Creatine - does it help cognition

Creatine is a supplement commonly used for muscle performance.

But can it also help you improve your cognitive health and sleep?

Creatine is an organic compound primarily found in meat. It plays a critical role in the production of energy, especially ATP.

Stored in muscles in your body, it also accumulates in the brain, where it contributes to energy metabolism and neuronal function.

The brain is a powerhouse when it comes to consumption of energy consuming up to twenty percent of the total energy you use.

This is especially true during tasks that demand concentration and memory recall. Creatine helps meet this demand by enhancing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, the primary energy carrier in cells.

The availability of more energy provides neurons with quick-access energy, critical during times of high cognitive load.

Research has shown that creatine supplementation can improve short-term memory and reduce mental fatigue.

Keep in mind that these effects all pile up. The more you improve your memory and reduce your fatigue, the more the benefits accumulate.

Another way in which creatine helps is to reduce oxidative stress in the brain.

Your neurons are highly susceptible to oxidative damage, which impairs cognition over time.

Creatine acts as a buffer, reducing the accumulation of harmful byproducts. This helps protect cognitive functions, especially as you get older.

Creatine also appears to influence alertness during the day, partly due to its interaction with adenosine, a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep.

A rising level of adenosine naturally contributes to the feeling of sleepiness. Creatine supplementation, by increasing cellular ATP, slows down this adenosine accumulation process, improving alertness.

So effectively, the creatine is reducing the effects of sleep deprivation during the day.

Obviously, in the long run, you want to fix your sleep.

So should you supplement with creatine?

So far, I have not read of any adverse effects of consuming creatine naturally or through a supplement. I take creatine.

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