Bipolar Disord. 2007 Nov;9(7):754-8.
Creatine monohydrate in resistant depression: a preliminary study.
Roitman S, Green T, Osher Y, Karni N, Levine J.
Ness Ziona Mental Health Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Objectives: Creatine plays a pivotal role in brain energy homeostasis, and altered cerebral energy metabolism may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Oral creatine supplementation may modify brain high-energy phosphate metabolism in depressed subjects. Methods: Eight unipolar and two bipolar patients with treatment-resistant depression were treated for four weeks with 3-5 g/day of creatine monohydrate in an open add-on design. Outcome measures were the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, and Clinical Global Impression scores, recorded at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4. Results: One patient improved considerably after one week and withdrew. Both bipolar patients developed hypomania/mania. For the remaining seven patients, all scale scores significantly improved. Adverse reactions were mild and transitory. Conclusions: This small, preliminary, open study of creatine monohydrate suggests a beneficial effect of creatine augmentation in unipolar depression, but possible precipitation of a manic switch in bipolar depression.

Categories: 2007, Creatine, Depression, Bipolar disorder