These findings imply that creatine, a compound commonly used as a nutritional supplement for gaining muscle mass, may have some effect in slowing down the progression of early onset Huntington’s. At present, the full therapeutic uses of creatine are not clear.
“Our data supports the use of creatine early in disease; it is not yet clear how much of an impact creatine will have in symptomatic Huntington's, which is the focus of an on-going, international study,” Rosas said.
While creatine’s effect seemed apparent in brain imaging, participants who had taken the supplement did not perform better on cognitive tests than the control group. The authors noted that creatine might have to be used for much longer periods of time to potentially observe notable results.
Even with the limitations of the study, Rosas is hopeful for the future.
“Our ultimate goal is to find the cure; something I hope will happen in my lifetime,” Rosas said.
—Staff writer Arjun S. Byju can be reached at arjun.byju@thecrimson.com.