The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Xu C, Bi S, Zhang W, Luo L
Frontiers in nutrition · 24 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Systematic review (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Grants
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (72364006)
Based on 1 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2024-07-12 · Front Nutr · vol. 11 · p. 1424972
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media
- Cited
- 47 citations · more than 94% of similar papers · 3.4× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 47 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Muscle metabolism and nutrition · Biochemical effects in animals · Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Keywords
- Meta-analysis, Creatine, Medicine, Randomized controlled trial, Cognition, Confidence interval, Internal medicine, Physical therapy, Subgroup analysis, Psychiatry
4 authors
From CN
- Xu ChenGuizhou Normal University
- Siyuan BiGuizhou Normal University
- Wenxin ZhangGuizhou Normal University
- Lin Luo · correspondingGuizhou Normal University
Abstract
Background
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation on cognitive function in adults and explore its potential role in preventing and delaying cognitive impairment-related diseases.
Methods
Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 1993 and 2024 were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The study protocol was registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42024533557). The impact of creatine supplementation on overall cognitive function, memory, executive function, attention, and information processing speed was assessed using standardized mean differences (SMD) and Hedge's g with 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Results
Sixteen RCTs involving 492 participants aged 20.8-76.4 years, including healthy individuals and patients with specific diseases, were selected. Creatine monohydrate was the form used in all included studies. Creatine supplementation showed significant positive effects on memory (SMD = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.18-0.44, Hedges's g = 0.3003, 95% CI: 0.1778-0.4228) and attention time (SMD = -0.31, 95% CI: -0.58 to -0.03, Hedges's g = -0.3004, 95% CI: -0.5719 to -0.0289), as well as significantly improving processing speed time (SMD = -0.51, 95% CI: -1.01 to -0.01, Hedges's g = -0.4916, 95% CI: -0.7852 to -0.1980). However, no significant improvements were found on overall cognitive function or executive function. Subgroup analyses revealed that creatine supplementation was more beneficial in individuals with diseases, those aged 18-60 years, and females. No significant differences were found between short- (<4 weeks) and long-term (≥4 weeks) interventions for improving cognitive function. Low-to-moderate risk of bias was found, and no significant publication bias was detected. The GRADE assessment indicates that the certainty of evidence for memory function is moderate, suggesting a reasonable level of confidence in the positive effects of creatine on memory. However, the evidence for processing speed, overall cognitive function, executive function, and attention is of low certainty, indicating that further research is needed to confirm these potential benefits.
Conclusion
Current evidence suggests that creatine monohydrate supplementation may confer beneficial effects on cognitive function in adults, particularly in the domains of memory, attention time, and information processing speed. Larger robust clinical trials are warranted to further validate these findings. Furthermore, future research should investigate the influence of different populations and intervention durations on the effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation, as well as elucidate the precise mechanisms underlying its potential cognitive-enhancing properties.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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