Creatine Consumption in Health

Concerns about the deleterious consequences of oral creatine (Cr) supplementation were initiated in Spring 1998. Two British nephrologists published a paper in “The Lancet” suggesting that there is “strong circumstantial evidence that Cr was responsible for the deterioration in renal function” (1) (details given in Section 3.3.2). Three days after this publication a French sport newspaper “L’Equipe” (28th April 1998) stressed that Cr is dangerous for the kidneys, in any condition. This news was handed over to several European newspapers. Cr became the champion’s viagra with eventual death! Indeed, Pritchard and Kalra commented on the case of three American college wrestlers who died (1). This later turned out to be false and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled out Cr supplementation as a primary cause of the deaths of these young athletes (2).