The Study
The Effect of Creatine Monohydrate on Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials: Effet du monohydrate de créatine sur les troubles mentaux : examen systématique des essais contrôlés à répartition aléatoire
This study looked at several small experiments where people took creatine pills along with their regular depression treatment. It found that in some cases, people felt a little better, but not always. So we can't say creatine definitely fixes depression, but it might help some people when used with other treatments.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review.
Where the score came from
Scientists tested if taking creatine (a supplement usually for athletes) along with depression treatments like pills or therapy could help people feel better.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 565 / 100
Quality score
The highest quality evidence. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that pool randomized controlled trials, giving the most reliable summary of experimental evidence.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — for some adults with depression not helped by meds alone, creatine nearly doubled the chance of recovery and cut symptoms significantly, making it a promising add-on.
- 2Creatine helped adults feel much better when added to antidepressants (52% got better vs 26% on placebo) or therapy (PHQ-9 score dropped by 6.1 points).
- 3It didn't help teens on antidepressants or people with bipolar depression.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie
Year
2026
Authors
Bassam Jeryous Fares, Carl Zhou, Nicholas Fabiano, S. Wong, Brendon Stubbs, R. Shorr, David Puder, D. Candow, Sergej M. Ostojic, Marco Solmi
Related Content
Claims (6)
In adults with major depressive disorder, taking 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for 8 weeks along with escitalopram results in a 52% remission rate, compared to a 25.9% remission rate with escitalopram and a placebo.
In adults with major depressive disorder who are not taking antidepressants, taking 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for 8 weeks along with cognitive behavioral therapy results in a 6.1-point greater reduction in depressive symptoms on the PHQ-9 scale compared to placebo.
Adding creatine monohydrate to standard mood medications does not reduce depressive symptoms in adults with bipolar disorder, though a few individuals experienced hypomanic or manic episodes.
In adults with major depressive disorder, taking 5–10 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for 4 to 8 weeks is associated with mild gastrointestinal side effects but does not increase the rate of serious adverse events compared to a placebo.
In adolescent females with major depressive disorder taking SSRIs, creatine monohydrate supplementation does not reduce depressive symptoms, even though it increases phosphocreatine levels in the frontal lobe.
Taking creatine supplements does not significantly change how the brain works.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.