Creatine supplements show early promise for boosting brain energy in Alzheimer’s patients
A popular dietary supplement, creatine monohydrate, commonly used by athletes to enhance physical performance, may offer a novel approach to supporting brain health in individuals with Alzheimer's disease. A recent study has revealed that patients who took daily doses of creatine over a two-month period experienced significant improvements in both brain energy levels and cognitive test scores.
This research, published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, highlights a potential breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, which is often characterized by a decline in the brain's energy utilization. The brain, despite its small size, demands a substantial amount of energy, and disruptions in this energy supply can lead to the memory loss and confusion associated with the disease.
Creatine, a natural substance found in small amounts in foods like meat and fish, plays a crucial role in the body's energy recycling process. It acts as a biological courier, replenishing the energy currency, ATP, in cells, particularly in tissues that require rapid energy bursts, such as skeletal muscles during exercise. The brain, with its constant electrical activity, relies on this same recycling system to prevent energy depletion.
In the study, researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center focused on creatine monohydrate, a widely available dietary supplement. Previous animal studies had demonstrated its potential benefits in improving spatial memory, reducing brain inflammation, and decreasing harmful protein clumps associated with Alzheimer's disease.
The research team, led by Aaron N. Smith and Matthew K. Taylor, aimed to explore whether creatine could have similar positive effects on human patients with Alzheimer's disease. The study involved 20 older adults, aged 60 to 90, who had been clinically diagnosed with progressive dementia due to Alzheimer's.
One of the key aspects of the study was the use of a biomarker, p-tau217, to confirm the presence of Alzheimer's pathology in the participants. This biomarker is an indicator of the biological changes associated with the disease, particularly the buildup of toxic protein plaques in the brain. The majority of the participants exhibited high levels of this biomarker, confirming the likelihood of true Alzheimer's pathology.
The study's primary objective was to assess the feasibility and safety of a high-dose creatine supplement regimen for these patients. Participants were instructed to take 20 grams of creatine monohydrate powder daily, split into two 10-gram doses, to maximize absorption and minimize digestive issues. The researchers relied on study partners to track the daily doses, ensuring adherence to the protocol.
Blood tests were conducted at the beginning, middle, and end of the trial to measure creatine levels, confirming that the participants were absorbing the supplement effectively. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a specialized brain imaging technique, was used to track creatine levels in the frontal and parietal regions of the brain, indicating successful delivery and integration into the energy storage systems.
Cognitive assessments, including tasks for working memory, attention, processing speed, and language skills, were administered before and after the two-month period. The results revealed significant improvements in cognitive performance, with an average increase of about three points in overall cognitive test scores.
The study's findings suggest that creatine monohydrate supplementation may have the potential to delay cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients. The improvements in cognitive test scores, particularly in fluid cognition and working memory tasks, indicate a positive impact on brain function. The ability to focus and ignore distractions also showed enhancements, which could significantly improve the daily lives of patients and their caregivers.
While the study is a small feasibility trial, it highlights the potential of creatine as a supportive treatment for Alzheimer's disease. The researchers plan to conduct larger clinical trials with a placebo group to further validate the findings and assess the long-term effects of creatine supplementation. If these trials confirm the early bioenergetic benefits, creatine monohydrate could become a valuable tool in managing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
The study, "Creatine monohydrate pilot in Alzheimer’s: Feasibility, brain creatine, and cognition," was authored by Aaron N. Smith, In-Young Choi, Phil Lee, Debra K. Sullivan, Jeffrey M. Burns, Russell H. Swerdlow, Emma Kelly, and Matthew K. Taylor.
