Creatine and Your Brain: What the Research Really Says

Creatine and Your Brain: What the Research Really Says

Creatine often gets talked about as a muscle supplement, but peer-reviewed research shows it also affects brain function in meaningful ways. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Nutrition looked at data from over a dozen randomized trials to investigate how creatine affects cognition in adults. The authors found that creatine monohydrate supplementation was associated with small but statistically significant improvements in memory, attention, and information-processing speed compared with placebo. These effects were seen across a range of ages and health statuses, though the strength of evidence varies by cognitive domain.

Why does this matter? The brain is one of the most energy-hungry organs in the body. Creatine helps regenerate ATP (your body’s energy currency) quickly and efficiently. When brain cells have improved access to this rapid energy buffer, they can sustain performance during demanding cognitive tasks. That’s why research continues to explore creatine’s role in not only memory and focus, but also resilience under stress, aging, and even recovery from brain injury.

This finding connects directly to The Strong Stuff’s core idea: consistency. To benefit cognition, creatine stores in both muscle and brain need to be maintained over time, not used occasionally. Our seasoning makes creatine part of your everyday meals, taking it out of a “supplement chore” and putting it into a routine you already have - seasoning your food. That’s how you support consistent energy supply for both muscle and mind.

 

Xu C, Bi S, Zhang W, Luo L. The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2025. PMID: 40034739