Creatine nanocarrier review separates delivery promise from clinical evidence
Published in Drugs development & discovery, Journals, Nanomedicine.
A review published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine on October 5, 2026, explores liposomal and polymeric delivery systems for creatine, including their potential relevance to neurodegenerative diseases.
Creatine participates in cellular energy metabolism, but achieving suitable brain exposure is a major delivery challenge. The authors examine whether nanocarriers could improve stability, circulation, controlled release and transport across the blood–brain barrier.
The review surveys creatine-related formulations, analogues, phosphocreatine delivery and other carrier approaches. Much of the delivery evidence comes from preclinical studies or disease models outside neurodegeneration; these categories should not be treated as interchangeable evidence for brain treatment.
The authors identify formulation stability, reproducibility, long-term safety and effective targeting as unresolved issues. They also note inconsistent findings in some clinical studies of creatine.
This is a review of research opportunities. It does not establish a clinically proven nanocarrier treatment for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease, or show that ordinary creatine supplements reproduce the effects of experimental delivery systems.
Source: Vojdanitalab and colleagues, International Journal of Nanomedicine, October 5, 2026.