Study Affirms Creatine’s Safety

More than 10 years after their introduction, creatine supplements are still dogged by the misperception that they are somehow unnatural or unsafe supplements. Like any supplement, creatine is not for everyone. But that’s no excuse to exaggerate its risks. Creatine is a useful, natural nutrient for muscle health and enjoys an excellent safety record, especially when one considers the popularity of creatine supplements, which are used by millions of people on a daily basis.

Yet a lingering perception of danger still taints creatine in some circles.

In 2007 the Division of Pharmacotherapy and Experimental Therapeutics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill reviewed safety studies of creatine with respect to kidney, liver, heart and muscle health. This study, entitled “Safety of creatine supplementation”, concluded that “(t)he majority of clinical studies fail to find an increased incidence of side effects with creatine supplementation. To date, studies have not found clinically significant deviations from normal values in renal, hepatic, cardiac or muscle function.”

This may not have come as a surprise for the many regular users of creatine. But for the many people who were considering using creatine but hesitated due to unwarranted concerns over its safety, this should come as some welcome news.