2008 Woodie Awards
A weighty decision: To use or not to use
Erich Pilcher & Brandon Williams
Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: Feature
- Page 1 of 1
In today's world it is very common for people to want to improve the way their body looks. "In our society, women can't get skinny enough and guys can't get big enough," said Jason Campbell, a manager at Nutri Sport which sells numerous types of creatine and supplements.
Supplements are becoming a common way for athletes and fitness buffs to give themselves a boost in strength for workout sessions to try to improve the amount of strength gained during workouts; one of the most popular of these being creatine.
According to MedlinePlus, a Web site sponsored by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health that provides health information, creatine is naturally created in the human body from amino acids, mostly in the kidney and liver. In the 1970s Soviet scientists declared that taking creatine orally could improve physical performance for short, intense activities.
MedlinePlus noted that "Published reports suggest that approximately 25 percent of professional baseball players and up to 50 percent of professional football players consume creatine supplements." MedlinePlus added that adolescent athletes are also common users.
"A lot of young people are taking creatine these days," said Campbell, "There's not many negative side effects. If you're taking an efficient form of creatine then there shouldn't be any side effects."
For those who happen to have side effects, they generally range from loss of appetite, muscle cramps, nausea, weight gain and increased body mass.
Users of creatine will want to stay hydrated, take it in proper doses according to the instructions on the product and have high-energy workouts.
"To get a lot out of creatine you need to go 110 percent to get the most out of it," Campbell said.
Before attempting to use creatine, a person should talk to their doctor and see if it will help them. In some cases, creatine will have minimum effects on strength gain. "Typically wrestlers take creatine during the season; it's not going to help them," said Campbell.
Because creatine is an over-the-counter supplement and legal in most athletic commissions, Kirkwood men's basketball coach Doug Wagemester said that the basketball team does not have a policy on creatine.
"We just discuss alcohol and illegal drugs and that we don't condone the use of those substances. We don't have a policy on the use of over-the-counter supplements," said Wagemester.
For those wanting to be more fit, there are more traditional methods that may improve athletic abilities and a person's health.
"My advice as a coach and a former athlete is to first look at your diet," Wagemester said. "I'd start at improving your diet and if you're still adamant about using creatine talk to your physician or your doctor."
Supplements are becoming a common way for athletes and fitness buffs to give themselves a boost in strength for workout sessions to try to improve the amount of strength gained during workouts; one of the most popular of these being creatine.
According to MedlinePlus, a Web site sponsored by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health that provides health information, creatine is naturally created in the human body from amino acids, mostly in the kidney and liver. In the 1970s Soviet scientists declared that taking creatine orally could improve physical performance for short, intense activities.
MedlinePlus noted that "Published reports suggest that approximately 25 percent of professional baseball players and up to 50 percent of professional football players consume creatine supplements." MedlinePlus added that adolescent athletes are also common users.
"A lot of young people are taking creatine these days," said Campbell, "There's not many negative side effects. If you're taking an efficient form of creatine then there shouldn't be any side effects."
For those who happen to have side effects, they generally range from loss of appetite, muscle cramps, nausea, weight gain and increased body mass.
Users of creatine will want to stay hydrated, take it in proper doses according to the instructions on the product and have high-energy workouts.
"To get a lot out of creatine you need to go 110 percent to get the most out of it," Campbell said.
Before attempting to use creatine, a person should talk to their doctor and see if it will help them. In some cases, creatine will have minimum effects on strength gain. "Typically wrestlers take creatine during the season; it's not going to help them," said Campbell.
Because creatine is an over-the-counter supplement and legal in most athletic commissions, Kirkwood men's basketball coach Doug Wagemester said that the basketball team does not have a policy on creatine.
"We just discuss alcohol and illegal drugs and that we don't condone the use of those substances. We don't have a policy on the use of over-the-counter supplements," said Wagemester.
For those wanting to be more fit, there are more traditional methods that may improve athletic abilities and a person's health.
"My advice as a coach and a former athlete is to first look at your diet," Wagemester said. "I'd start at improving your diet and if you're still adamant about using creatine talk to your physician or your doctor."
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