The amino acid creatine is essential for muscle and brain health, and people commonly use creatine supplements to improve exercise performance and increase muscle mass. Results from a clinical trial published in Food Science & Nutrition indicate that dietary creatine may also benefit individuals experiencing post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome (also known as long COVID).

In the trial, 12 people with post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome were randomized to take a placebo or 4 grams of creatine monohydrate per day for six months.

Creatine intake caused a significant increase in creatine levels in leg muscles and across the brain at both three-month and six-month follow-ups. Creatine supplementation also led to a significant reduction in general fatigue after three months of intake, and it significantly improved scores for several post-COVID-19 fatigue syndrome–related symptoms—including loss of taste, breathing difficulties, body aches, headaches, and difficulties concentrating—at the 6-month follow up.

"Endorsing creatine might be of great importance in tackling this prevalent condition, but additional studies are warranted to confirm our findings in various post-COVID-19 cohorts," said corresponding author Sergej M. Ostojic, MD, Ph.D., of the University of Novi Sad, in Serbia.