This study is no longer recruiting new participants.
Study Details
We are recruiting women between the ages of 20 and 64 who have depression and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, you must be taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressant medication but still not feeling better.
What is the Name of the Study?
Creatine for Treatment of Depression Associated with Type II Diabetes
What Is Depression and Why Study it in Type II Diabetics?
Depression is often a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person’s everyday life and can prevent a person from functioning normally. Depression can interfere with sleeping, eating, and enjoyment in activities. Sometimes depression will occur once in a person’s life, but it more commonly, it keeps coming back throughout a person’s life. Individuals suffering from depression are often prescribed antidepressants (e.g. SNRI, SSRI) for treatment. Sometimes these medications do not help.
Depression frequently afflicts persons suffering from chronic medical illness, including type II diabetes. Depression is twice as prevalent in people with type II diabetes than in the general population. Depression is associated with poor adherence to diabetes treatment regimens and worse treatment outcomes, including higher risk of experiencing health complications.
What is the Purpose of this Study?
The purpose of this study is to determine if creatine monohydrate is effective in reducing depression in women with depression and type II diabetes who have otherwise not responded to standard antidepressant treatments. Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in the body and we believe that it will help make SSRI or SNRI medications work more effectively and may also change certain chemicals in the brain. By possibly changing the chemicals in the brain, we hope that study participants will feel less depressed as a result of participating in the study and thus become more adherent and vigilant when managing their type II diabetes.
Who Can Participate in the Study?
The following criteria must be met in order to participate in the study:
- Diagnosis of depression and currently feeling depressed.
- Current type II diabetes (present for at least one year prior to this study)
- Female
- Between the ages of 20 and 64 years
- Currently taking an SSRI or SNRI medication for at least 8 weeks
- Willing to sign a permission form to be in the study
- Are comfortable with an MRI scan (i.e., do not suffer from severe claustrophobia or severe back pain)
What Do I Have to do if I am in the Study?
If you are eligible and decide to participate in the study, you will receive a brain scan. Then, you will begin taking creatine daily for 12 weeks. Over the 12 weeks, we will meet 4 times, and during the 12th week, you will receive a second brain scan. At that point, you will discontinue taking the creatine and we will meet two more times. You will be compensated for your time.
What if I Want More Information About the Study?
Feel free to email Lindsay Scholl at lindsay.scholl@utah.edu or call us at 801-386-4773.
