Borowski, Tymoteusz, Zimoń, Maria, Piegza, Magdalena Justyna · Psychiatria polska · 2026 · DOI
This review examines how creatine—a natural compound the body uses for energy—might affect brain function and ME/CFS symptoms. The authors report that creatine supplementation was associated with improvements in cognitive performance under stress, potential mood benefits, and in some ME/CFS patients, reductions in pain and improvements in physical performance, though effects on overall fatigue remain unclear. However, the evidence is mixed, and much more research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.
ME/CFS is characterised by post-exertional malaise and fatigue, and this review identifies creatine supplementation as a candidate intervention with preliminary associations to pain reduction and physical performance improvements in ME/CFS patients. Understanding bioenergetic pathways and compounds that may support brain energy metabolism is relevant to ME/CFS research, given the suspected role of energy metabolism dysfunction in disease pathophysiology. However, the evidence reviewed remains preliminary and heterogeneous, and this review does not establish creatine as an evidence-based treatment.
This review does not establish that creatine supplementation causes improvements in fatigue, cognitive performance, or physical function in ME/CFS; it documents associations and preliminary observations only. The inconsistency of findings and methodological limitations of the underlying studies mean efficacy is not proven. This review is not a treatment recommendation and does not confirm any mechanism of action in ME/CFS.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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Primary citation
Borowski, Tymoteusz, Zimoń, Maria, & Piegza, Magdalena Justyna (2026). The impact of creatine on brain functions.. Psychiatria polska. https://doi.org/10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/220253
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-borowski-2026-impact-creatine,
author = {Borowski, Tymoteusz and Zimoń, Maria and Piegza, Magdalena Justyna},
title = {The impact of creatine on brain functions.},
journal = {Psychiatria polska},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/220253},
note = {PubMed: 42893361},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/borowski-2026-impact-creatine},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-10-19. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/borowski-2026-impact-creatine
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