marco Machado, Ph.D., from Itaperuna University in Brazil, who has written a number of papers on the topic.
Machado was not involved in the current study, but explained that although some research shows that creatine might improve thinking abilities, it may only help people in specific circumstances.
“Particularly, it [creatine] has shown promise in improving cognition among older adults, especially those with lower intake of animal-derived foods, as well as in cases of mild brain trauma and sleep deprivation.”
– Marco Machado, PhD
According to Forbes, evidence is mounting that creatine may also “reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, which can benefit the brain,” and that “creatine may reduce the risk of depression and anxiety, be neuroprotective against brain injury, and help support brain health and development.”