Creatine and pre-workout, what do I need to know

[Anonymous]

I have a 17 year old and 15 year old. They say all their friends take creatine and pre-workout. They all lift regularly.

I’m being asked to order some for them and I’m reading conflicting things with my Google searches. Are these products safe to use? Why is it so common amongst the high school set?

[Anonymous]

Creatine is probably one of the most proven and researched supplements out there. It also potentially has benefits beyond just workouts, like increasing brain function. Plus, it is relatively cheap.

[Anonymous]

DO NOT USE.

They are dangerous. I am a former Army critical care nurse. We had to put numerous soldiers on dialysis bc of acute kidney failure related to these products. Not worth the risk. Kidneys are very fragile and some of the time the damage cannot be reversed

[Anonymous]

just make sure they drink plenty of water

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DO NOT USE.

They are dangerous. I am a former Army critical care nurse. We had to put numerous soldiers on dialysis bc of acute kidney failure related to these products. Not worth the risk. Kidneys are very fragile and some of the time the damage cannot be reversed

Link to research? Dont care if your a Doctor/Nurse. Saying creatine is linked to kidney failure is a very broad generalization. Creatine has been around since the early 1990s, users in the 100s of millions

[Anonymous]

the preworkout variety is fine but should be used according to the instruction. They come in caffeinated or non. Its like a cup of coffee. If the user has a sensitivity to caffeine search for the non caffeinated. Also if your child already drinks coffee that should be reduced. I'm not saying these are loaded with caffeine but kids should be monitored..label says 1 scoop use just 1 not 2 or.... And my point about if they are already drinking coffee realize that this basically adds a cup to their total. It can impact sleep if taken at night but ymmv.

Ive used preworkout creatine for years there is plenty of info online. Just make sure they use it according to instruction. My kids started using it as well but possibly a little older than what yours are.. I think my son was 19. Adding protein to the diet also helps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the preworkout variety is fine but should be used according to the instruction. They come in caffeinated or non. Its like a cup of coffee. If the user has a sensitivity to caffeine search for the non caffeinated. Also if your child already drinks coffee that should be reduced. I'm not saying these are loaded with caffeine but kids should be monitored..label says 1 scoop use just 1 not 2 or.... And my point about if they are already drinking coffee realize that this basically adds a cup to their total. It can impact sleep if taken at night but ymmv.

Ive used preworkout creatine for years there is plenty of info online. Just make sure they use it according to instruction. My kids started using it as well but possibly a little older than what yours are.. I think my son was 19. Adding protein to the diet also helps

You can get pre-workout formulas that include creatine, but those are mostly marketing hype - the only really prove ingredients in them are caffeine and creatine. You can buy caffeine pills and a tub of plain creatine for a lot cheaper.