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Is Creatine Safe?
This fear over the safety of creatine has been usually generated from some hysterical news report or poorly researched article. It’s odd, but predictable that the media and conservative medical establishment have desperately tried to paint creatine as an inherently dangerous or “poorly researched” dietary supplement. The fact is, creatine may be the most extensively researched performance—enhancing supplement of all time, with a somewhat astounding safety record. True to form, the “don’t confuse us with the facts” media and anti-supplement conservative medical groups have had no problems ignoring the extensive safety data on creatine, or simply inventing safety worries where none exists. A perfect example of this was the news report that mentioned the deaths of three high school wrestlers who died after putting on rubber suits and riding a stationary bike in a sauna to lose weight. Amazingly, their deaths were linked to creatine by the media, rather than extreme dehydration! Even more amazingly, on further examination, it was found that two of the three wrestlers were not using creatine! Creatine has been blamed for all sorts of effects, from muscle cramps to dehydration, to increased injuries in athletes. However, these effects have been looked at extensively by researchers without a single study reporting side effects among several groups taking creatine for various medical reasons over five years.
In some, but not all people, creatine can raise a metabolic byproduct of creatine metabolism known as creatinine. Some people–including some medical professionals who should know better–have mistakenly stated that elevated levels of creatinine could damage the kidneys. Elevated creatinine is often a blood indicator, not a cause, of kidney dysfunction. That’s a very important distinction, and several short- and long–term studies have found creatine supplements have no ill effects on the kidney function of healthy people. Though it makes sense that people with pre-existing kidney dysfunction should avoid creatine supplements, it is reassuring to know that creatine supplements were found to have no ill effects on the kidney function of animals with pre-existing kidney failure, showing just how non toxic creatine appears to be for the kidneys. Bottom line, creatine safety has been extensively researched and is far safer than most over-the-counter (OTC) products, including aspirin.
Conclusion
Creatine has a substantial body of research showing it is an effective, safe and worthwhile supplement.
SOURCE: http://www.lef.org
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