By The Health Center Staff
Gary Green, M.D. specializes in Sports Medicine and recently sat down for an interview about the pros and cons of the use of the frequently used sports supplement creatine. We asked the following question: What are the benefits and risks of creatine?
In order to frame the debate on creatine, it must be approached from a risk/benefit perspective. For example, in the case of a substance that has the potential for a large benefit, a fair amount of risk is acceptable. On the other hand, if a substance has minimal or no benefit, even a small amount of risk is not acceptable.
In terms of benefits, creatine has been shown to be beneficial for repetitive, short-burst activities. It has not been shown to be helpful in endurance activity, the type that most college students engage in. While it has demonstrated some benefits in laboratory settings, it has not been shown to be helpful in athletic competition.
Given that the benefit of creatine for the majority of athletes is small, the risk must be examined in that light. It seems apparent that the risks of creatine are low for healthy people with fully functional kidneys and normal blood pressure. The risk of kidney damage is probably limited to those people with reduced kidney function. Although this risk is low, it raises the question as to how creatine is labeled and the knowledge base of people who are selling the product.
In my opinion, the most dangerous side effect of creatine is increased compartment pressures in the lower extremities. Compartment syndromes occur when the pressure in one of the compartments of the leg rises to levels that compromise the arterial and venous flow of the leg. It often requires a major surgical procedure to correct it and if untreated can result in loss of the leg.
In summary, creatine may be useful in certain activities but cannot be recommended for the majority of athletes who currently use it. The small, but significant, risks associated with its use should be considered before using a product that has limited benefits.
— Needs some healthy hints? E-mail Nancy.Safinick@pepperdine.edu.
January 16, 2003