Improvig, it is possible to speculate Natural immune support creatine improvig does not benefit Creatine for improving reaction time function in healthy individuals not subjected to stressing conditions. Consequently, there is an increased demand for and utilization of creatine during pregnancy. Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Devries MC, Phillips SM. Jacobson BH, Edgley BM: Effects of caffeine on simple reaction time and movement time.

Creatine for improving reaction time -

However, most participants who guessed correctly reported being very unsure about their guess. We recorded the reasons for the guesses of the last of the 33 participants. Of those participants who had a reason for their guess, solubility was the most common, followed by negative side effects and positive side effects.

All three reasons seemed to improve guess accuracy see appendix. In addition, although we did not assess this systematically, some participants reported positive side effects such as improvements in strength several participants and mood one participant.

No patients discontinued the study due to an adverse event. Adherence self-reported was high Table 2. All but one participant took the supplements in the order assigned to them. This participant was analysed with their actual, not their assigned, supplement order.

This was also true when using the robust ANOVA based on bootstrapping. Bayes factors favoured the null hypothesis. There was no indication for an effect of diet in the exploratory cognitive tasks either. For more details on the analysis of diet, see the appendix. There was a significant interaction between supplement and supplement order for both BDS and RAPM.

This seems to reflect a learning effect see appendix. The effect of most interest, the main effect of the supplement, was in the expected direction but not significant. This means that 2. For RAPM, it was 0. The supplement effect was virtually the same whether diet was included as a variable or not Table 3.

Thus we simplified additional analyses estimated marginal means, Bayes factors and robustness checks by dropping diet as a variable for these analyses.

Mixed 3-way ANOVA with supplement creatine vs placebo as the within-subjects variable, supplement order creatine-first vs placebo-first and diet vegetarian vs omnivore as the between-subjects variable and test score after supplementation as the dependent variable.

Mixed 2-way ANOVA without diet. The test score is given as estimated marginal mean standard error. P-values are two-tailed. In terms of raw scores, the effect size for BDS was 0. For RAPM, the effect was 0.

If these were IQ tests, this would mean 1. a Estimated marginal means for the Backward Digit Span BDS score. Error bars represent standard errors. To facilitate the interpretation of the results of the confirmatory analysis, we provide Bayes factors.

A Bayes factor BF 10 indicates how likely a null hypothesis is compared to an alternative hypothesis given the data. not enough data to be certain , with weak evidence in favour of the null hypothesis if BF 10 is below 1 and weak evidence in favour of the alternative hypothesis if it is above 1.

We compare several alternative hypotheses postulating small beneficial effects of creatine to the null hypothesis. For RAPM, the data was very insensitive, very weakly favouring the alternative hypotheses.

For BDS, the data was more sensitive, providing weak to moderate support in favour of the alternative hypotheses. Two different approaches to calculating these Bayes factors were used see statistical analysis and the results were similar Table 4.

Bayes factors BF 10 comparing a range of alternative hypotheses to the null hypothesis. The effect size is given as the raw score difference. Approach 1 compared a point null model to point alternative models with a range of small effect sizes 0.

Approach 2 compared a point null model against half normal distributions centred on zero and with the SD set to half the maximum expected effect size. There was strong evidence in favour of the null hypothesis compared to the alternative hypothesis postulating the effect size found by Rae et al.

The data was insensitive BDS or weakly favoured the null hypothesis RAPM when compared to the half normal model based on Rae et al. The half normal model based on Rae et al. Instead, the model assumes their effect size is a moderate overestimation of the true effect size. The model uses their effect size as a reference point to assign probabilities to effect sizes.

It assigns most of the probability weight to effect sizes that are smaller than this effect size, and some probability to effect sizes up to twice that effect size.

This is a common alternative model when replicating studies. However, we did not use it as our only model, because we were also interested in assessing the likelihood of smaller effect sizes and of the possibility that the effect size in Rae et al.

The results were similar whether using normal or cauchy distributions. For more details on this and the aforementioned calculations see the appendix.

In summary, this study provides weak evidence for a small cognitive benefit of creatine and strong evidence against the effect size by Rae et al. For RAPM, all of these methods gave overall similar results to that of the normal ANOVA Table 5. Creatine effect p-values two-tailed for different ANOVAs.

The given trim and winsorisation percentages are applied to each side. Better score based on estimated marginal means. For BDS, whose skewness statistic was slightly further from 0 than that of RAPM, these methods gave results that differ from each other and from the normal ANOVA to a relevant extent Table 5.

