Is creatine useful for depression, Parkinson’s disease, and head injuries?

Much of the creatine research has focused on its use for sports performance and muscle and strength gains. A recent 2022 meta-analysis in Nutrients examined creatine’s usefulness for neurodegenerative disorders, mood disorders, and concussions.

Creatine is created via reactions from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. Creatine is primarily synthesized in the liver and kidneys but can be synthesized in the brain and has been shown to cross the BBB (Forbes et al., 2022). However, since brain uptake is limited, it may require higher dosing and more extended intake to see results compared to the results seen for muscle gains.

Brain uptake of creatine may be more resistant to it than its uptake in muscles via supplementation. Creatine may also be endogenously synthesized in the brain, and endogenous creatine production may be due to the brain only requiring it when specific challenges arise. Challenges in which the brain may require more creatine include acute situations such as sleep deprivation and an intense workout. Chronic brain needs for creatine include aging, traumatic brain injury, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease.

However, due to studies examining its use for sports performance, creatine needs for brain support are difficult to determine since the needs and populations are different. For instance, a population of healthy athletes compared to people with the major depressive disorder may have different creatine needs.

GAA (glycocyamine) is a precursor to creatine at three grams daily and showed more significant results than using creatine. It has been used for 70-plus years for neurological disorders co-administered with betaine. In animal studies, it was found that creatine brain levels rose significantly with GAA supplementation versus creatine supplementation. The downside is that GAA is not widely available, and more research regarding its safety and efficacy is needed.

Therefore, the current option is creatine which may not yield the same results. For instance, the use of creatine for Parkinson’s disease (PD) is mixed, and doses in studies showed some scores on disease-specific tests at 10 grams; however, upon examination, the disease continued to progress. Mitochondrial damage is common in neurodegenerative diseases, and creatine may act as a scavenger for reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby increasing energy production. Based on this meta-analysis, it is also challenging to determine if creatine is helpful for depression. Some studies suggest that in women, it may be of benefit. There is limited research on creatine’s use for general anxiety disorder (GAD) and PTSD, and thus difficult to conclude whether it is useful or not.

However, creatine appears to reduce symptoms and speed recovery in traumatic brain injuries and concussions. It has also been suggested to be useful prophylactically for TBIs. In the case of prophylactic use, creatine may be helpful for those participating in contact sports. Discuss with your health professional about adding in daily creatine supplementation.

Bottom line

Depression, GAD, PTSD, PD, and head injuries may benefit from creatine supplementation, with much evidence supporting its use for concussions and protection from potential head injury symptoms. Those who play contact sports may warrant its use as a protective measure. It may still be beneficial to try creatine for PD, GAD, PTSD, and depression on a trial basis to determine if it is effective or not. Always discuss usage with a health professional who understands the safety and efficacy at the individual level.

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Source

Forbes SC, Cordingley DM, Cornish SM, Gualano B, Roschel H, Ostojic SM, Rawson ES, Roy BD, Prokopidis K, Giannos P, Candow DG. Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Brain Function and Health. Nutrients. 2022; 14(5):921. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14050921