Health
Overlooked supplement could slow aging and boost brain and heart health, expert says
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Creatine is often associated with hitting the gym and building muscle, but the supplement, typically taken in powder or capsule form, has recently been linked to a variety of other uses and benefits.
Singer Ciara told Business Insider last month that she takes creatine not just for muscle boosting, but to support energy levels throughout the day.
Actor Mark Wahlberg has also hopped onto the trend, creating his own creatine monohydrate product, while health gurus like Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman have touted its various neurological benefits.
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What is creatine?
Creatine is a natural compound mostly stored in the muscles, with smaller amounts in the brain, liver and kidneys, according to registered dietitian nutritionist Sam McKinney of Life Time Fitness in Minneapolis.
“Our bodies need adenosine triphosphate (ATP for short) for energy and to maximize performance in high-intensity exercise, and creatine steps in by ‘donating’ a phosphate group to help produce additional ATP,” she said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Creatine could have “broader” functions in cognition and memory, recovery, blood sugar control, energy levels, heart health and neurological health, according to experts. (iStock)
“It is most well-known for its role in increasing power output and force during exercise and, as a result, its impact on muscle growth, healthy body composition and athletic performance.”
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McKinney confirmed that creatine has been garnering more attention recently for “broader” functions of cognition and memory, recovery, blood sugar control, energy levels, heart health and neurological health.
Women typically have 70% to 80% lower creatine stores than men, McKinney said. Creatine supplementation can be beneficial during hormone changes, like menstrual cycles, pregnancy, post-partum and menopause.
Creatine is a natural compound mostly stored in the muscles, with smaller amounts in the brain, liver and kidneys. (iStock)
Brain benefits
Some studies have been done on creatine and cognitive health, according to McKinney, with mixed but “encouraging” results.
In one small study, individuals with depression saw improvement with 3 to 5 grams of daily creatine, but individuals with bipolar disorder saw symptoms worsen.
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Another study found that creatine can help support those with traumatic brain injuries, showing improvements in amnesia, headaches and fatigue.
“There may be some potential benefits to memory and intelligence scores from creatine as well,” McKinney said. “These cognitive health benefits are often more pronounced in those who are at risk for lower phosphocreatine stores, such as vegetarians, vegans and the elderly population.”
“[Creatine is] one of the safest and most effective supplement options on the market for most people,” one expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
On Huberman’s website, in the description of a “Huberman Lab” podcast clip, creatine is described as the “‘Michael Jordan’ of supplements.”
In another clip, the neuroscientist says creatine can be used as a “fuel source in the brain,” with some evidence that it can connect with areas involved in mood regulation and motivation.
Heart benefits
There is also evidence that creatine may have some heart health benefits because the heart uses ATP for energy like “any other muscle in the body,” McKinney said.
“Creatine plays a big role in the heart’s contraction and energy,” she said. “So, in turn, creatine could help to support energy supplied to the heart that is needed to deal with stress or periods of an increased workload, such as exercise.”
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Creatine supplementation has also been shown to improve outcomes from heart bypass surgery and the balance of oxygen in the heart, according to McKinney.
Combining creatine with nutrients like vitamin B12 may also help promote better overall energy and heart function.
Anti-aging benefits
Since creatine helps with muscle building, McKinney noted that it also helps to increase lifespan, as muscle decreases with age.
Since creatine helps with muscle building, it also helps to increase lifespan, as muscle decreases with age. (iStock)
“Using creatine can help mitigate these losses and help us to stay strong, mobile and independent,” she said. “When it comes to aging, the positive impacts of creatine are most significant when combined with an effective resistance training routine.”
Some specific benefits of creatine include improved grip strength and lower body endurance, according to McKinney, “both of which are markers of mobility and health in the elderly.”
Bone benefits
McKinney referenced another study that suggests creatine could help keep bones strong when combined with a strength training program.