Most notably, the p-value for the supplement effect was 0. This seems to suggest that in the normal ANOVA, the most extreme values made the effect of creatine appear smaller by inflating the variance, while relying on possibly unjustified assumptions of normality made the effect of creatine appear larger.

The distribution of p-values was what one would expect if there was no effect. For the exploratory cognitive tasks, Table 6 only includes the p-values of the supplement effect. For the full results, including the interaction effect reflecting a learning effect and the order of supplement effect, see the appendix.

Higher score based on estimated marginal means. This is the largest study on the cognitive effects of creatine to date. As part of our study, we aimed to replicate Rae et al.

In our study, half of the participants were vegetarians and half of them were omnivores. We found no indication that our vegetarian participants benefited more from creatine than our omnivore participants. This is in line with Solis et al , who did not find a difference in brain creatine content between omnivores and vegetarians.

Our Bayesian analysis of their data provides moderate support for the lack of a difference see appendix. In contrast, Benton and Donohoe found that creatine supplementation benefited memory in vegetarians more than in omnivores, with no difference in baseline performance. However, given the high number of tests in that study, the chance of a false positive was high, so we regard their finding as only an exploratory hint.

The conflicting findings might be due to possible differences in the amount of dietary creatine not measured in this study nor in Benton and Donohoe The Bayes factors in this study provide weak evidence for a small cognitive benefit of creatine and strong evidence against the large effect size found by Rae et al.

A larger sample size would be necessary to provide stronger evidence on the question of a small benefit. In order for the sample size to not have to be exceedingly large, we recommend being extremely careful in reducing noise and choosing participants who are likely to benefit the most.

In addition, analogous to the compounding effect of creatine over time for strength training, it might be possible to see a larger effect of creatine on cognition over time by training the tasks while on the supplement.

In their review, Avgerinos et al. In line with this, we found a weak indication for a creatine effect for the two confirmatory tasks reflecting these two domains but not for other domains.

However, two of our exploratory tasks, the forward digit span and the immediate recall part of the VLMT also tested short-term memory and there was no indication for an effect for these tasks.

Another review, Dolan et al. In line with this, we found some indication for a creatine effect for the backward digit span BDS but not for the less demanding forwards digit span. The VLMT may also be less cognitively demanding than the BDS, but this comparison is less obvious to make.

There are a number of limitations to this study. Despite the large sample size compared to other studies, a larger sample size would be needed to be powered for effects that are smaller but still relevant. The COVID pandemic started in the middle of the study, which likely added noise to the data, and meant that we had to switch from in-person cognitive testing to testing via video call.

Adherence was self-reported and not checked with blood samples. The largest contributing factor to correct guesses was likely the difference in the solubility between the powders, followed by negative and positive side effects. We attempted to counteract differences in solubility by recommending participants to stir the supplements into yoghurt.

For future studies we recommend cellulose as the placebo and a mixture of cellulose and creatine as the treatment, as these two look extremely similar when dissolved in water. The alternative solution with capsules would require participants to consume many capsules per day.

This would likely reduce adherence and massively increase costs. Unfortunately, it is difficult to achieve perfect blinding when side effects occur with higher frequency in the creatine condition. The side effects of creatine are well-known and not dangerous Bender et al.

Supplementing creatine is safe, easy and very cheap. The real effect of creatine on cognition is likely smaller than that reported in Rae et al. However, even small improvements in cognition may be relevant, especially if accumulated over many people and over time.

The results of this study do not allow any strong conclusions, but it would be worthwhile to test for a small effect of creatine in strategically designed, larger studies.

Funding was provided by the non-profit organization Effective Ventures Foundation, Fillmore St. The trial funders had no role in the design of the study, the collection, analysis or interpretation of data, the writing of the report, or the decision to submit the article for publication.

We thank the doctors of the University Clinic Bonn who collected blood samples. We thank Dr. Lincoln Colling, Dr. Christian Stark, Jan Speller, Maximilian Meier and David Reinstein for their feedback on statistical questions.

We thank Thomas Szpejewski and Tom Lieberum for their help with verifying data quality. We thank all data entry helpers. View the discussion thread. Supplementary Material.

Skip to main content. The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive performance - a randomised controlled study View ORCID Profile Julia Fabienne Sandkühler , View ORCID Profile Xenia Kersting , Annika Faust , Eva Kathrin Königs , View ORCID Profile George Altman , View ORCID Profile Ulrich Ettinger , Silke Lux , View ORCID Profile Alexandra Philipsen , Helge Müller , View ORCID Profile Jan Brauner.

