Harmful Side Effects of Creatine

Creatine, a naturally occurring substance in vertebrates, is a nitrogenous acid that assists in supplying energy to the muscles. In case of human beings, half of the creatine is generated in the body (by the liver) and the rest is obtained from ingested food (especially fresh meat). Creatine supplements are widely used today as it increases strength, muscle size and also endurance to some extent. It has become one of the most popular and widely used bodybuilding supplements in the market today. This is because creatine supplements are seen to accelerate strength and muscle size, that exercise alone wouldn't provide. Initially when creatine was introduced, it was somewhat expensive, but people still purchased them as they yielded wonderful muscles. As the number of companies selling creatine in the market increased, competition also increased and the rates became more affordable.

Creatine is one of the most popular sports-related supplements as its primary application is in strength and muscle building, thereby improving performance, as required in high intensity sports. It also gives the person an edge in anaerobic athletic competitions. Since creatine is natural, there is no prohibition on its use for sports persons.

However, the supplement that makes the muscles bigger and stronger has generated concerns among its users. Are creatine supplements safe? Or do they have harmful side effects? Word is floating around that creatine users are more prone to have muscle spasms, pulled muscles and muscle cramps.

The journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, published a report regarding 26 athletes who were regularly taking these supplements for 4 years. The result of the study was that these athletes showed no difference with other athletes who hadn't taken the supplements in the incidence of cramps and spasms. Further, in a 33 year study conducted on American footballers, it was observed that there was no connection between creatine supplements and incidence of injury and cramps.

The September 2004 edition of the International Journal of Sports Medicine said that the side effects of creatine are rare. American football team NCAA Division II was considered for a creatine test and 23 of the team members were provided with creatine supplements (14 gm) for 3 years. Researchers found no harmful effects in their kidney and liver functions. However, there hasn't been any study conducted on the harmful effects of high doses of these supplements.

The intake of creatine supplements by healthy people is considered to be safe, though there are reports of isolated cases, wherein certain individuals have contracted kidney problems after consuming creatine supplements. Therefore, people suffering from liver, kidney or any similar ailments should opt for professional advice from the doctor before taking it. Better safe than sorry!

Though creatine is safe, there are some general side effects. These will vary from person to person. They are:

• Muscle cramps
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Loss of appetite
• Weight gain
• Gas and bloating
• Kidney stones (rarely)
• Dizziness or weakness

Sometimes, the person may also suffer from dehydration. This is because creatine tends to draw water from other areas of the body into the muscle tissue. The above mentioned side effects are not harmful side effects of creatine supplements. These were some of the experiences had by some people in the initial dosage stage or in times of heavy dosage.

There hasn't been any study so far demonstrating the harmful long-term or short-term side effects of taking creatine supplements. However, just because we haven't come across any, doesn't imply that we lose our guard. It's important not to take more than the recommended doses. Stick to this rule and you can continue building up your muscles in peace.