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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by uncouth on November 7, 2011, at 8:28:45
anyone have any experience with supplementing with creatine for depression or bipolar depression?
why would I use creatine and not coq10 or acetyl-l-carnitine or other compounds involved in cellular energy metabolism?
i'm going to try it, i have used it before, and now that I am exercising a lot, would like to see if it helps endurance and recovery too.
comments on its use for mood?
Posted by sk85 on November 7, 2011, at 14:41:04
In reply to creatine?, posted by uncouth on November 7, 2011, at 8:28:45
> anyone have any experience with supplementing with creatine for depression or bipolar depression?
>
> why would I use creatine and not coq10 or acetyl-l-carnitine or other compounds involved in cellular energy metabolism?
>
> i'm going to try it, i have used it before, and now that I am exercising a lot, would like to see if it helps endurance and recovery too.
>
> comments on its use for mood?There was one interesting study recently where it was shown that creatine is anti-depressant in women (that is in female rats) and depressogenic in males.
http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v35/n2/abs/npp2009160a.html
Although they also said that creatine could sensitize SSRI treatment response in men and boost antidepressant efficacy.-Ikaros
Posted by Duncan on November 8, 2011, at 14:13:42
In reply to creatine?, posted by uncouth on November 7, 2011, at 8:28:45
I took creatine earlier this year. I found it stimulating, and I'm hypersensitive to stimulants, so I took a very low dose -- half a capsule, about 500 mg. It would lift my mood somewhat during the day, then late in the evening, as its effects began to wear off, I'd feel tired and glum. This is the same thing that happens to me when I have caffeine, although creatine isn't as stimulating as caffeine. When I'd try taking creatine later in the day, it would interfere with my sleep. The University of Utah is testing creatine for depression and uridine for bipolar disorder. Here's a story about the studies:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=13451540
Posted by Duncan on November 9, 2011, at 11:05:31
In reply to Re: creatine?, posted by Duncan on November 8, 2011, at 14:13:42
In a small study (eight unipolar and two bipolar patients) of creatine, both bipolar patients developed hypomania or mania. All of the unipolar patients on creatine improved.
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.
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