Most people know creatine as the go-to supplement for gym strength and power, but over the last few years, researchers have been uncovering new benefits that go way beyond muscle including brain health and even bone density.
Muscle & Strength
Creatine is one of the most researched sports supplements in the world. Dozens of studies show it reliably boosts strength and muscle gains, especially when combined with resistance training. A typical protocol is a loading phase of 20g/day for 5–7 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 3–5g/day. This increases muscle creatine stores by about 20–40%, helping with repeated high-intensity efforts. Personally, I bypass the loading phase and stick with 8-10 grams per day.
Brain & Cognition
Newer research, including a 2023 trial out of Germany, looked at higher daily doses of creatine (15–20g/day) for several weeks and found improvements in short-term memory and mental fatigue, particularly under stress or sleep deprivation. While this is still an emerging area, it suggests creatine may fuel the brain in the same way it fuels the muscles: by providing rapid energy. This may be a great protocol for nightshift workers during or around the nightshift phase. Long term research on such a high long-term dose is limited, so it might be a “just when needed supplement”, similar to painkillers and other medications.
A 2023 meta-analysis of healthy individuals (ages 11–76) found a small but significant boost in memory overall, with notably stronger effects in older adults aged 66–76 (SMD ≈ 0.88), whereas younger participants showed little change. Another 2024 meta-analysis reinforced this, finding creatine improved both memory and processing speed time, indicating tasks were completed quicker, but no effect on raw processing speed scores.
Most research points to better cognitive improvement with the Elderly and Sleep Impaired, younger people tended not to show much improvement.
Bone Health
Earlier studies also hinted at another benefit: improved bone density when creatine is paired with strength training. This is especially relevant for older adults, where stronger bones mean lower risk of fractures. Bone Density dosage were around 10 grams per day and this seemed to be useless without the Strength training component. Directly Bone density was not improved by Creatine supplementation, however as part of a protocol of Strength training, healthy nutrition and Creatine supplementation, it is showing promise.
Creatine isn’t just for bodybuilders. It’s a safe, inexpensive supplement that can help with strength, recovery, bone health, and maybe even brain power.
