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Can two natural supplements boost antidepressants?

NCT ID NCT05895747

Disease control Sponsor: University of Utah Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 28, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 2 trial tests whether adding 5-HTP and creatine to standard antidepressants can help people with major depression who have not responded fully to their current medication. Participants take either a low dose, a high dose, or a placebo for 8 weeks. Researchers measure changes in depression symptoms and use brain imaging to see if the supplements affect brain chemistry and connectivity.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and creatine monohydrate
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a new add-on treatment for people whose depression does not fully respond to standard antidepressants.
What could go wrong
This is an early-stage trial, so the supplements may not improve depression symptoms. Possible side effects of 5-HTP and creatine are not fully known in this context.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 2

Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.

Participants

About 106 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Sep 2023

Expected to finish

Sep 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults age 18-65 years inclusive * Current diagnosis of MDD identified by the MINI (Mini Neuropsychiatric Interview) * Current HAM-D17 score of \>= 16 * Adequate adherence to any FDA approved SSRI or SNRI for at least 8 weeks * Right-handed * Residing at \> 4000 ft for at least 12 weeks Exclusion Criteria: * Any non-MDD and non-anxiety psychiatric diagnosis, as identified by the MINI * History of or current diagnosis of renal disease, such as chronic renal failure, acute renal failure or end stage renal disease * Current colitis or diverticulitis * History of or current pulmonary disease (except well controlled asthma) * Current smoking * History of cardiac disease or QTc \> 500ms * History of fibromyalgia or any rheumatological condition * History of or current seizure disorder * Current serious suicide risk identified by the Columbia Severity Suicide Rating Scale * Current treatment with an antipsychotic, mood stabilizer, or non-SSRI/SNRI antidepressant except for bupropion at FDA-approved doses or trazodone up to 200mg, or use of any supplements apart from standard multivitamins * Positive pregnancy test, pregnancy, failure to use adequate birth control method * Previous diagnosis of serotonin syndrome or evidence of serotonin syndrome * Pre-existing eosinophilia (absolute eosinophil count \> 500/uL) * Contraindications to MRI: ferromagnetic implants, implanted devices, claustrophobia

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Major depressive disorder

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Utah Department of Psychiatry

    RECRUITING

    Salt Lake City, Utah, 84108, United States

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