Is Creatine Dangerous?
Creatine—the supplement that’s been both hailed as a miracle for gym-goers and demonized as dangerous. If you’ve ever heard someone say, “Don’t take creatine. It’s bad for your kidneys!” or “Creatine will mess up your body,” you’re not alone. But is there any truth to these claims, or is it just another myth that has overstayed its welcome?
What is Creatine, Anyway?
Creatine is not some weird lab-made chemical as some claim. It’s something your body produces on its own from amino acids (the building blocks of protein). You get it from eating foods like red meat and fish. What creatine does is that it boosts your muscles’ ability to produce energy during high-intensity workouts, like intervals or heavy squat sets. By taking creatine as a supplement you can top off those levels and perform a tiny bit better.
So, What’s the Scary Part?
The myth that creatine is dangerous mostly comes from early studies and a whole lot of misinformation. People claim it causes kidney damage, dehydration, muscle cramps, and weight gain. Since creatine hit the supplement scene in the early ’90s, it’s been the subject of over 1,000 studies and has seen billions of servings gulped down by fitness enthusiasts everywhere. And the only consistent “side effect” that has been reported? Weight gain. So it’s safe to conclude that the supposed “dangers” of creatine are mostly just hot air. All those other horror stories? Totally unfounded. So, unless you’re afraid of putting on a little extra muscle mass (spoiler: that’s kind of the whole point), creatine’s track record is about as clean as it gets. The reason for the extra weight comes down to increased water retention. Creatine causes your muscle cells to hold more water. This makes the muscles look fuller and can add a few pounds of weight to the scale. However, this is water weight, not fat.
But despite all the evidence pointing in the other direction, one of the most common scare tactics is still that creatine will wreck your kidneys, but how true is that? The worry stems from the fact that creatine increases the levels of creatinine in your blood—a marker used to assess kidney function. But—and it’s a big but—higher creatinine levels due to creatine supplementation don’t mean your kidneys are damaged. It just means your body is metabolizing the supplement, which is totally normal. Unless you have pre-existing kidney conditions or take way more than the recommended intake (3-5 g per day), creatine isn’t going to suddenly cause issues.
Conclusion
So, if you’re avoiding creatine because you’ve heard it’s dangerous, it’s time to let that myth go. Creatine is one of the most researched supplements out there, and it’s safe for most people when used properly. Unless you’re downing the entire tub in one go (please don’t), you’ve got nothing to worry about.
Keep lifting, keep growing, and don’t let outdated myths hold you back from making gains.
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