A meta-analysis of experiments studying the effects of creatine supplements on healthy humans found that their use improves memory, particularly in older adults aged between 66 and 76. The benefits of creatine supplementation were observed regardless of the intervention’s duration, the participant’s gender, or their geographical origin. The research was published in Nutrition Reviews.
Creatine is a compound that occurs naturally, found in small quantities in certain foods and produced by the body, mainly in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. It is stored in the muscles and serves as an energy source for high-intensity, short-duration activities such as sprinting and weightlifting. Creatine plays a crucial role in the regeneration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell’s primary energy molecule, essential for muscle contraction and overall cellular energy functions. Dietary intake of creatine-rich foods, like red meat and fish, or through supplementation, can increase the body’s creatine stores.
Creatine supplements are commonly used by athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts to enhance physical performance, increase muscle mass, and improve strength and power during high-intensity, short-duration exercises. These supplements are believed to increase the availability of creatine phosphate in muscles, which can be quickly converted to ATP during intense physical activity, thereby providing a greater energy supply. Supplementation with creatine has been shown in numerous studies to improve performance in activities that require bursts of speed and power, such as sprinting and weightlifting.
Study author Konstantinos Prokopidis and colleagues wanted to explore the potential benefits of creatine supplementation on memory, given the brain’s high energy usage and evidence suggesting creatine’s role in energy provision. Recognizing the presence of multiple studies on creatine’s effects on memory, the researchers aimed to synthesize these findings through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The researchers focused on published randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of creatine supplements on the memory of healthy adults. An initial search across several scientific journal databases uncovered 23 studies, of which 8 were deemed suitable for inclusion in the meta-analysis after a detailed evaluation.
Results showed that creatine supplementation improved memory better than placebo did. The effect was particularly pronounced in older adults, individuals between 66-76 years of age, compared to individuals between 11 and 31 years of age. There were no differences in effects between genders. Effects found in studies with different durations of intervention (between 5 days and 24 weeks) were similar. Similarly, the creatine dosage (2.2 to 20 grams per day) and geographical origin of the study participants did not significantly influence the outcomes.
“This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that creatine monohydrate supplementation has a beneficial effect on memory performance in healthy individuals. Subgroup analysis showed the effects of creatine were more robust in older adults,” the study authors concluded.
The study contributes to the scientific knowledge about the effects of creatine supplementation on memory functioning. However, the study authors note that many of the experiments they analyzed were of only moderate quality. Additionally, studies included in the meta-analysis assessed memory function using very different assessment tools, limiting the accuracy of the findings.
The paper, “Effects of creatine supplementation on memory in healthy individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials,” was authored by Konstantinos Prokopidis, Panagiotis Giannos, Konstantinos K Triantafyllidis, Konstantinos S Kechagias, Scott C Forbes, and Darren G Candow.