The Claim

Creatine monohydrate supplementation at 5g/day for 8 weeks, when combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy, results in a mean reduction of 5.12 points on the PHQ-9 scale in adults with moderate to severe depression, exceeding the minimally clinically important difference of 3 points.

Source: Efficacy and safety profile of oral creatine monohydrate in add-on to cognitive-behavioural therapy in depression: An 8-week pilot, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled feasibility and exploratory trial in an under-resourced area.

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
63score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Cause and effect
1 study reviewed
In plain English

In adults with moderate to severe depression, taking 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for 8 weeks along with cognitive-behavioral therapy leads to a 5.12-point drop in depression symptoms on the PHQ-9 scale, which is greater than the 3-point threshold considered clinically meaningful.

See the scientific wording

Creatine monohydrate supplementation (5g/day) for 8 weeks in adults with moderate to severe depression, when combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy, results in a clinically meaningful reduction in depression symptoms, with a mean difference of 5.12 points on the PHQ-9 scale, which exceeds the minimally clinically important difference of 3 points.

Why this might work

Creatine helps brain cells make more energy, which lets them work better and balance mood-related chemicals, leading to fewer depression symptoms.

Supported mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study

  1. Study: Efficacy and safety profile of oral creatine monohydrate in add-on to cognitive-behavioural therapy in depression: An 8-week pilot, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled feasibility and exploratory trial in an under-resourced area.

    In a small study, people with depression who took creatine daily along with therapy felt significantly better than those who took a fake pill with therapy. The improvement was big enough that doctors consider it meaningful for patients.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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