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Is creatine supplementation safe for my child?

Is creatine supplementation safe for my child?


Answer: Based on the fact that there is very little data on the use of creatine supplements for youth athletes, and for ethical reasons there probably never will be, most professionals (including the dotFIT Research & Development team) recommend that the athlete wait until they have completed puberty or reach the age of 18 before using any potential performance enhancing supplement. This includes creatine.


More info

For obvious reasons, studies on performance enhancing supplements are not performed on developing children or pregnant females. That said, there have been over 500 clinical studies that have documented creatine supplementation to be a safe and effective means of improving athletic performance in adult athletes.

Below is the position of the International Society of Sports Nutrition on the use of creatine supplementation:

It is the position of the International Society of Sports Nutrition that the use of creatine as a nutritional supplement within established guidelines is safe, effective, and ethical. Despite lingering myths concerning creatine supplementation in conjunction with exercise, CM (creatine monohydrate) remains one of the most extensively studied, as well as effective, nutritional aids available to athletes. Hundreds of studies have shown the effectiveness of CM supplementation in improving anaerobic capacity, strength, and lean body mass in conjunction with training. In addition, CM has repeatedly been reported to be safe, as well as possibly beneficial in preventing injury. Finally, the future of creatine research looks bright regarding the areas of transport mechanisms, improved muscle retention, and treatment of numerous clinical maladies via supplementation.

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