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Effects of creatine use on the athlete's kidney
William B Farquhar1, Edward J Zambraski
1HRCA Research and Training Institute, Harvard Division on Aging, 1200 Centre Street, Boston, MA 02131, USA. farquhar@mail.hrca.harvard.edu
Current Sports Medicine Reports
|July 2, 2003
Summary
Creatine monohydrate is a popular sports supplement. Current research suggests it is safe for healthy kidneys, but long-term effects require further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Nutritional Science
- Nephrology
Background:
- Creatine monohydrate is the most common ergogenic aid used by athletes for performance enhancement.
- Athletes often use high loading doses, with typical intakes around 20 g/d.
- The kidneys play a crucial role in excreting ingested creatine and its metabolite, creatinine.
Observation:
- Most ingested creatine (>90%) is processed by the kidneys and excreted in urine.
- Studies indicate that healthy kidneys can handle creatine excretion without impairing renal function.
- Isolated reports of renal dysfunction exist, but causality is not established in healthy individuals.
Findings:
- In healthy individuals, creatine supplementation does not appear to adversely affect kidney function.
- The impact of creatine on individuals with pre-existing kidney conditions or impaired filtration is predicted to be different.
- Limited studies on chronic creatine use (months to years) have not revealed significant adverse renal changes.
Implications:
- Physicians should exercise caution regarding long-term creatine supplementation safety in athletes.
- Further research is needed to assess potential long-term effects on blood pressure, protein excretion, and glomerular filtration.
- The safety of habitual creatine use, especially in specific populations, remains an area requiring more data.