Julia Fabienne Sandkühler. Abstract Background Creatine is an organic compound that facilitates the recycling of energy-providing adenosine triphosphate ATP in muscle and brain tissue. Introduction Given the important role cognition plays in daily life, substances that enhance cognition safely and cheaply are highly desirable.

Methods Trial design We conducted a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over study. Figure 1. Participant flow through the study. Participants Participants were 18 years or older see appendix for full list of inclusion criteria. Interventions and similarity of treatment groups Participants took the supplements daily for six weeks, including the day of the testing.

Outcomes We had two primary outcomes: A standardised minute subtest of Raven Advanced Progressive Matrices RAPM Rae et al. We had eight further exploratory outcomes: The D2 Test of Attention Brickenkamp, , a test of sustained attention The Trail-Making-Test A TMT-A , a test of visual attention Reitan, The Trail-Making-Test B TMT-B , a test of task switching Reitan, The Block-Tapping-Test BTT , a test of visuospatial working memory Schellig, The Auditory Verbal Learning Test AVLT, in German: VLMT , a word-learning test including immediate recall, delayed recall and recognition Lux et al.

Randomisation and blinding The order of the two supplements was randomised with Excel by the pharmacy of the university hospital Heidelberg. Statistical methods For each cognitive test, we conducted a mixed ANOVA with test score after supplementation as the dependent variable, supplement creatine vs placebo as the within-subjects factor and supplement order creatine-first vs placebo-first as the between-subjects factor.

Bayes factors For the calculation of the Bayes factors, we used the estimated marginal means EMMs of the creatine and placebo score.

Exploratory analyses In addition to the confirmatory analyses of BDS and RAPM, we analysed the other cognitive tasks in the same way in an exploratory fashion. Results Participant flow. Baseline data We analysed all available participant data apart from one task in the case of two participants see appendix.

View this table: View inline View popup Download powerpoint. Table 1. Blinding, adherence and side effects The last 73 participants were asked to guess the order of their supplements. Table 2. Adherence and negative side effects. Confirmatory analysis There was a significant interaction between supplement and supplement order for both BDS and RAPM.

Table 3. Figure 2. Bayes factors To facilitate the interpretation of the results of the confirmatory analysis, we provide Bayes factors. Table 4. Table 5. Exploratory cognitive tasks There was no indication that creatine improved the performance of our exploratory cognitive tasks. View this table: View inline View popup.

Table 6. Discussion This is the largest study on the cognitive effects of creatine to date. Conclusion Supplementing creatine is safe, easy and very cheap. Funding Funding was provided by the non-profit organization Effective Ventures Foundation, Fillmore St.

Acknowledgements We thank the doctors of the University Clinic Bonn who collected blood samples. Potential for use of creatine supplementation following mild traumatic brain injury. Concussion London, England , 2 2 , CNC Aschenbrenner , S. Regensburger Wortflüssigkeits-Test: RWT.

But did you know that these two supplements can actually help boost your muscular performance? Research shows that caffeine and creatine have a variety of benefits for athletes and gym-goers alike. In this blog post, we'll discuss seven ways that caffeine and creatine can improve your muscular performance and help you reach your fitness goals.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced athlete, this post will help you get the most out of your workouts. So let's dive in and explore the power of caffeine and creatine! Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that can help improve your physical performance. Studies have shown that taking caffeine before a workout can increase muscular endurance, allowing you to push harder for longer.

Caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline, which helps to mobilize energy sources in your body more quickly and gives you a burst of energy. This can help you maintain a higher intensity level during workouts and lead to improved performance.

Caffeine has also been found to delay fatigue during exercise, helping you stay motivated and energized for a longer period of time. Additionally, caffeine can reduce the perception of pain associated with exercise, making it easier to push yourself beyond your limits. Caffeine is a stimulant that can help improve your focus and reaction time.

Studies have shown that consuming caffeine before exercise can reduce the time it takes to respond to stimuli and increase alertness. This can be beneficial if you are playing sports or doing any kind of physical activity that requires quick reactions.

Caffeine also increases levels of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter associated with learning and memory. Therefore, it can help you concentrate and stay focused for longer periods of time. Studies have shown that caffeine can significantly improve reaction time when compared to a placebo group.

