Can Creatine Help With Depression?

Can Creatine Help With Depression?

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A recent study explored whether adding a common supplement called creatine to a type of talk therapy known as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) could help people with depression feel better.

First, let’s get to the basics.

What Is Creatine?

Creatine is a supplement that has gained immense popularity among athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts over the years.

Many say creatine boosts performance.

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Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in red meat and fish; it can also be synthesized in the body from amino acids like arginine, glycine, and methionine. 

It plays a pivotal role in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the primary energy currency of cells. ATP provides the energy necessary for muscle contractions. Muscle contractions occur during high-intensity, short-duration activities like sprinting, and jumping.

There are a ton of reported benefits of Creatine.

Creatine Benefits

The benefits of creatine are numerous. We’ve narrowed down a few creatine benefits for your reading pleasure.

  1. Enhanced Strength and Power: Creatine supplementation has consistently been shown to increase strength and power output during resistance training and high-intensity activities.
  2. Muscle Growth: Creatine can promote muscle hypertrophy by enhancing protein synthesis and cell volumization, leading to increased muscle size.
  3. Improved Exercise Performance: Athletes often report improved performance in activities like sprinting, jumping, and weightlifting when taking creatine.
  4. Increased Endurance: Some studies suggest that creatine may improve endurance in activities with repeated high-intensity efforts, such as interval training or team sports.
  5. Brain Health: Emerging research indicates that creatine may have cognitive benefits, potentially improving brain function and memory.

Now, a January 2025 study in European Neuropsychopharmacology

Volume 90 suggests that the benefits may be even greater than previously believed.

Creatine and Depression

The researchers wanted to see if taking creatine along with CBT would improve depression symptoms more than CBT alone. 

In this study, 100 adults with depression were divided into two groups. One group received creatine supplements along with CBT, while the other group received a placebo (a pill with no active ingredient) along with CBT. Neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was receiving creatine and who was receiving the placebo, making it a double-blind study. 

After eight weeks, both groups showed improvements in their depression symptoms. However, the group that took creatine supplements experienced a greater reduction in their symptoms compared to the placebo group. This suggests that creatine might enhance the effectiveness of CBT for treating depression. 

Creatine Side Effects

Importantly, the study found that taking creatine was safe for the participants. There were no significant differences in side effects between the creatine and placebo groups, indicating that creatine is a well-tolerated supplement. 

Results Are Preliminary

While these findings are promising, the researchers noted that this was a preliminary study. They recommend conducting larger and longer studies to confirm the benefits of adding creatine to CBT for depression. If future research supports these results, creatine could become a helpful and affordable addition to depression treatment, especially in areas with limited resources. 

Bottom Line – Creatine is Exciting

The benefits of creatine and the study that comes along with it continues to grow.

We can’t wait to see what happens next!

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