Does Creatine Help Anxiety?
No studies have directly assessed the effects of creatine supplementation on anxiety. However, some research has examined creatine’s potential effects on cognitive function in individuals who have trouble sleeping. Anxiety can cause problems with sleep.
“There are a few studies that suggest creatine supplementation can improve mental performance in people who have sleep deprivation, which is often the case in those with anxiety,” says Lona Sandon, PhD, RDN, an associate professor in the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
For example, a review of 16 studies involving 492 people found that creatine monohydrate provided benefits for memory, attention span, and the speed at which people process information. However, the authors noted that larger clinical trials would help validate these findings.
Another review of 23 randomized controlled trials found that creatine supplementation improved memory scores in otherwise healthy people, especially adults ages 66 to 76 years.
It may also be that creatine levels in the brain are lower among people with anxiety disorders, she hypothesizes, “due to dysfunction of the ability to metabolize creatine.”
But supplements wouldn’t necessarily solve that problem, Dr. Sandon says. And, like Bufka, she cautions that when assessing creatine’s effect on anxiety, “the limited research leaves us with limited answers.”
