Creatine Might Help Your Brain When It’s Under Stress

Creatine is best known as a go-to supplement for building muscle and boosting workout performance. But new research suggests it might also Support your brain—especially when you’re running on empty. According to a recent article by Verywell Health, high doses of creatine could temporarily improve cognition in stressed or fatigued brains.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in the body and in foods like meat, fish, and dairy. It helps cells—including brain cells—recycle energy, making it a crucial component of physical and mental performance. While the average person likely gets enough from their diet, supplementing creatine has long been popular with athletes. Now scientists are investigating its effects on the brain.

Researchers in Germany gave sleep-deprived participants a 35-gram “megadose” of creatine and found those individuals performed better on cognitive tasks than those given a placebo. That’s big news for people who work long shifts, have sleep disorders, or live with conditions that stress the brain. Even more promising, another study found that people with Alzheimer’s who took 20 grams of creatine daily for eight weeks showed improved brain creatine levels—and better cognitive performance.

Still, experts caution that creatine doesn’t seem to do much for healthy, well-rested people. “It makes up for overworking the brain but does not add to a normal brain,” explained Professor Terry McMorris of the University of Chichester.

While further research is needed, creatine could emerge as a low-cost, low-risk way to Support brain function under stress. Just don’t exceed recommended doses—especially if you have kidney issues.

If you’re vegan or plant-based, you’re less likely to get creatine from food, making supplementation even more relevant. It’s one more reason to explore mindful, cruelty-free ways to Support both brain and body—without relying on animal products.

Sign These Petitions! 

Please sign our latest and most urgent petitions to help the planet. Every signature counts!

• Petition: South Africa Must Act Now to Stop Rhino Poaching
• Petition: New York Must Save Birds From Deadly Glass Buildings – Act Now
• Petition: Stop Octopus Farming Before It Starts in New York

Related Content:

•  Creatine Might Not Boost Muscle Gains Like We Thought
•  Creatine Shows Promise for Treating Depression in Groundbreaking Study
•  Do Plant-based Athletes Need Creatine?
•  New Study Links Antidepressant Use to Higher Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
•  8 Supplements That May be Causing Your Acne Flare-Ups

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Stand against fast fashion Pollution by supporting circular brands like Tiny Rescue, which create cause-based collections using recycled, zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade, ensuring it never ends up in a landfill.
• Shop Sustainably for Your Home: Visit SustaiNOBLE.org, an eco-friendly and ethically sourced home decor store that will empower your home with luxurious fair-trade, and sustainable products made by global artisans. 
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!