The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive performance-a randomised controlled study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Nutritional Science
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Creatine is an organic compound vital for energy recycling in muscle and brain.
• It's a well-researched supplement for strength training, with prior studies suggesting cognitive benefits.
• Existing research on creatine's cognitive effects shows varied results due to differing methodologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of creatine supplementation on cognitive performance.
• To assess creatine's effects on specific cognitive tasks like Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices and Backward Digit Span.
• To explore potential differences in creatine's effects between vegetarians and omnivores.

Main Methods:

• A 6-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial involving 123 participants.
• Daily supplementation of 5g creatine.
• Cognitive assessments included Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices, Backward Digit Span, and eight exploratory tasks.

Main Results:

• Bayesian analysis indicated a small beneficial effect of creatine, bordering significance for Backward Digit Span (p=0.064).
• No significant improvement was observed for Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices or exploratory cognitive tasks.
• Increased side effects were reported with creatine compared to placebo (RR=4.25), with no differential benefit for vegetarians.

Conclusions:

• Creatine supplementation may offer a modest cognitive benefit, warranting further investigation.
• Larger studies are necessary to definitively confirm or refute these cognitive effects.
• The safety and accessibility of creatine make continued research valuable for potential widespread benefits.