PlainPill

Creatine vs Magnesium L-Threonate for focus

Short answer: For focus, users rate them about the same: 93% report improvement with Creatine (249 reports) and 97% with Magnesium L-Threonate (109 reports).

Creatine has 763 meta-analyses and 2,794 randomized trials on PubMed; Magnesium L-Threonate has 82 and 210.

Based on 2,279 reports about Creatine and 765 about Magnesium L-Threonate. Not medical advice.

Creatine
Supplement
Magnesium L-Threonate
Supplement
Users say it helped72%helped1,048 reports · high confidence72%helped329 reports · high confidence
Verdict
Mostly positive
Mostly positive
ResearchAResearch: StrongAResearch: Strong
Meta-analyses / RCTs763 / 2,79482 / 210
Mainly used for
Performance
% reporting improvement
98% (542)100% (2)
Focus
% reporting improvement
93% (249)97% (109)
Energy
% reporting improvement
97% (268)89% (18)
Sleep
% reporting improvement
28% (81)85% (166)
Mood
% reporting improvement
87% (125)89% (36)
Common side effectsstomach issues, hair loss, insomnia, water retentionvivid dreams, headache, drowsiness, stomach issues
Typical dose reported5 g / daily6 caps / daily
Creatine
Latest review conclusion

The results of the meta-analysis suggest that creatine supplementation did not significantly alter serum creatinine levels (standardized mean difference = 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.24-0.73, P = .001, I2 = 22%), and did not alter plasma urea values (standardized mean difference = 1.10, 95% confidence interval 0.34-1.85, P = .004, I2 = 28%). The findings indicate that creatine supplementation does not induce renal damage in the studied amounts and durations.

J Ren Nutr, 2019 ↗
What a user said
“I actually feel a lot better. Mentally clearer and more balanced, like I have my brain back.”
Full Creatine profile →
Magnesium L-Threonate
Latest review conclusion

This review confirms that the quality of literature is substandard for physicians to make well-informed recommendations on usage of oral magnesium for older adults with insomnia. However, given that oral magnesium is very cheap and widely available, RCT evidence may support oral magnesium supplements (less than 1 g quantities given up to three times a day) for insomnia symptoms.

BMC Complement Med Ther, 2021 ↗
What a user said
“I just tried magnesium theronate the other day and I feel like a new person... My memory recall is better too. Emotions and anxiety have levelled DRASTICALLY.”
Full Magnesium L-Threonate profile →

Related comparisons

Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate