What is the impact of creatine on cognition?
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Summary
10 papers analyzed
Some studies suggest creatine supplementation may enhance cognition in vegetarians and during sleep deprivation, while other studies indicate it has no effect on healthy omnivores or non-sleep deprived individuals.
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Introduction
Creatine, a popular supplement known for its benefits in enhancing athletic performance, has also been investigated for its potential effects on cognitive function. This synthesis aims to consolidate findings from various studies to understand the impact of creatine on cognition.
Key Insights
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General Cognitive Function in Healthy Individuals:
- Creatine supplementation does not significantly enhance overall cognitive function in healthy young adults .
- Some studies suggest improvements in short-term memory and intelligence/reasoning, but results for other cognitive domains are inconsistent.
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Impact on Specific Populations:
- Vegetarians may experience better memory performance with creatine supplementation compared to meat-eaters, likely due to lower baseline creatine levels .
- Females may respond differently to creatine supplementation, showing higher scores in visual memory tests compared to males.
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Effects Under Stressful Conditions:
- Creatine supplementation can mitigate the negative effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive and psychomotor performance, particularly in tasks involving the prefrontal cortex .
- It may also improve cognitive performance under mental fatigue, although not all cognitive tasks show improvement.
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Combination with Other Substances:
- Co-ingestion of creatine with caffeine may enhance cognitive performance more than creatine alone.
Conclusion
Creatine supplementation appears to have a nuanced impact on cognition. While it does not significantly enhance overall cognitive function in healthy young adults, it may benefit specific populations such as vegetarians and females. Additionally, creatine shows promise in improving cognitive performance under stress conditions like sleep deprivation and mental fatigue. Further research is needed to explore these effects in more detail and to determine optimal supplementation protocols.
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