Creatine supplementation slows early Alzheimer's cognitive decline by 30% in trial

A multicenter placebo-controlled trial of 240 early Alzheimer’s patients found that 5g daily creatine monohydrate over 12 weeks raised brain phosphocreatine levels by 10-15% on MRS scans and slowed cognitive decline by roughly 30% versus placebo. An earlier University of Kansas pilot (CABA) using 20g daily for eight weeks in 20 patients confirmed oral creatine crosses the blood-brain barrier and improved scores on sorting, reading, and attention tests. The mechanism targets a known bioenergetic deficit: Alzheimer’s brains show reduced phosphocreatine, impaired creatine kinase activity, and mitochondrial dysfunction, leaving neurons chronically ATP-starved.

Beyond neurodegeneration, meta-analyses point to gains in processing speed and continuous memory tasks in healthy adults, with the largest effects under metabolic stress like sleep deprivation. A 2025 study also found 5g/day creatine meaningfully boosted outcomes when added to CBT for depression, consistent with the theory that prefrontal and hippocampal mitochondrial dysfunction underlies depressive symptoms.

The broader point flagged by the piece: a cheap, widely-available supplement marketed almost exclusively to lifters appears to produce clinically meaningful neurological effects, and the consumer-facing communication around it has not caught up to the research.