Creatine Category: Performance and Image Enhancing Substances

How it’s used

Creatine is naturally produced in your body from three amino acids (arginine, glycine, methionine) for your muscles to use. Most of your body's creatine is in your skeletal muscle. You can buy it as a diet supplement in powder or tablet form. You can also buy foods with creatine in them. These are used by body builders to provide energy to muscles for movement. It does this by increasing the amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) in your body. Creatine can also be used to help people with neuromuscular disorders such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease.

Short term effects

Weight gain
Increased body mass
You become stronger, bigger and fitter
More energy for physical activity

Long term effects

Can cause asthma, shortness of breath
Can cause allergies, rash or itching
Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as loss of appetite, stomach pain, diarrhoea or nausea
Large quantities of creatine can increase the production of formaldehyde, which may cause serious unwanted side effects

Other dangers

Do not take creatine if you have kidney disease as it can cause interstitial nephritis
May alter the activities of insulin. Do not take creatine if you have diabetes or hypoglycaemia or if you take drugs, herbs or supplements that affect blood sugar
May alter your liver function
Anxiety, irritability or aggression
Depression
Abnormal heart rhythm
Deep vein thrombosis
May reduce your sex drive

If you are pregnant

Do not take if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as we don’t know enough about the risks to your baby.

Addictive

It is not addictive, but if you use it to improve your body image you may come to rely on it.

How long does it stay in your system?

As you naturally have creatine in your body there are no tests for it.

What help is available?

Self-help support such as Narcotics Anonymous
Counselling or psychotherapy
Complementary therapies, such as acupuncture
Residential treatment programmes (clinics)
Aftercare
One to one or group family support
Contact the Drugs Helpline 1800 459 459 to find out about options in your area

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