Creatine for Treatment of Depression Associated With Type 2 Diabetes

Creatine for Treatment of Depression Associated With Type 2 Diabetes

The investigators hypothesize that the administration of a widely available, naturally occurring dietary supplement, creatine monohydrate, will reduce the severity of depression in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study is to determine whether 12 weeks of creatine supplementation is an effective treatment for depression in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Depression is a debilitating illness associated with diminished quality of life and significant personal and societal costs. Depression is twice as common in those with type 2 diabetes compared to the general population. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed as treatment for depression; however, they may not be the optimal treatment for people with type 2 diabetes. Creatine has been shown to decrease symptoms of depression in many types of individuals when used over the course of 8 weeks or more. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether creatine can decrease symptoms of depression in individuals with type 2 diabetes when taken daily for 12 weeks. This study also investigates how creatine impacts brain chemistry as creatine decreases depressive symptoms.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Current diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder identified by the SCID-5-RV
• Current HAM-D score of > 16
• Current type 2 diabetes (as confirmed by clinical history and baseline glycosylated hemoglobin percentage (HgA1c) > 6.5.
• Diabetes type II present for at least one year

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder, identified by the SCID-5-RV
• History of or current diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD)
• Electrolyte disturbance (hypokalemia, hyperkalemia, hyponatremia, or hypernatremia) on screening basic metabolic panel
• History of cardiac disease or QTc >500ms on screening EKG
• History of diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state
• History of seizure disorder
• Current serious suicide risk identified by the Columbia Severity Suicide Rating Scale
• Positive pregnancy test
• Breastfeeding
• Contraindication to an MRI scan
• Current incarceration