Currently, a significant clinical trial that is due to find out whether the nutritional supplement creatine is able to decelerate the progression of Parkinson’s disease is being introduced by the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The double-blind, placebo-controlled research is going to be performed at 51 medical centers all over the United States and in Canada, and will involve 1 720 participants with early-stage Parkinson’s disease.
The research will involve participants who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the last five years and who have been undergoing treatment for two years or less with medications increasing dopamine levels in the brain. A lot of common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease result from a loss of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps control movement.
Not approved for anything
Creatine is not approved for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease or any other disorder, however it is commonly believed that it boosts physical activity. Research has indicated that creatine is able to improve mitochondria function, that produce energy inside the cells. There are also some suggestions that creatine may work as an antioxidant preventing damage from compounds that are destructive for brain cells.
"This research is a significant step toward developing a therapy that could alter the course of this destructive disease," NIH Director Dr Elias A. Zerhouni explained in a prepared statement. "The objective is to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from Parkinson’s for an extended period of time than is possible with existing therapies."
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder bringing about various symptoms including: tremors, stiff muscles and slow movement. Whereas some medications are able to lessen symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, there are no proven treatments that decelerate the succession of the disease.
