How does creatine support the brain?

Creatine supports the body's energy-producing systems. This happens both in the muscles (where 95% of creatine is stored) and in the brain (where about 5% of the body's creatine reserves are located).

Once creatine enters your cells in your muscles or brain, a large part of it is converted into phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine is essentially a kind of energy reserve and can then be used to regenerate ATP, the body's main source of energy.

When energy demand rises during tasks that require a lot of energy, such as lifting weights or solving a complex problem, and ATP stores are quickly depleted, phosphocreatine springs into action to restore that energy fast.

The brain in particular needs a great deal of energy to function well, let alone optimally. Even at rest, the brain consumes around 20-25% of the body's total energy. But factors such as poor sleep, chronic stress, ageing and an inefficient metabolism can deplete or limit the brain's energy potential. By supporting efficient ATP regeneration, creatine helps neurons maintain their focus, mental clarity and resilience during cognitive stress.

Research-backed benefits of creatine for cognition

Research has examined creatine intake from both supplements and food (you also get creatine through animal proteins, and the body produces some of it itself). The results show that supplements and a higher intake support brain health in both the long and short term.

A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that healthy adults who took creatine showed better memory performance (adults between 66 and 76 years old experienced the most benefits).

A 2024 study found that creatine can improve the well-being of people with a low mood.

Another 2024 study found that taking a higher dose of creatine after only 3 hours of sleep (!!) cancelled out the effects.

Research has shown that it helps to reduce mental fatigue

A recent 2025 study showed that a higher creatine intake improved memory, attention and overall cognitive function (regardless of the amount of physical exercise). Many creatine studies include both creatine and exercise as an intervention. This review only included studies that examined creatine intake, not in the context of exercise.

How to use creatine for brain health?

Taking a creatine supplement is the best way to benefit from the substance. Why? Even people who include some meat and fish in their diet (and have optimal endogenous production) only have 60-80% of their creatine stores filled at any given time.

Creatine supplementation is the key to saturating (and keeping saturated) the creatine stores.

While you can already benefit from creatine's advantages for muscle health with a modest daily dose of 3 grams of creatine monohydrate, you should aim for at least 5 (if not 10) grams of creatine monohydrate per day.

And although creatine is considered a supplement for brain health, not all creatine supplements are truly optimised to support cognition.

It should therefore always be combined with citicoline.

Citicoline is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain that helps maintain brain cell membranes, supports metabolism and energy production in the brain, and supports other neurotransmitters.

Eating choline-rich foods supports the body's citicoline levels, but supplementing with citicoline brings a whole range of unique benefits.

Studies show that consistently taking 500 milligrams of citicoline :

• improves processing speed on day 1

• increases attention span and mental clarity within 4 weeks

• raises mental energy within 6 weeks

• improves memory within 12 weeks

By combining creatine with citicoline, you give your neurons both the energy they need (from creatine) and the building blocks to optimise communication and cognitive function (from citicoline).

Are you pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication? Then consult your doctor before starting any supplements. It is always wise to consult a healthcare provider to determine which supplements are suitable for you.

Bron : MindBodyGreen - Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN Registered Dietitian Nutritionist