CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
Lay literature is rife with anecdotal reports of things ranging from muscle cramping to as extreme as kidney failure. However typically lay literature is not based on valid, reliable peer reviewed sources. If you perform a Boolean search for creatine AND performance on Medline, with the limits set to the last five years, you come up with numerous hits, or peer reviewed publications.
Although more research is warranted, it is safe to say that creatine has been researched extensively, possible more than any other supplement. It is possible creatine is one of the, if not the, most widely used supplement.
Unless you are an RD (registered dietician) or a physician you SHOULD NOT be recommending supplements to athletes/clients/patients. In extreme cases it may be illegal, and at the very least it is probably a violation of the ethical standards of many well respected professional organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), etc.
However it is not unusual for athlete/patients/clients to ask you questions about supplements they are already taking/are thinking of taking. For this reason it is important to understand how a supplement works, and for what individuals it might be beneficial to improve performance. Workout quality/consistency is important, even for non-athletes. Longer workouts, greater workout intensity, greater workout volume, etc may be of concern for individuals concerned about health, improving functional strength, improving lean body mass (LBM), etc.
QUESTION:
This week the question for the Discussion will address the health aspects of creatine supplementation, as well as the performance aspects. The question is in two parts:
a. For healthy individuals, cleared by a physician for regular physical activity, are there any health risks for creatine use?
b. Based on the literature, what type of physical activities might benefit from creatine supplementation/what type of activities might creatine have no effect OR worsen performance?