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Creatine and Teenagers
Continually in the news people see the questions about creatine
and a teenager. Especially in high school sports where in some
cases the supplement has been banned. But if you have read the
creatine article entitled "Creatine: What is it?" you will
certainly know it's not banned because it's an illegal or
dangerous supplement.
In fact, the best general article to read when it comes to
creatine side effects is The Truth About Creatine Side Effects.
You'll certainly understand when you read that creatine article
that in general, the side effects of this supplement are minor
and usually related to stomach discomfort. This rule applies to
"individuals" in general. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
Creatine is not a steroid. Creatine is a naturally occurring
substance is generally safe for men, women and teenagers.
Before the teenagers (under 18 crowd) start cheering I'm
actually going to state the opposite even though in my own
non-medical opinion I feel there's no peer research to show any
negative side effects.
Creatine and teenagers just don't mix.
Before I get booed off the stage, please bear in mind that in
general (men, women, teens) nutrition and training are 97% of
the puzzle and supplements are around 3%. With this in mind,
taking or not taking creatine as a teenager is literally going
to make very little different in the scheme of things. Ask
yourself a question if you are under 18 before you roll your
eyes.
Can you answer the following questions? (True or False)
*You know how many calories you need a day to reach your goals?
*You know exactly how much protein you need a day?
*You always have a plan when you
workout?
*Your workouts are never boring.
*You've never hit a plateau?
*You don't miss a meal?
*You have short, medium and long term goals?
Because 99.99999% of teenagers will answer false to at least one
of those questions. Mostly questions 1 and 2.
My point is...
While there's not any scientific research to conclusively prove
that creatine and teenager is harmful whatsoever, it's my belief
that while you are under 18 and still growing, there's no reason
to take any sports supplements unless you can answer true to all
of the above questions and are responsible enough to follow
directions per the supplement and be mature enough to quit if
you experience any creatine side effects that you feel are
negative.
There's not a whole lot of good reason to take creatine as a
teenager. You'll get far more benefits as an adult when you've
had more training experience under your belt and a few more
years of solid nutritional fundamentals. The 3% that supplements
will make does not outweigh any 'potential' creatine side
effects you may experience at such a young age.
And while it's true that science does not prove taking creatine
is in any way negative, it's just a common good practice that
individuals who are still growing just focus on a solid
nutritional diet and not worry about additional ways to gain a
small advantage.
About the author:
Marc David is a bodybuilder and creator of Everything-Creatine :
Creatine Monohydrate Informatiton. You can get info on Creatine
at:Everything-Creatine.com<
/a>. To get Marc's free e-zine, visit JustAskMarc.com
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