Creatine as a Therapeutic Target in Alzheimer's Disease.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review summarizing mechanism-based reasoning and preclinical data without new human data
PubMed 37881206 · doi:10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.102011
What was done
This narrative review synthesized mechanistic reasoning and findings from Alzheimer's disease mouse models to evaluate the therapeutic potential of targeting brain energy metabolism via creatine supplementation.
What was found
No quantitative data are reported in the abstract. Creatine supplementation in Alzheimer's disease mouse models reportedly improves brain bioenergetics, disease biomarkers, and cognition, but zero human clinical trials have tested creatine supplementation in Alzheimer's disease patients.
Why it matters
Targeting brain bioenergetic deficits represents a potential alternative to amyloid-focused therapies in Alzheimer's disease. This review outlines the preclinical rationale to support future clinical trials in human populations.
Limits
The paper is a narrative review that presents no new empirical human data. Findings are limited to animal models, which often fail to translate to humans, and the abstract reports no specific sample sizes, study counts, or quantitative effect sizes.
Cited by
- partial At recommended dosages, creatine has potential anti-cancer properties, speeds up rehabilitation, and shows promise for Alzheimer's disease.