Researchers looked at 11 different studies involving over 1,000 people to see if creatine supplements could help reduce depression symptoms. Creatine is a natural substance that helps muscles work, but some scientists wondered if it might also help the brain. The analysis found that creatine might provide a small benefit, but the improvement was too tiny to really matter in real life. The evidence isn’t strong enough yet to recommend creatine as a depression treatment, and researchers say we need bigger, better studies before we can be sure.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Does taking creatine supplements help reduce depression symptoms compared to a fake pill (placebo)?
  • Who participated: 11 different research studies with a total of 1,093 people. Some had depression diagnoses, while others didn’t. Ages and other details varied across the studies.
  • Key finding: Creatine showed a small improvement in depression scores—about 2.2 points on a 17-point scale—but this is smaller than what doctors consider a meaningful improvement (which is 3 points or more). The evidence is very uncertain.
  • What it means for you: While creatine might help a little bit, the benefit is probably too small to notice in everyday life. Don’t use creatine as your main treatment for depression. Talk to a doctor about proven treatments like therapy or medication instead.

The Research Details

Scientists searched through medical databases to find all published studies that tested creatine against a placebo (fake pill) in people with or without depression. They found 11 studies that met their quality standards. They combined the results from all these studies using a special statistical method called meta-analysis, which allows researchers to see the big picture by looking at many studies together.

The researchers were very careful about checking the quality of each study. They looked for things like whether the studies were designed fairly, whether people were randomly assigned to get creatine or placebo, and whether the results might be biased. They also rated how confident they could be in the overall findings using a system called GRADE, which helps readers understand how strong the evidence really is.

This approach is powerful because it combines information from many smaller studies to get a clearer answer than any single study could provide. However, the strength of the conclusion depends on how good the individual studies were.

A meta-analysis is important because single studies can sometimes give misleading results by chance. By combining 11 studies together, researchers can see if the findings are consistent and reliable. This approach helps separate real effects from lucky accidents. However, if the individual studies have problems, those problems get combined too.

The researchers rated the evidence as ‘very low quality,’ which means we should be cautious about the results. There was substantial disagreement between studies (called heterogeneity), meaning they didn’t all show the same results. The researchers also found signs that studies showing bigger benefits for creatine might be more likely to get published, which could make creatine look better than it really is. The improvement found was smaller than what doctors consider clinically meaningful.

What the Results Show

When combining all 11 studies, creatine showed a small reduction in depression symptoms compared to placebo. On a standard depression rating scale, the improvement was about 2.2 points. To put this in perspective, doctors generally consider an improvement of 3 points or more to be meaningful enough that patients would actually notice it in their daily lives.

The confidence interval (a range showing where the true effect likely falls) was -0.70 to -0.00, which means the true benefit could be anywhere from small to essentially zero. This wide range shows there’s a lot of uncertainty. The studies didn’t all agree with each other—some showed bigger benefits while others showed smaller ones, suggesting that creatine might work better for some people than others.

When researchers looked specifically at people who had been diagnosed with depression, the benefits appeared slightly larger. However, even in this group, the improvement was still below what doctors consider clinically important. The researchers also found evidence suggesting that studies showing bigger benefits might be more likely to have been published, which could make creatine look better than it actually is.

For remission (meaning depression symptoms went away completely), creatine showed a more promising result. People taking creatine were about 3.6 times more likely to go into remission compared to those taking placebo. However, this finding was based on only 3 studies with relatively few participants. For treatment response (meaning symptoms improved significantly but didn’t disappear), creatine did not show a benefit compared to placebo.

This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis combining all the creatine and depression studies together. Previous individual studies had suggested creatine might help, but they were small and sometimes showed conflicting results. This comprehensive analysis provides a clearer picture by combining all available evidence. The findings suggest that while creatine might have some effect, it’s much smaller than some earlier studies suggested.

Several important limitations affect how much we can trust these results. First, the studies included were not all high quality—some had design problems that could have biased the results. Second, the studies disagreed with each other quite a bit, suggesting that creatine might work differently depending on the person or study conditions. Third, there’s evidence that studies showing bigger benefits for creatine were more likely to be published, which makes creatine look better than it might actually be. Fourth, the improvement found was smaller than what patients would actually notice. Finally, most studies were small, so larger studies might show different results.

The Bottom Line

Based on very low-quality evidence, creatine may provide a small benefit for depression symptoms, but this benefit is likely too small to matter in real life. It should not be used as a main treatment for depression. If you have depression, proven treatments like therapy, medication, or both should be your first choice. You might discuss creatine with your doctor as a possible add-on to standard treatment, but don’t expect major improvements. Confidence level: Very Low.

People with depression who are interested in all possible treatment options might want to know about this research. However, this finding is not strong enough to recommend creatine to anyone as a primary depression treatment. People taking medications for depression should talk to their doctor before adding creatine, as there could be interactions. This research is not relevant for people without depression.

If creatine does help with depression, benefits would likely appear within 4-8 weeks based on the studies reviewed. However, given the small effect size, many people might not notice any difference. Standard depression treatments like therapy or medication typically show noticeable improvements within 2-4 weeks for many people.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If you decide to try creatine with your doctor’s approval, track your mood daily using a simple 1-10 scale and note any changes in sleep, energy, or motivation over 8 weeks. Record whether you’re taking creatine consistently to see if there’s any connection.
  • If exploring creatine, the typical dose in studies was 5 grams per day. However, focus first on proven depression treatments: regular exercise, consistent sleep schedule, social connection, and therapy. Use the app to track these foundational habits alongside any supplement use.
  • Monitor depression symptoms weekly using a standardized scale (like the PHQ-9). Track creatine intake daily. After 8 weeks, compare your baseline mood scores to current scores. If no improvement occurs, discontinue and focus on evidence-based treatments. Share results with your healthcare provider.

This research suggests creatine may have a very small effect on depression, but the evidence is very uncertain and the improvement is likely too small to matter clinically. Creatine should not replace proven depression treatments like therapy, medication, or both. If you have depression, please talk to a doctor or mental health professional before starting any supplement. This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting new supplements, especially if you take medications for depression or other conditions.