Ridiculous.

[Smooth as Anything]

Creatine
Creatine is an over-the-counter supplement best known for improving performance in sports involving short bursts of high-intensity activity, such as power lifting, wrestling and sprinting. Side effects include stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and muscle cramps. High doses of creatine may be associated with kidney, liver or heart problems, and even high blood pressure, although definitive links to severe illness haven't been established.

Although teens may be taking creatine to bulk up, what actually happens is that your muscles draw water away from the rest of your body. The bulking up you experience is often the result of the extra water stored in your muscles, not increased muscle mass. You don't gain extra strength from water. But you may get seriously dehydrated from the redirection of your body's water to your muscles.

The effects of creatine on children and teens haven't been studied. And most studies of adults have followed participants for only a short time — as little as six weeks — so the long-term effects are unknown.

Androstenedione (andro)
Andro is an over-the-counter supplement purchased under the belief that it boosts testosterone production, which will in turn increase muscle mass, energy and strength. In reality, andro doesn't do any of that.

Side effects of andro differ for men and women. In men it can actually decrease the production of testosterone while increasing the production of estrogen. Side effects in men include acne, diminished sperm production, shrinking of the testicles and enlargement of the breasts. In women, side effects include acne and masculinization, such as deepening of the voice and male-pattern baldness. Andro might also stunt your child's growth.

How widely used are performance-enhancing drugs among teens?

- CNN

Is there truth to any of this? (That isn't clearly biased in the direction of the 'worried parent'.)

 

[FitnessGuy]

I think teens are ok to take creatine if they really want to, although it really isn't needed, especially since teens usually make great gains if they eat enough and lift properly.

I agree about the andro, I don't think teens should take that. I think alot of people take andro and don't realize the consequences. I have a good friend who says if your gonna mess with andro you might as well just buy some test and go on a cycle. At least with test you get better results. The sides of andro and test can both be prevented of course with proper PCT, but that's for another thread, but is there a 100% gaurantee that you can prevent the sides? That's where the dilemna comes in, and not everyone wants to deal with gyno surgery, it's expensive and embarassing. Personally I've never touched any of that stuff and probably won't.

Although teens may be taking creatine to bulk up, what actually happens is that your muscles draw water away from the rest of your body. The bulking up you experience is often the result of the extra water stored in your muscles, not increased muscle mass. You don't gain extra strength from water. But you may get seriously dehydrated from the redirection of your body's water to your muscles.

Gotta comment on this. They make it sound like teens are idiots and don't know that creatine causes water retention in the muscles. Everyone knows that when you take creatine you should drink more water. Anyways you do gain extra strength from the water, it has been proven that because of this water retention gains are increased. Not sure of the specifics but it's a proven fact, and it's why creatine is so succesful as a supplement.

 

[Shiftkey]

CREATINE IS NOT A DRUG!

Why do people always get this confused? Did you know that the average man gets 120g of creatine a day just from regular food? It's like taking extra vitamin C.

Side effects include stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and muscle cramps

"Side effects" that only happen if you don't drink enough water. Strangly these same effects can happen if you don't take creatine...

 

[madgame]

The effects of creatine on children and teens haven't been studied. And most studies of adults have followed participants for only a short time — as little as six weeks — so the long-term effects are unknown.

Last time I read something about creatine it said that there had been plenty of studies about it, over long periods of time also and that none of the POSSIBLE side effects mentioned above had ever been witnessed.

I guess this is another case where you can not tell for sure, which opinion is right, but I find it highly unlikey that there havent been lots of studies about a supplement like creatine. I bet there`ve also been studies about the effects of creatine on children.

Did you know that the average man gets 120g of creatine a day just from regular food?

I know what you mean and I think its hilarious when people (who always happen to be people who dont really know anything about the subject except for what they once heared somebody say...Man I love those self-claimed experts lol) say creatine is some sort of legal steroids.

But are you sure that its as high as 120g ?cause then the 10g of creatine or so you take each day if u supplement ur diet with it would hardly play a part...?(just wondering)

 

[Smooth as Anything]

Originally posted by madgame
But are you sure that its as high as 120g ?cause then the 10g of creatine or so you take each day if u supplement ur diet with it would hardly play a part...?(just wondering)

Probably meant mg.

