💪🏋️♂️ Creatine, traditionally recognized for boosting physical performance, has recently shown potential as an adjunctive therapy for treating depression 😔.
🧠 Creatine’s ability to enhance brain energy metabolism and provide neuroprotection 🛡️ suggests it can alleviate mood disorders by improving mitochondrial function, increasing cellular resilience, and modulating neurotransmitter systems that regulate mood 😌.
🧪🔬 Both animal models and human trials indicate creatine’s efficacy for the treatment of depression.
💊 Creatine supplementation reduces depressive symptoms, particularly when combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and may improve brain energy metabolism and neuroplasticity 🌱.
⚠️ It is generally well tolerated, though caution is warranted due to potential side effects such as manic episodes in bipolar disorder 🤯 and renal function impairment in patients with kidney dysfunction 😾.
✨ Overall, creatine presents a promising addition to current depression treatments, though further research is needed 🧐 to establish optimal dosing, long-term efficacy, and safety across diverse patient populations.
📝 The review highlights that creatine, traditionally used to enhance physical performance 🏋️, shows promise as an adjunctive management option for depression, especially when combined with antidepressants at a dose of 4-5 g/day for two to eight weeks 📅.
💡 Current research highlights significant promise, particularly among female ♀️ and adolescent patients 🧑🦱 with treatment-resistant depression and those with low baseline creatine.
📖 The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression by Andrew Solomon (a comprehensive look at depression)
📖 Lost Connections: Why You’re Depressed and How to Find Hope by Johann Hari (exploring societal causes of depression and anxiety)
🍎 On Nutrition, Supplements, and Brain Health:
📖 Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating Smart by Lisa Mosconi (focuses on the impact of diet on brain health)
📖 The Better Brain Book: The Best Tool for Improving Memory, Sharpness, Mood, and Sleep by David Perlmutter (discusses nutritional strategies for brain health)
🔎 Supplements for Brain Health (a general guide to various supplements and their effects on cognitive function and mood, found through online search for “supplements brain health book”)