Creatine and Depression

[MSCLMAMA]

Creatine and Depression

A well written article by Will Brink

 

Studies suggest creatine may be helpful with depression,  and various mood disorders as well as being  neuroprotective. I have covered that topic over the years here on BZ via article, vids, etc. It’s also a primary ingredient in my Bomb Proof Coffee recipe. Here’s a new review worth a read covering the possible mechanisms by how creatine may exert anti-depressant effects, clinical studies that exist, and so forth on this important topic. Another recent study examined the impact of creatine on bipolar depression and found benefits.

Bottom line: Creatine does a body and brain good! 

The possible beneficial effects of creatine for the management of depression

Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry 2018 September 4

Depression, a highly prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder worldwide, causes a heavy burden for the society and is associated with suicide risk. The treatment of this disorder remains a challenge, since currently available antidepressants provide a slow and, often, incomplete response and cause several side effects that contribute to diminish the adhesion of patients to treatment. In this context, several nutraceuticals have been investigated regarding their possible beneficial effects for the management of this neuropsychiatric disorder.

Creatine stands out as a supplement frequently used for ergogenic purpose, but it also is a neuroprotective compound with potential to treat or mitigate a broad range of central nervous systems diseases, including depression. This review presents preclinical and clinical evidence that creatine may exhibit antidepressant properties. The focus is given on the possible molecular mechanisms underlying its effects based on the results obtained with different animal models of depression.

Finally, evidence obtained in animal models of depression addressing the possibility that creatine may produce rapid antidepressant effect, similar to ketamine, are also presented and discussed.

 

Cognitive effects of creatine monohydrate adjunctive therapy in patients with bipolar depression: Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Journal of Affective Disorders

Volume 224, 15 December 2017,

 

Highlights

• Depressive episodes and cognitive impairments produce most of the dysfunctionality in bipolar disorder.

• Multiple lines of evidence strongly implicate the occurrence of mitochondrial dysfunction in bipolar disorder.

• This study was the first to investigate cognitive effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation on bipolar depression.

• Creatine monohydrate supplementation for 6 weeks was associated with improvement in verbal fluency in bipolar depression.

•Future studies on the cognitive-enhancing properties of creatine monohydrate in bipolar disorder should be undertaken.