What is creatine?

Creatine is a common supplement used by many athletes to build lean body mass and improve peak performance. It is relatively safe when used by healthy adults when following the guidelines on appropriate dosing. 20 grams/day loading a dose x 5 days and a maintenance dose of <3 grams/day is recommended. Creatine supplementation increases water weight early on, but longer term up to 8 weeks) can increase lean body mass in conjunction with resistance training. Since there is not much data after 8 weeks of supplementation, I cannot recommend use of creatine after 8 weeks.

**Kidney problems can occur when the creatine supplement is overdosed, the athlete has underlying kidney disease that she/he is unaware of or is taking other supplements that may cause kidney damage. 

**IF you are thinking about starting creatine supplementation, I highly recommend seeing your doctor to evaluate your baseline kidney function PRIOR to initiation of a new regimen. 

**Please remember every supplement or medicine can be toxic at a certain dose or toxic to those with underlying medical conditions or toxic when combined with alcohol or other substances (drugs/medicines/supplements).

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