2008 Woodie Awards
Tuesdays With Martha
Martha Seagrave, PA-C
Issue date: 4/18/06 Section: Columns
- Page 1 of 1
Dear Martha,
I have been working out for the past couple of months, running 3 days a week and lifting 3-4 times a week. I really want to get stronger and I have been hearing about different supplements. I don't want to mess up my body with steroids, but what is the deal with creatine?
Does it work? Is it safe?
Signed,
Popeye
Dear Popeye,
This weather has gotten a lot of us couch potatoes out on the trails. After a period of inactivity, it feels like you will never achieve buff status. But fear not, it will come. You are pursuing the single best way to build up your muscles; using them!
As for creatine, the jury is out. Creatine increases weight. If this is your goal, we know that it works. Most of this is water retention. There may be a slight increase in muscle mass as well. Used as directed it can result in weight gain which you may not lose after stopping the creatine. In terms of functional benefit, the studies are not conclusive. There was one study in previously untrained individuals that noted a little improvement in strength training, but in trained athletes, benefits have not been appreciable and it has not been shown to enhance aerobic performance at all.
I spoke with Neal Sand, Athletic Trainer at UVM who has had experience working with athletes who used creatine at his previous school and his athletes said that it made them feel bigger, clothes were tighter so they felt more buff walking around, but he did not note any significant performance enhancement. He pointed out that you can spend money on something (creatine) that doesn't really work well or you can cut down on partying and see significant benefits and save money! Athletic Medicine and the Center for Health and Wellbeing at UVM strongly recommend against the use of creatine or any supposed performance enhancing supplements.
In terms of safety, studies have only been done for short term use. In those cases, in healthy, young athletes, there were no significant short term side effects. It does affect the kidneys and so in individuals who already have kidney problems this can be dangerous. Maintaining adequate fluid intake during use is crucial and ignoring this can impair kidney function. Because of the kidney effect and the increased fluid retention, it can increase blood pressure. Side effects can also include muscle cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Creatine is not regulated by the FDA, so purity can be a problem. Impurities can be carcinogenic (cancer causing) or toxic. I do not know of any good guidelines available to rate purity.
As you probably can tell, I am not a fan of creatine. We just don't know enough. I recommend a well balanced diet, regular exercise, and working with a certified athletic trainer to enhance performance. If you choose to use creatine, try to identify a reliable brand, do not exceed the recommended dose, drink plenty of fluids and keep your use short term-1-2 months maximum.
Later and see you on the bike path,
Martha
I have been working out for the past couple of months, running 3 days a week and lifting 3-4 times a week. I really want to get stronger and I have been hearing about different supplements. I don't want to mess up my body with steroids, but what is the deal with creatine?
Does it work? Is it safe?
Signed,
Popeye
Dear Popeye,
This weather has gotten a lot of us couch potatoes out on the trails. After a period of inactivity, it feels like you will never achieve buff status. But fear not, it will come. You are pursuing the single best way to build up your muscles; using them!
As for creatine, the jury is out. Creatine increases weight. If this is your goal, we know that it works. Most of this is water retention. There may be a slight increase in muscle mass as well. Used as directed it can result in weight gain which you may not lose after stopping the creatine. In terms of functional benefit, the studies are not conclusive. There was one study in previously untrained individuals that noted a little improvement in strength training, but in trained athletes, benefits have not been appreciable and it has not been shown to enhance aerobic performance at all.
I spoke with Neal Sand, Athletic Trainer at UVM who has had experience working with athletes who used creatine at his previous school and his athletes said that it made them feel bigger, clothes were tighter so they felt more buff walking around, but he did not note any significant performance enhancement. He pointed out that you can spend money on something (creatine) that doesn't really work well or you can cut down on partying and see significant benefits and save money! Athletic Medicine and the Center for Health and Wellbeing at UVM strongly recommend against the use of creatine or any supposed performance enhancing supplements.
In terms of safety, studies have only been done for short term use. In those cases, in healthy, young athletes, there were no significant short term side effects. It does affect the kidneys and so in individuals who already have kidney problems this can be dangerous. Maintaining adequate fluid intake during use is crucial and ignoring this can impair kidney function. Because of the kidney effect and the increased fluid retention, it can increase blood pressure. Side effects can also include muscle cramping, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Creatine is not regulated by the FDA, so purity can be a problem. Impurities can be carcinogenic (cancer causing) or toxic. I do not know of any good guidelines available to rate purity.
As you probably can tell, I am not a fan of creatine. We just don't know enough. I recommend a well balanced diet, regular exercise, and working with a certified athletic trainer to enhance performance. If you choose to use creatine, try to identify a reliable brand, do not exceed the recommended dose, drink plenty of fluids and keep your use short term-1-2 months maximum.
Later and see you on the bike path,
Martha
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