Creatine - Effects on the Body

Effects on the Body

Creatine supplement use has been shown to raise the levels of stored creatine in muscles. Plus, research has revealed it does lead to modest gains in strength during anaerobic exerciseShort, strenuous exercises that require sudden bursts of strength, such as weight lifting and batting a baseball.. In most people, use of creatine supplements does not improve performance in aerobic exercisesExercises performed to increase heart health and stamina, such as jogging, biking, and swimming, usually lasting between twenty minutes and an hour. or sustained periods of activity. Creatine users claim that the substance helps them to "bulk up," or gain muscle mass. This is the case, but the weight gain stems only from retained water within muscle cells.

Small research studies show creatine supplements benefit people who have diseases that cause muscle degeneration, such as muscular dystrophy. Gerhard Gscheidle/Peter Arnold, Inc.
Small research studies show creatine supplements benefit people who have diseases that cause muscle degeneration, such as muscular dystrophy. © Gerhard Gscheidle/Peter Arnold, Inc.

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The water retention is just one of the dangers of creatine use. One of the most common side effects of using creatine supplements is dehydration, or a drying-out of body tissues. Taking creatine mixed in a caffeinated beverage, such as coffee or some soft drinks, increases the risk of dehydration. Athletes who work out briskly at higher temperatures risk heat strokeA condition resulting from longtime exposure to high temperatures; symptoms include an inability to sweat, a very high body temperature, and, eventually, passing out. and, ultimately, kidney damage due to dehydration. Other reported side effects of high doses of creatine include nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, and an increased risk of muscle strain.

Whether muscle strain is linked to creatine use is highly debated. Some studies suggest that creatine use encourages athletes to work out harder and longer, while their bodies reap little benefit from the extra creatine. This psychological component of creatine use can be a factor in painful muscle strains or cramping.

How does using creatine affect children and teens who are still growing? As of 2005, no answers were available. Long-range studies of creatine use had not been completed. Doctors recommend that children and teens avoid all use of creatine, no matter how tempted they might be to "bulk up." A Sports Illustrated story on sports supplements quoted Dr. Arthur Grollman of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He observed: "Basically, anyone who uses these products is a human lab rat."

Case in point: In the Journal of Toxicology: Clinical Toxicology, Christine A. Haller and her colleagues discussed whether seizures are linked to dietary supplements. They noted that although creatine has not been linked with seizures in published studies, "the California Poison Control System has received a few … reports of seizures in young athletes who were allegedly taking only creatine. This potential association between creatine use and seizures requires further investigation."