 

[Shiftkey]

I phrased it wrong. The average man doesn't take in that much a day, but he does have 120 grams stored.

How much Creatine do we have in our body?

This varies based on the amount of muscle mass you have and your weight. On average a 160 pound person would have about 120 grams of creatine stored in their body.

http://www.absolute-creatine.com/

 

[WORKEROUTER]

Im not quite understanding why these passages are being called "ridiculous."

They are totally legit and unbiased, unlike many of the biased and NON-legit info about creatine you find on sites trying to sell their product to you.

However, I do think that the articles should be more specific regarding the studies. But, I too believe that few actual, true studies have been carried out. This is particularly true because the FDA will not certify supplements. Remember to read the site closely before accepting their claims about supplement products--because most likely they're trying to sell them.

 

[Shiftkey]

We Do NOT Sell Any Sports Supplements.

In red, right under the title to my source.

 

[fender85]

Oh that's just beautiful. I love the whole thing . . . the re-direction of water when taking creatine. and how andro supposedly "boosts testosterone production." They're right, it doesn't boost test production, it REPLACES it! And I love how they say that it doesn't give ANY strength or muscle gains . . . Gotta love how these people can just talk RIGHT out of their asses and get away with it.

Chris

 

[J2K]

I can understand the worries about Andro and Anabolics in teens, but creatine and ephedra is rediculous. They have to be taken sensibly and as directed on the directions. Creatine is fine. I don't think it's been used long enough as a supplement to have any studies done on it as to whether or not there is longterm damage. I think it's all extrapolation at this point. If I'm wrong, show me a study. As for ephedra; most of the people dying from it are taking way over the recommended amounts, not drinking enough water with it, exercising in extreme conditions, or are severely obese and have underlying health (heart) problems. In other words, they're being stupid with it. I get the impression that some people get the impression, "well if I take the recommended dose I might lose a few pounds, but what if i double it? Yea, I'll lose twice as much." That's probably what happens with most of these, then they go workout in 100 degree conditions. Some people's bodies just can't handle some supplements. I've got a friend that threw up the first time he took creatine, so he quit taking it, simple as that. I've got a few relatives that took one ephedra product and their heart started racing, they quit taking it. You've got to be smart ... it even says on the bottle to take half the recommended dose if you've never used ephedra or ephedrine alkaloids.

 

[Shiftkey]

As for ephedra; most of the people dying from it are taking way over the recommended amounts, not drinking enough water with it, exercising in extreme conditions, or are severely obese and have underlying health (heart) problems. In other words, they're being stupid with it.

Wasn't it only one guy?

I've got a friend that threw up the first time he took creatine, so he quit taking it, simple as that.

He threw up from dehydration, not from the creatine. He probably wasn't even drinking enough before using creatine and taking the creatine just put him over the edge.

 

[J2K]

Originally posted by Shiftkey
Wasn't it only one guy?



He threw up from dehydration, not from the creatine. He probably wasn't even drinking enough before using creatine and taking the creatine just put him over the edge.

There was an article in the school paper today about the government banning supplements. It said that 157 people have died from ephedra related deaths, EVER. 157, that's about how many people die in the U.S. on weekends due to alcohol related deaths. I support GW Bush on almost everything, but this is just ludacris banning ephedra. 157 documented deaths ... I'm not sure how many people asprin kills, but I know it's at least 157, PER YEAR.

On the creatine you're probably right. Knowing my friend, he proabably mixed it with some Jim Beam.

 

[Antimatter235]

Originally posted by fender85
Oh that's just beautiful. I love the whole thing . . . the re-direction of water when taking creatine. and how andro supposedly "boosts testosterone production." They're right, it doesn't boost test production, it REPLACES it! And I love how they say that it doesn't give ANY strength or muscle gains . . . Gotta love how these people can just talk RIGHT out of their asses and get away with it.

Chris

Andro is not a steroid. Its a precursor which is naturally converted into testosterone in the liver by a specific enzyme. It has no activity in itself.
But while its natural testosterone of course abusing the stuff would trigger an unbalance like taking an actual steroid.