Who Should Not Use Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring chemical found in the muscles of the body and in many organ systems. In sports nutrition and naturopathic medicine, creatine is recommended to accomplish a variety of medicinal and performance-enhancing effects. Creatine may help to increase stength and endurance in athletes and people with certain medical conditions, and it shows promise as a holistic treatment option for Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Although surprisingly safe when used as directed, creatine can be dangerous in extremely large doses. Additionally, there are some creatine contraindications. If you are in a category that puts you at a high risk of developing serious side effects from creatine, you should avoid creatine and any supplements that contain it.

The following people should not take creatine.

Pregnant Women

No studies have evalauted creatine's effect on pregnancy, and there is no tangible evidence that it offers any benefits. Creatine may affect a fetus's developing kidneys or liver, and may increase the chances of preterm labor, miscarriage and childbirth complications. To be on the safe side, most health care providers regard pregnancy as a creatine contraindication. Talk to your obstetrician or midwife before using any nutritional supplement during any stage of gestation.

People with Kidney Disease

Despite extensive media coverage regarding the potential dangers of creatine, there is very little evidence suggesting that it can harm the kidneys. However, unti lmoe is known, kidney disease is regarded as a creatine contraindication. In theory, creatine can worsen kidney conditions and lead to life-threatening complications. Consult your health care provider before using any supplement if you have any form of kidney disease.

People with Diabetes

If you are diabetic, you are at a higher risk of experiencing kidney stones and other forms of kidney disease. Therefore, you should not take creatine if you have type 1 (childhood onset) or type 2 (adult onset) diabetes. Creatine supplements could increase the risk of experiencing these diabetes-related problems.