5 Benefits of Creatine You Didn't Know About

Most people think of creatine as a gym supplement. Take it, lift heavier, build muscle. And that's true — but it's barely half the story.

Over the past few years, researchers have been uncovering benefits of creatine that have nothing to do with how much you can bench press. Here are five that might change how you think about this supplement.

1. It Fuels Your Brain, Not Just Your Muscles

Your brain accounts for about 20% of your total energy expenditure, and it relies on the same ATP energy system that your muscles do. Creatine helps regenerate ATP — which means it's working in your brain every moment of every day.

A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 clinical trials found that creatine supplementation may improve memory, attention, and information processing speed in healthy adults.

If you've ever had a day where your brain feels slow, creatine might be more relevant than caffeine.

2. It Helps Your Brain Recover From Poor Sleep

A 2024 study published in Scientific Reports found that a single dose of creatine helped maintain normal phosphocreatine and ATP levels in the brain during sleep deprivation. The result? Participants who took creatine performed better on cognitive tasks — verbal recall, spatial memory, reaction time, and even balance — after 24 hours without sleep.

For anyone who's ever dealt with a newborn, jet lag, or just a bad week of sleep — creatine appears to give your brain a buffer against the cognitive decline that comes with insufficient rest.

3. It May Support Your Mood

A 2025 randomized controlled trial studying women in perimenopause and postmenopause found that eight weeks of creatine supplementation improved reaction time and reduced mood swing severity.

The theory: if your brain has more energy available, it can regulate mood more effectively. The research is still early, but the direction is consistent — creatine appears to support emotional regulation, particularly during hormonal transitions.

4. It Protects Muscle and Bone as You Age

After age 30, adults lose approximately 3-5% of muscle mass per decade. After menopause, bone density loss accelerates significantly.

Research on older adults shows that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training can help counter age-related muscle loss and shows favorable effects on bone health in post-menopausal women.

This isn't about getting jacked. It's about maintaining the strength to carry groceries, climb stairs, and stay independent as you age.

5. It's More Important If You Don't Eat Much Meat

Creatine is found naturally in red meat and fish. If you eat a plant-based or plant-forward diet, you're getting very little from food.

Studies consistently show that vegetarians and vegans have lower baseline creatine stores in both muscle and brain tissue, meaning they see larger benefits from supplementation.

This is particularly relevant for women, who already carry 70-80% less creatine than men. A woman eating a mostly plant-based diet has the lowest natural creatine levels of any demographic — and the most to gain.

One Thing to Watch

If you're taking creatine in gummy form, make sure the product actually contains what it claims. Independent lab testing in 2024 found that half of popular creatine gummy brands failed to deliver their stated dose.

At Daye, we use creatine HCl (here is how to take it) — a form that's 41 times more soluble and stable in gummy form. Every batch is third-party tested.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References:

• Gordijn M, et al. "Single dose creatine improves cognitive performance during sleep deprivation." Scientific Reports. 2024.
• Prokopidis K, et al. "Effects of creatine on cognitive function: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Nutrition Reviews. 2024.
• UCLA Health. "Why everyone's talking about creatine." 2024.