Creatine is NOT 100% safe and may lead to seizures. - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

Just-A-Boy · 12-07-2004, 04:27 AM

First off nothing is 100% safe, even the water you drink or the air you breathe.

Many people assume that creatine is safe, because it naturally occurs in the body. So what! So does 5-HP (Serotonin) and taking suppelements such as 5-Hydroxytryptophan may lead to Serotonin syndrome which can be fatal. L-Glutamine in large doses taken on an empty stomach is neurotoxic and not recommended by many physicians.

Creatine supplementation is toxic and may lead to seizures. You could review the adverse effects on creatine at the Food & Drug Administration site.

I had very negative experience with creatine, I have experienced facial tics after 30 mins of consuming creatine.

It amazes me how people recommend supplements to one and another, without discussing adverse side effects.

When I am at the gym, with my friends or work out partner... I never bring up the conversation about supplements and if I see a supplement I want to try, I do my own research and make my own choices. If a friend, asks for my advice, I always tell them to do their own research, because in the end you dont want to be responsible for whatever happens.

I do understand that everyone is different, and results & side effects vary person to person, but I still recommend people to do their own research on supplement they plan to take and not go by someones advice.

I always study the ingredients and their pro's and con's and only then, I will read personal experiences at the health boards...

ChappyBoy · 12-07-2004, 06:42 AM

Thats some of the best advice I have seen on these boards. When doing research look for TRUE studies with statistical significance. I would also recommend investigating who is paying for a study. Never trust a report in a muscle mag, they all own the supplement companies!

johnd · 12-07-2004, 09:48 AM

while thats a great post in the sense that everyone should do their own research, the nature of the warning you issued about siezures simply highlights it.
siezures may in fact be a possible side affect (though in all the studies i have read, i dont recall it ever being mentioned), but so are heart attacks from cold medicine. Are you going to tell people not to take sudafed because it may give them a heart attack?
that said, again, i absolutely agree with you about the need to do your own research, i just felt that part of the post was a bit misleading.

johnd

redlinestar · 12-07-2004, 10:50 AM

I nominate this thread for the most misleading title award!

Somebody in another thread about creatine said it's 100% safe and I disagreed. If a person follows the directions and has everything else in order, they -shouldn't- have any problems. Creatine is very safe, not 100% safe, but very safe. I know what you're saying, and it needs to be said, possibly with a sticky thread at the top of the forum, but jeeeeeez! You could have said it differently. OBVIOUSLY, no supplements are 100% safe. OBVIOUSLY, people need to do their own research and ask questions about supplements. OBVIOUSLY some people are going to react differently to different foods/drugs/supplements/compounds/environments/etc/etc! I have never EVER heard anyone describe having seizures while taking creatine. Is is possible? Absolutely, anything is possible. It is not probable in the majority of users. You had facial tics after taking creatine. Good for you. Thousands upon thousands of people never experience negative side effects. They may be bummed when the cycle is over to lose that water weight, but they should already know that's going to happen. To assume that creatine is completely safe because it is made naturally in the body is naive, so I will agree with you there. My guess is that people who suggest creatine are more than likely going off of creatine's fairly long track record of safety, various clinical studies, and the countless number and variety of people that have used it and -actually- lived to tell about it.

As for the FDA...Trying to find any information on their website is damn near impossible, and even IF you find what you're looking for, you can't understand the reports without the technical background to read lab reports.

ChappyBoy · 12-07-2004, 01:04 PM

Wether you agree or disagree that creatine is pure evil is a secondary point. I think the overall point of the post is do your own research, and research meaning more than asking the biggest guy at your local gym. There are tons of products out there that are not well regulated, some can hurt you, some can hurt your wallet. If your going to go to all the trouble of working out and dieting be careful of what you put in your body.