Toward the end of his freshman year, junior Austin Pfenninger said he was not feeling very well.

“I put on ten pounds in a short amount of time just mostly from water, I think, because I was having to drink so much…I was kind of getting more sick from it, and I didn’t feel good,” he said.

Pfenninger said these ailments were the side effects of taking creatine, a legal supplement intended to help athletes work longer and harder during workouts. Pfenninger, who plays football, baseball and runs track, said he took creatine to improve his speed and strength in these sports.

According to a study by the University of Maryland, creatine is growing in popularity among teen athletes, with Americans spending approximately $14 million per year on the product.  Despite this popularity, some studies have shown that creatine may not have many benefits to athletes and may even cause negative side effects, as in Pfenninger’s case.
According to Aaron Bosket, strength and conditioning coach, creatine supplements are designed to help athletes’ bodies recover more quickly during workouts.

“It replenishes the muscle stores of creatine which helps you recover faster between bouts of exercise in the same workout,” Bosket said. “I can maybe do extra sprints if I take creatine supplement. (At least) that’s the theory behind it.”

In addition to the effects Bosket mentioned, the University of Maryland study showed development in muscle mass with the use of creatine, especially during high-intensity exercises like weightlifting. It also showed that the supplement was most effective in young participants around the age of 20.

While creatine may have benefits, the supplement has been reported to have several negative side effects. According to creatine-monohydrate.org, side effects of the supplement may include upset stomach, cramps, vomiting and, most commonly, dehydration. In the most severe cases, creatine has caused kidney problems, anxiety and gastrointestinal complications.

Pfenninger said his conflicts with creatine during his freshman year were caused by drinking too much water in an attempt to counteract dehydration from the product. However, despite his bad experience, Pfenninger said he has started using the product again, but this time with a different brand.

“(The new brand is) micronized so the dosages are a lot smaller, so you don’t have to drink much water with it,” he said. “It’s absorbed a lot quicker so you don’t have to drink that much water after you take it.”

Unlike Pfenninger, Donald Patterson, football player and junior, said he is strongly opposed to the use of creatine and would not use it. Patterson said he does think creatine works, but believes the health risks outweigh the benefits.

“I would never ever take it,” Patterson said. “I don’t trust it. I’ve heard (it causes) kidney stones, that stuff I do not want. I’m not going to risk taking it just to look bigger or something.”
Bosket, however, said while he sees symptoms like dehydration as a risk of creatine, he is critical of studies that warn of more severe health risks with the product such as kidney stones and the possibility of stroke.  He said he believes creatine will not severely damage the body unless taken in extreme doses.

“The body makes creatine anyway, so it’s not like we’re introducing something that is foreign to the body,” Bosket said. “But again, the way scientific studies work is they’ll throw buckets and buckets of creatine down people and then do studies…I don’t know how much of them I would trust.”

Bosket said he disapproves of creatine not because of health risks, but because of a lack of need for it. He said in most cases creatine is already abundant in the body naturally and through the intake of food; therefore, additional supplementation is an unnecessary expense.

“For me, it comes back to, ‘Let’s  first just make sure that we’re eating that balanced diet,’ because I think that you get enough creatine as it is if you just eat a good balanced diet,” Bosket said.“You’re paying a lot of money for (supplements) that I don’t think you need. There’s other ways, cheaper ways, to get it.”

Patterson said he agreed with Bosket in a financial aspect. He said he thinks creatine is not worth the price, with a three month’s supply of the brand Pfenninger buys costing around $40.

“That stuff’s expensive,” Patterson said. “I wouldn’t waste my money buying it just to get stuff that’s going to give me some kidney problem.”

The study done by the University of Maryland also reflects what Bosket said in a biological aspect. It showed that those who benefited most from creatine were those who had natural deficiencies in the chemical.

Bosket said the best way to determine if creatine supplements would be beneficial is to get an individual analysis from a medical professional.

