Creatine: is it safe?

**MAURER** · 30-Nov-03, 01:02 PM

im not taking creatine as of now. i haven't heard enough about it. do people really know whether its safe? i have tried to find unbiased information on it, but its been tough. it seems like nobody really knows that much about it. anyway, some of my friends have had a lot of good gains after taking it, so im a bit interested in taking it after wrestling season. anybody have an opinion, or does anybody have good scientific, unbiased info on it?

Cort · 30-Nov-03, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Creatine is nothing but a storage sink for high energy phosphate groups, which replenish ATP. It is a natural component of red meat. It is also made from 3 amino acids :arginine, glycine and Methionine. It has been available for over 10 years now.

COUNTLESS studies show it to be safe, but I suppose in about 75 years we should know for sure, in case you want to wait.

Me personally, I don't think it is unsafe.

**MAURER** · 30-Nov-03, 04:01 PM

75 years? damn... i was hoping to know by tomorrow... hehe honestly though i was hopnig some real results might come in a few years not 75... damn

Chain · 30-Nov-03, 06:32 PM

There is no evidence that creaine is harmful in healthy individuals and plenty to show it's safe. The only study I've seen where it posed any kind of even possible health risk was with someone who already had kidney problems. If any complications WERE to arrise from using it, they would be from taking it for a long term. So if you really want to cover all your bases just take it for a month or two and then go off it. Then wait a few months before taking it again. The only thing you really need to do when you're taking creatine is make sure you are getting plenty of water. Do that and you'll be fine.

**MAURER** · 30-Nov-03, 08:07 PM

i heard that creatine may increase the chances of developing kidney stones... any truth to this?

dsade · 30-Nov-03, 11:40 PM

There is some extrapolation that the elimination of creatine's waste product, creatinine - which is chelated (bound to minerals) before elimination - might very slightly elevate the possibility of kidney stones. There is no cause and effect relationship directly established, though the "opinions" I have read put the risk factor at very small.

The health benefits far outway such a small chance for a relatively benign (though painful) side effect.