Have you ever wondered if supplements such as protein powder or creatine actually work, or if they are just marketing myths? Creatine has a positive effect as an ergogenic aid as well as benefits for cognitive capabilities. It is one of the most researched supplements, with many varieties of studies done regarding its impacts on the human body.

Creatine plays an essential role in supplying energy for the body. Formed from 3 amino acids (monomers of proteins), glycine, arginine, and methionine, around 95% of creatine is stored within skeletal muscles, and the remaining 5% can be found in tissue such as the brain, heart, and more. Two main forms of creatine exist within the body: phosphocreatine and free-form creatine. Free-form creatine is synthesized in the liver and pancreas, but can also be gained from intake of foods such as seafood and red meats. Phosphocreatine is the product of a reversible reaction when free-form creatine with ATP energy is converted to phosphocreatine with ADP energy with the help of the enzyme creatine kinase (because one phosphate gets transferred from ATP to make phosphocreatine). During times of high energy demand, the reaction is reversed – with creatine kinase enzyme– to create a reserve of ATP/energy. The diagram above shows a simple version of what is happening during this process. It is extremely important as it allows energy to be regenerated during exercise, allowing it to be used during physical or mental exertion. Ultimately, creatine allows reversible chemical reactions to occur in order to meet high energy demands for the body.

Creatine can help with physical performance and capabilities when taken as a supplement. Energy is regenerated faster, therefore athletes are able to maintain high intensity levels for longer. As the energy reservoir is increased, athletes are able to increase their strength and improve over time. Supporting this, Hummer et al. (2019) tested the effect of creatine on anaerobic power, strength and endurance. 22 college students took 4 grams of creatine per day, in a double-blind placebo-controlled setup. They were tested on two different exercises (squats and bench press) as well as the strength and endurance when performing these exercises. Key results concluded that power output, capacity and fatigue all improved for the supplemental group, drawing a conclusion that the supplement supports athletic capabilities. However, it was also noted in the study that endurance for the exercises improved significantly less compared to improvement in strength and output, showing that creatine only supports short-term exercise such as sprints or muscular strength. Overall, it is demonstrated that athletic performance in short-term periods will improve with the regular intake of creatine supplementation paired with physical exercise.

Creatine supplementation may also enhance cognitive functions such as memory or intelligence. Similar to the energy needed due to physical output, ATP demand also increases when under high cognitive stress. Memory especially requires rapid neural communication, meaning extra ATP energy is crucial and makes a big difference. A study done by McMorris et al. in 2006 tested the state of cognition after long periods of sleep deprivation. Results showed that the group taking creatine monohydrate had experienced significantly less cognitive decline in tests, after periods of sleep deprivation, compared to the placebo group. The study also noted that differences in subjects are most noticeable when under metabolically stressful conditions such as sleep deprivation, old age, and high cognitive demand. Another study done by Rae et al. in 2003 showed that with the intake of 5 grams of supplemental creatine per day, non-verbal intelligence increased. The experiment used a crossover study with a week washout period, where participants all took the Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices (RAPM) test before and after a week of taking supplementation. This test measures non-verbal intelligence through detecting patterns and using figures. There was a clear difference as placebo participants scored an average of 9.7 questions per 10 minutes, compared to an average of 13.7 correct answers when taking supplementation. There was a 41% boost in problem-solving speed and accuracy. The graph on the right shows visual comparisons between the 2 groups throughout the trials. To summarize, studies show that creatine not only supports physical capabilities but also cognitive ones such as memory and intelligence.

In conclusion, creatine supplementation has well-researched benefits for improving physical as well as cognitive capabilities. Creatine accelerates energy regeneration as phosphocreatine donates a phosphate to synthesize ATP. Even though more research can be conducted regarding the full effects of creatine, it is known that the supplement helps with providing extra short bursts of energy in both muscles as well as brain tissue.

Citations and Further Reading

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6093191/https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article-abstract/270/1529/2147/71601/Oral-creatine-monohydrate-supplementation-improves?redirectedFrom=fulltexthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938406003763?via%3Dihubhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8228369/

Figure 2: Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial (PDF)