EFSA’s Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) concluded that a cause‐and‐effect relationship could not be established between creatine supplementation and an improvement in cognitive function in one or more of its domains.
The Article 13(5) health claim was filed by creatine market leaders Alzchem Trostberg GmbH. While the panel noted that acute effects of creatine were observed for working memory, these effects were observed at daily doses of 20 g per day and not at lower doses, nor with continuous 5 g per day doses for six weeks.
Only one intervention study out of 10 showed an effect on response inhibition at 20 g/day for seven days, with no effects observed on other cognitive domains, the panel noted. Data from three intervention studies conducted in diseased populations also did not support an effect of creatine supplementation on cognition.
The panel’s decision was published in the EFSA Journal on Nov. 19.
Alzchem: ‘The improvement of cognitive abilities can be a potentially beneficial physiological effect’
Sabine Sieber, head of corporate communications & investor relations at Alzchem, told NutraIngredients that the company acknowledges EFSA’s decision that, based on the submitted data, no sufficient cause-effect relationship between creatine intake and an improvement in cognitive functions could be established for the authority.
“However, we welcome the confirmation that creatine is sufficiently characterized as a food ingredient and that the improvement of cognitive abilities can be a potentially beneficial physiological effect,” she said. “This underscores the relevance of further research in this area. Additionally, numerous researchers and media independently report increases in cognitive performance through creatine.”
This includes a 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis, published in the journal Nutrition Reviews, which pooled data from eight randomized controlled trials and concluded: “This systematic review and meta-analysis revealed that creatine monohydrate supplementation has a beneficial effect on memory performance in healthy individuals. Subgroup analysis showed the effects of creatine were more robust in older adults.”
Sieber said that Alzchem “will continue to support scientific studies to better understand and scientifically substantiate the potential of creatine in new application fields, including cognitive health.”
“Our goal remains to make a valuable contribution to people’s nutrition and health, based on solid science and innovation,” she added.
Expert: The current body of research is very small
One of the authors on that 2023 meta-analysis was Darren Candow, PhD, Director-Aging Muscle and Bone Health Laboratory at the University of Regina in Canada. In an email to NutraIngredients, Dr. Candow said the EFSA decision was justified, “based on the current body of research (which is very small).”
“When you look closely at the studies, most of the results are in relation to a metabolic stressor, or the dosages used were very inconsistent,” he noted. “Further, no study gave creatine to individuals and then measured whether cognition remained improved after creatine withdrawal.
“These individual studies are under-powered and the current meta-analyses are inconsistent. Further, no dosing studies using MRS have been performed.
“In my opinion, it’s way too early to conclude that creatine improves cognition overall.”
Potential
Creatine supplementation is most commonly associated with muscle function, and EFSA approved an Article 13(5) health claim in 2016 for creatine in combination with resistance training to improve muscle strength in adults over the age of 55 (EFSA Journal, Vol. 14, Issue 2).
The potential brain benefits are biologically plausible. Dr. Ralf Jäger, managing member of Wisconsin-based Increnovo, told us that creatine supplementation can raise brain creatine levels by approximately 10%, although there is significant individual variability, with increases in total creatine levels due to supplementation ranging from 3.1% to 14.6%.
“Increases in brain creatine content tend to be lower than those in muscle tissue: around 10% for the brain compared to 20% to 40% for muscles. The optimal dosing strategy for increasing brain creatine levels has not yet been fully established, though 20g/day for seven days is the most commonly used regimen in clinical studies,” he said.
Dr. Jäger cited a 2002 study from Japan that reported benefits for mental fatigue and a 2003 study which found improvements in short-term memory and reasoning skills.
“Creatine appears to be particularly effective during periods of stress, such as sleep deprivation, hypoxia or demanding cognitive tasks, and for individuals with lower creatine levels, such as vegans and vegetarians,” he said.
“While early studies show potential benefits of creatine supplementation, more studies are needed in healthy, young individuals to further substantiate creatine’s cognitive health benefits.”
Creatine in the spotlight
Creatine will be the focus of a special session at the upcoming Sports & Active Nutrition Summit in San Diego, Feb. 19 to 21. Th e session will feature presentation by Dr. Darren Candow, University of Regina, and Dr. Scott Forbes, Brandon University, and they will then be joined by Dr. Donald Miller, University of Manitoba, for a lively discussion about the state of the science, new applications and the different forms.
The event will also feature an exclusive session with Steve Jennings, who was behind the first company in the world (Maxim) to commercialize creatine with athletes at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
For more information and to register, please click HERE.
Source: EFSA Journal
Volume 22, Issue 11, e9100, doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9100
“Creatine and improvement in cognitive function: Evaluation of a health claim pursuant to article 13(5) of regulation (EC) No 1924/2006”
Authors: EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA), et al.