“I would tend to listen more to a physician or dietitian relationship to determine who really needs it and why you need it before we start talking about the supplement use.” Bosket said. “To me, everybody’s body is different, and your level of training is different as far as what you will adapt to and what you won’t.”

The Carmel High School athletic policy toward supplements also advises students to consult a health professional before taking any products.
The policy in the student athletic handbook states, “Carmel High School does not encourage or endorse the use of any type of nutritional supplement. The use of products such as protein supplements, amino acid supplements, creatine, weight gain and/or loss products, etc. is a decision to be made by the student/athlete and their parents. This decision should be made in consultation with a physician.”

Pfenninger said he did not have assistance from a health professional when using creatine, but he does try to stay safe by researching what he buys.

“I try to research a lot of the stuff before I take it online, like, see how it affected other people before I buy it,” he said. “If I think it’s a safe product, then I’ll take it based on what other people reviewed on it.”

Pfenninger said he feels safe enough with the product to continue using it. He said he has had good experiences with creatine aside from the problems he had with it his freshman year.

“I haven’t had any (other) negative effects with it. I feel like I don’t fatigue as quickly when I’m working out, and I can lift longer and go harder,” Pfenninger said. “I think that if you’re safe with it and you take the recommended dosage, then you should be fine.”

Bosket said despite any benefits that creatine may have, he believes natural methods are the best and safest way to go.

According to Bosket, “I know that (supplements are) out there, everybody wants an edge, and the biggest thing that it usually comes back to is that there’s just no substitute for just plain old hard work. And I know we all want the magic pill; I mean, I do, everybody does, but if you just do what’s right, eat the right things, eat regularly, eat enough, there’s just no substitute for hard work.”

In her words: Dawn Weatherwax: Dietitian (RD, CSSD, LD, ATC, CSCS) at Sports Nutrition 2 Go

Before Starting
If the nutrition component isn’t ideal, then any type of supplementation really isn’t going to work optimally. The first priority is nutrient timing; eating the right fix of nutrients at the right time has to come first. Once they do that, if they want to consider looking at creatine, then we’ll take a look.

Fighting the Side Effects
Some will say it might have some negative effects, but the biggest thing with creatine is that you have to make sure that you’re very hydrated. (Creatine) causes water to go from outside the cell to inside the cell, that can cause issues, (such as) cramping or issues like that. You’re going to have to be very hydrated when you’re taking it, and you have to be taking it in the right dosages and you have to be in the right part of your training. The goal is to hydrate half of your weight in fluid ounces a day; plus activity, you’ll generally need a little bit more. I don’t see it as much of a danger unless they don’t take it properly, the product is a poor product, their nutrition is really poor, they’re not hydrating properly or they have some (conflicting) medical condition.

Who should use it?
It’s always good (idea) if you’re under 18 to consult a physician. To me, you should definitely work with a sports dietitian or someone in the medical industry who knows that you’re optimizing the nutrition component, and then if it’s appropriate, consider adding that to the regimen. Most teenagers are pretty healthy, but if you do have somebody who may have some type of medical issue, they should definitely consult a physician. Especially, if they have some kind of kidney or liver problem.

Is it worth it?
If their nutrition is not ideal, then it’s a waste of money. I wouldn’t even touch it. (It also depends on) how old they are and how developed they are. If they’re somebody who’s really underweight and underdeveloped, I wouldn’t even touch it. If it’s someone who’s close to 16, 17, 18 but they’re 6 foot and 200 lbs, then you have somebody totally different on your hands (than) someone who might be chronically underweight. If somebody is considering (creatine), they’re way better spending half an hour consult with a sports dietitian or a licensed professional before they take something so they can understand if they are ideal to take it, and what products (to take) because not all products are the same.

When to use it?
(They should use it) usually in the off-season when they’re lifting really hard and their goal is to put on lean weight. (Use should be) really more around the time you’re trying to put on muscle and with heavy lifting.