In one study, cyclists who drank caffeine before a race had a significantly shorter reaction time than those who didn't. The effect was most noticeable when the cyclists had to react quickly to unexpected events on the course. In addition, caffeine can help improve cognitive performance and alertness in people who are sleep deprived or fatigued.

A study found that those who took caffeine before a test had better scores than those who were given a placebo. Therefore, if you are looking for an edge when it comes to improving your reaction time and alertness during physical activity, then caffeine may be a good option.

Just remember to consume it responsibly and not overdo it as it can lead to negative side effects such as anxiety and jitteriness. Creatine is an important molecule that helps provide energy to your muscles during exercise.

Similarly, a comprehensive review demonstrated a clear increase in muscle mass among those taking creatine, compared with those performing the same training regimen without creatine Of the many popular sports supplements on the market, creatine consistently ranks among the best athletic performance supplements available.

Its advantages include being relatively inexpensive and having been verified safe when compared with many other sports supplements The large reduction in dopamine levels causes brain cell death and several serious symptoms, including tremors, loss of muscle function, and speech impairments However, there is no evidence that it has the same effect in humans In one study in individuals with this disease, combining creatine with weight training improved strength and daily function to a greater extent than training alone A key factor in several neurological diseases is a reduction of phosphocreatine in your brain Research in animals suggests that taking creatine supplements may treat other diseases too, including 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 :.

Creatine has also shown benefits against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS , a disease that affects the motor neurons that are essential for movement.

Although more studies are needed in humans, some researchers believe that creatine supplements can serve as a defense against neurological diseases when used alongside conventional medicines.

Research suggests that creatine supplements may lower blood sugar levels by increasing the function of glucose transporter type 4 GLUT-4 , a molecule that brings blood sugar into your muscles 40 , 41 , 42 , A week study examined how creatine affects blood sugar levels after a high carb meal.

People who combined creatine and exercise exhibited better blood sugar control than those who only exercised Short-term blood sugar response to a meal is an important marker of diabetes risk.

The faster your body clears sugar from the blood, the better Creatine plays an important role in brain health and function Research demonstrates that your brain requires a significant amount of ATP when performing difficult tasks Supplements can increase phosphocreatine stores in your brain to help it produce more ATP.

Creatine may also aid brain function by increasing dopamine levels and mitochondrial function 25 , 45 , As meat is the best dietary source of creatine, vegetarians often have low levels.

For older individuals, supplementing with creatine for 2 weeks significantly improved memory and recall ability In older adults, creatine may boost brain function, protect against neurological diseases, and reduce age-related loss of muscle and strength Despite such positive findings, more research is needed in young, healthy individuals who eat meat or fish regularly.

Creatine supplements may also reduce fatigue and tiredness Another study determined that creatine led to reduced fatigue and increased energy levels during sleep deprivation Creatine also reduced fatigue in athletes taking a cycling test and has been used to decrease fatigue when exercising in high heat 51 , You can find a wide selection online.

It has been researched for more than years, and numerous studies support its safety for long-term use. Clinical trials lasting up to 5 years report no adverse effects in healthy individuals 1.

At the end of the day, creatine is an effective supplement with powerful benefits for both athletic performance and health. It may boost brain function , fight certain neurological diseases, improve exercise performance, and accelerate muscle growth.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Creatine is a well-studied supplement with proven benefits for high intensity exercise. This article explains how creatine can improve your exercise….

Looking for a supplement to boost your exercise performance?

Journal improvint the Reactuon Society of Sports Nutrition volume 14Article Beta-alanine and muscle carnosine levels 18 Cite this article. Metrics details. Creatine for improving reaction time is one of the CCreatine popular nutritional ergogenic aids for athletes. Studies have consistently shown that creatine supplementation increases intramuscular creatine concentrations which may help explain the observed improvements in high intensity exercise performance leading to greater training adaptations. Additionally, a number of clinical applications of creatine supplementation have been studied involving neurodegenerative diseases e. For more information about PLOS Subject Areas, readtion here. To assess the effects of Creatien supplementation, associated or not with strength Creatine for improving reaction time, lmproving emotional Ipmroving cognitive Holistic weight loss supplements in older woman. This is a week, parallel-group, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Cognitive function, assessed by a comprehensive battery of tests involving memory, selective attention, and inhibitory control, and emotional measures, assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale, were evaluated at baseline, after 12 and 24 weeks of the intervention. Muscle strength and food intake were evaluated at baseline and after 24 weeks.