By KiddieDaily Editors · Jun 30, 2026 · 2 min read · Ages 10–12 · 3 sources

Scientists say creatine may help fight depression

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Creatine is one of the world's most popular sports supplements, widely used to improve strength and muscle performance.

Now, researchers are exploring whether it could have benefits far beyond the gym. A new systematic review published in Brain Medicine examined whether creatine might help relieve depression by supporting the brain's energy needs. The findings offer cautious optimism, but they also highlight how much remains unknown.

While some clinical trials reported meaningful improvements in depression symptoms, others found no benefit at all, leaving scientists with an intriguing question rather than a clear answer. Instead of conducting a new experiment, researchers led by Bassam Jeryous Fares of the University of Ottawa analyzed existing research. After reviewing the available literature, they identified six published reports covering five randomized controlled trials, in which participants received either creatine or a placebo without knowing which treatment they were taking.

The studies were carried out in South Korea, the United States, Brazil, Israel, and India. Together, they included 238 participants at the start of the trials, with 126 receiving creatine and 112 receiving placebo. Participants averaged 36 years of age, and most were women.

Two of the studies enrolled only women. Four trials focused on people with major depressive disorder, while one involved participants with bipolar disorder who were experiencing a depressive episode. Because the studies differed substantially in their design and methods, the researchers did not combine the data into a single statistical analysis.

Instead, they evaluated each study individually. Two of the five trials, both involving women with major depressive disorder, found that creatine provided additional benefits. In one study, participants who took five grams of creatine each day alongside the antidepressant escitalopram experienced greater reductions in depressive symptoms after eight weeks than those receiving escitalopram with a placebo.

The improvement was considered large by conventional statistical standards, with a Cohen's d of 1.13 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and more participants achieved remission. Another study paired creatine with cognitive behavioral therapy. Participants receiving creatine showed a greater reduction in depression symptoms on a standard assessment than those receiving therapy with a placebo.

The remaining three trials, however, found no meaningful benefit. One study reported that neither five nor ten grams of creatine per day improved symptoms in people whose depression had not responded to medication. Another found no advantage over placebo among adolescent girls, even when different doses were tested.

A third trial involving people with bipolar disorder also showed no improvement.

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