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“The reason could be associated with the benefits of creatine and power output (making the workouts more effective), or with increases in muscle mass adding more tension to the bone, which supports bone strength,” she said.
Most people see benefits with a daily ongoing dose of 5 grams of creatine, experts say. (iStock)
Dosage and potential risks
Daily creatine doses can range from 2 to 10 grams per day, but McKinney said most people see benefits with a daily ongoing dose of 5 grams. She recommends creatine monohydrate — the most common and well-researched form — as the best option.
“When it comes to aging, the positive impacts of creatine are most significant when combined with an effective resistance training routine.”
“While there are a lot of misconceptions about creatine, in reality, it’s one of the safest and most effective supplement options on the market for most people,” the expert told Fox News Digital. “Creatine also is not a steroid and does not have a negative impact on kidney function in healthy people.”
Those who have preexisting kidney issues should exercise caution when taking it.
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“When used orally at appropriate doses, creatine is likely safe to take for up to five years,” the Mayo Clinic states on its website. “As with any dietary supplement, it’s important to choose a product that follows recommended manufacturing practices and subscribes to third-party testing to ensure the product’s quality.”
Before beginning the supplement, experts recommend seeing a doctor to discuss the appropriate individualized approach.
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The key to feeling better in a fast, overstimulated world might be surprisingly simple: Live a little more like your grandparents.
A growing social media trend, dubbed “nonnamaxxing,” draws inspiration from the slower, more intentional rhythms associated with an Italian grandmother.
The lifestyle is often linked to activities like preparing home-cooked meals, spending time outdoors and making meaningful connections.
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“Nonnamaxxing is a 2026 trend that embraces the slower, more intentional lifestyle of an Italian grandmother (a Nonna). Think cooking from scratch, long family meals, daily walks, gardening and less screen time,” Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based registered dietitian, told Fox News Digital.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
Stepping away from screens and toward real-world interaction can have measurable benefits, according to California-based psychotherapist Laurie Singer.
“We know that interacting with others in person, rather than spending time on screens, significantly improves mental health,” she told Fox News Digital, adding that social media often fuels comparison and lowers self-esteem.
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Living more like previous generations isn’t purely driven by nostalgia. Cooking meals from scratch, for example, has been linked to better nutrition and more mindful eating patterns.
Adopting traditional mealtime habits can improve diet quality and support both physical and mental health, especially when meals are shared regularly with others, Palinski-Wade noted.
One longevity expert stresses that staying healthy isn’t just about food — it’s also about joy and community. (iStock)
There’s also a psychological benefit to slowing down and focusing on one task at a time. Anxiety often stems from unfinished or avoided tasks, Singer noted, and engaging in hands-on activities can counteract that.
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“Nonnamaxxing encourages us to be present around a task, like gardening, baking or knitting, or just taking a mindful walk, that delivers something ‘real,’” she said.
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Palinski-Wade cautions against turning the trend into another source of pressure, noting that a traditional “nonna” lifestyle often assumes a different pace of life.
The key, she said, is adapting the mindset, not replicating it perfectly.
Nonnamaxxing, derived from the name for an Italian grandmother, is a trend that incorporates lifestyle habits hundreds of years in the making. (iStock)
The goal is to reintroduce small, intentional moments that make you feel better.
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That might mean prioritizing a few shared meals each week, taking a walk without your phone or setting aside time for a simple hobby, the expert recommended.
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Singer added, “Having a positive place to escape to, through whatever activities speak to us and make us happy, isn’t generational – it’s human.”
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Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.
Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.
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“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.
Loneliness may be linked to memory performance in older adults, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.
The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.
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The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.
Social isolation and loneliness could play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)
Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.
About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.
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Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.
The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.
Researchers look at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.
“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, Ph.D., a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.
By older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold, an aging expert says. (iStock)
He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.
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“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.
Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high-blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.
“While they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia,” a psychotherapist says. (iStock)
Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.
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“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”
Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.
Researchers suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging. (iStock)
She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.
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“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”
The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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