Verdict
Leaning for
5 g of creatine monohydrate a day improves brain function.
5 sources: 2 positive, 3 partly
By Arun AgrahriLast reviewed 2 timecoded sources
Short answer
Yes, and dose matters. 5g/day of creatine monohydrate is the baseline for the brain, with 10g, up to 10-20g, during acute high-stress periods or sleep deprivation. The brain uses 20% of the body's energy, and creatine helps recycle ATP. Much higher doses (0.4g/kg) are studied for TBI recovery.
Creatine is worth taking.
The verdict on Creatine overall. 11 sources: 8 positive, 2 partly, 1 neutral
positive partly neutral negative Each researcher and each study counts once per claim, however often they come up.
5 g of creatine monohydrate a day improves brain function.
5 sources: 2 positive, 3 partly.
Researchers say
2 positive, 3 partly
Dr Michael Israetel, on The Diary Of A CEO, at 1:15:41
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 1:15:41 →“it's got awesome cognitive benefits it's just healthy for you and it's great so five grams per day for most people of creatine monohydrate”
Dr. Stacy Sims, on Huberman Lab, at 1:53:44
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 1:53:44 →“creatine for women doesn't matter what age it's really important we're seeing a lot for brain mood”
Louisa Nicola, 2 mentions on this claim
Partly Video
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 1:47:35 · partly
“I would get him to be taking 10 to 12 gram of creatine because you do lose the bioavailability”
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 15:06 · partly
“I would get him to be taking 10 to 12 grams of creatine because you do lose the bioavailability”
Dr. Rhonda Patrick, on Huberman Lab, at 2:15:55
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 2:15:55 →“But I have noticed that taking my 10 grams, going from 5 to 10 really does seem to affect my brain functioning”
Cynthia Thurlow, on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 41:50
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 41:50 →“supplementation can be so beneficial I think about it in terms of muscle protein synthesis but I also think about cognition and brain health”
Studies show
No study counted yet.
Dr Michael Israetel, on The Diary Of A CEO, at 1:15:41 Video · positive · Opinion
“it's got awesome cognitive benefits it's just healthy for you and it's great so five grams per day for most people of creatine monohydrate”
Dr. Stacy Sims, on Huberman Lab, at 1:53:44 Video · positive · Opinion
“creatine for women doesn't matter what age it's really important we're seeing a lot for brain mood”
Louisa Nicola Video · partly · 2 mentions
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 1:47:35 · partly · Opinion
“I would get him to be taking 10 to 12 gram of creatine because you do lose the bioavailability”
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 15:06 · partly · Opinion
“I would get him to be taking 10 to 12 grams of creatine because you do lose the bioavailability”
Dr. Rhonda Patrick, on Huberman Lab, at 2:15:55 Video · partly · Opinion
“But I have noticed that taking my 10 grams, going from 5 to 10 really does seem to affect my brain functioning”
Cynthia Thurlow, on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 41:50 Video · partly · Opinion
“supplementation can be so beneficial I think about it in terms of muscle protein synthesis but I also think about cognition and brain health”
5 g of creatine monohydrate a day improves brain function.
Dr Michael Israetel, on The Diary Of A CEO, at 1:15:41
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 1:15:41 →“it's got awesome cognitive benefits it's just healthy for you and it's great so five grams per day for most people of creatine monohydrate”
Dr. Stacy Sims, on Huberman Lab, at 1:53:44
Positive Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 1:53:44 →“creatine for women doesn't matter what age it's really important we're seeing a lot for brain mood”
Louisa Nicola, 2 mentions on this claim
Partly Video
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 1:47:35 · partly
“I would get him to be taking 10 to 12 gram of creatine because you do lose the bioavailability”
on Rangan Chatterjee's channel, at 15:06 · partly
“I would get him to be taking 10 to 12 grams of creatine because you do lose the bioavailability”
Dr. Rhonda Patrick, on Huberman Lab, at 2:15:55
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 2:15:55 →“But I have noticed that taking my 10 grams, going from 5 to 10 really does seem to affect my brain functioning”
Cynthia Thurlow, on The Dr. Hyman Show, at 41:50
Partly Video · Opinion
Open the tape at 41:50 →“supplementation can be so beneficial I think about it in terms of muscle protein synthesis but I also think about cognition and brain health”
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5g of creatine monohydrate a day supports brain function. The brain burns 20% of the body's energy, and creatine helps recycle ATP, its energy currency. The need runs highest when you are short on sleep, under stress or older.
Andrew Huberman, on his own show, says the threshold for the cognitive benefit appears to be at least five grams per day. He has recommended 5g a day across 19 videos. For high-stress stretches the dose goes to 10-20g a day for a bigger return.
Creatine researcher Darren Candow, a guest on Rhonda Patrick's show, takes a higher daily dose himself and raises it further during sleep deprivation or jet lag. Monohydrate is the "gold standard" for strength and for the brain.
For traumatic brain injury (TBI), a much higher dose is studied: 0.4g/kg of body weight. That dose targets headache frequency, dizziness and fatigue.
Creatine appears in lists of six essential supplements for cognition with age, alongside a multivitamin, omega-3s, polyphenols, vitamin D and magnesium. Vegans and vegetarians may have the most to gain, because no meat means less creatine from food.
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