Creatine - my 15 yo son

[denhaag]

My son goes to the gym 5 days a week.
He has been going for a couple of years now and is very keen, focussed and loves it. He is muscular and strong.

We have had endless discussions about protein (in food and powders), caffeine (pre-workout/drinks and in coffee/tea) and creatine (supplement).

I've let him have protein powder, he has pre-workout/caffeine in moderation, I have not allowed him to have creatine, but by God he will not stop going on about it.

I guess I an old fashioned and apart from using gels when I was marathon training (I am a keen and competitive) runner, I am very much of the mind that you can get what you need from the food you eat.

I've tried to read up about creatine, but of course there are no studies on children, and it's also hard to find unbiased work. My concern is that he is still growing and we don't know the impact on supplements has on the body.

I've told him I don't even want to talk about it until he's 16 but that is in 2 months.

Can anyone help me with some more info?

He needs to talk to a proper fitness trainer who has experience working with young athletes, preferably a male one.
Teenagers read all sorts online and have no idea that the crap stuff you can buy off websites is actually very harmful if your body can’t cope with it or if your training doesn’t require that amount of fuelling. The PT can maybe help him draw up a nutrition plan or better still refer him to a sports nutritionist.

Thanks @Notgivenuphope
I'm sceptical about the PTs in the gym - I doubt they have specific nutrition training for teenagers. His PE teacher at school said he should be using protein powder which I don't think he should be doing.

A sports nutritionist seems a good idea....wherever you find them!

This is what my adult son sent to our (me, him and teenDS) WhatsApp which hasn't helped the debate!

I would try to avoid it as long as possible as it's harmful for young people according to what I am reading in an article when I googled this topic in my native language in an eu country. It says there was study published at Journal of Adolescent Health and:
'Creatine was named as particularly harmful
According to doctors, creatine, which is marketed especially for muscle growth and performance improvement, can be harmful to young people. Creatine can cause dehydration and, according to some studies, increase the risk of kidney and liver damage. The potential harms of creatine are increased by the fact that it is easy for teenagers to buy this nutritional supplement.
The safest way to grow muscles and accumulate vitamins is to eat food rich in protein, vegetables and fruits, and to exercise.'

I would say there is absolutely no point in a 15yr old taking creatine. He’s misunderstood what it’s for.
As a 44yr old women I take it to replace the creatine I, at my advanced age, can no longer produce. Because I can no longer make it, the supplement works. His body is currently at its full muscle building potential and will be for quite a few years yet. I would have thought all the supplement will do is divert a little more water to the muscle and dehydrate the rest of him. It won’t have the building/recovery effect it has on me.
He’s physically peaking in his teenage years, so additional creatine will not help him recover any faster than a good nights sleep and a high good quality protein diet will.

But I am no expert.

This would be a good starting point

www.bda.uk.com/senr-sport-and-exercise-nutrition-register/senr-listing.html?expertise=ibs

Alex is very well respected in the profession but there are others on the website

www.thesportsdietitian.co.uk/alex

I have this argument with my 16yo all the time

Thanks all. I've had a skim through your responses and will have a proper look later.

Please can you tell me the name of this article. I am looking at the JoAH and there are many articles which discuss supplements.

Thank you

The news article (in my native language) from 2019 was based on this article in English and has the link to the study:

news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/06/harvard-scientists-link-supplements-to-severe-health-events-in-young-people/

Thank you so much.
The crux is that there isn't enough research on adolescents and creatine hasn't been approved by the FDA. That should be enough 'evidence' for my son.
Realistically I can't stop him taking it unless I monitor how he spends his money, what he's doing and snooping in his room.
All I can do is give him the facts, refuse to buy it for him and hope that he makes wise decisions. Teenagers aren't known for making sensible decision though, are they!

Thank you. It looks like her service is a 12 week programme; I don't really want that, but maybe she can give some advice, or pointers.

My DS16 keeps going on about it too! At the moment I've said we'll talk about it after GCSEs.

I've been meaning to listen to this...

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0026vsm?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Radio 4- Sliced bread- protein powders

@CanUDigIt I told my DS (also yr11) we'd talk about it when he turns 16 (end of March).
I have listened to that Sliced Bread episode, it's quite interesting, but didn't really teach me anything I didn't know. With respect to our kids, as long as they don't have liver problems, protein powder won't harm them, but they should be able to get what they need from food. Whey is better than plant-based, and watch out for all the additives to make it palatable.

I did contact Alex and she wrote back pretty quickly.
She is happy to offer DS a single consultation, but as it stands DS is not receptive to anyone that doesn't share his POV.
He's flopping around sighing "it's not fair I've got the science Mum" (peer review and scientific integrity is my line of work).

"He's flopping around sighing "it's not fair I've got the science Mum""

This has made me laugh. I'm watching with interest as I only have until end of GCSEs until I have to re-engage with the arguments. Apparently, creatine increases brain function so I should be letting DS have it during GCSEs- according to him 😄

https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(19)30163-6/fulltext

Taking Stock of Dietary Supplements' Harmful Effects on Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults

Thanks for starting this thread and all the links here. I am in a similar boat with DS who is desperate to put on more muscle - he's really tall and well built but wants to be Jack Reacher shaped 🤦🏻‍♀️. IME the trainers at the gym are not particularly well informed about nutrition for teens. All on pause at the moment thanks to mono but I will read these papers with interest.

Somebody like Eddie Abbew can be a counterpoint to this type of supplementation . DCs often enjoy his "refreshing" attitude (LOTS OF SWEARING). However, I think EA is actually the opposite extreme- and therefore UNhealthy as he eats a VERY restricted diet of protein from whole food sources .
It might just keep the dialogue between you and DS open, and show him a different attitude to supplements from an ex bodybuilder who has been there, done that and changed his opinion

I take it. As other say, it’s more beneficial for menopausal woman than teenage boys. I think better to buy and control and limit to 3g per day than say no and risk him taking a higher dose. He’s 15, not a small child. Warn him to drink a lot of water as so easy to get dehydrated.

To put into perspective, there is 1g creatine in a 200g steak.

Thanks for this. I have been putting him off by telling him we won't even talk about it until he is 16. But he's 16 next week.....gaaaa.

He has access to money, he'll take it if he wants (in fact I'm sure he already has) so as you advise, it might be better to reach a compromise with him so that we can maintain honestly and open discussion.

I am concerned about the long term impact. We just don't know.

He also asked his big brother for smelling salts for his Birthday.

Bleugh....where is my little Micro scooter loving boy......

He is really muscular. His short sleeved school shirts fit him everywhere apart from his giant biceps.

I'm muscular too, but in a more fell running way - sinewy. His father's side of the family are stockier so I think he's got my muscles and his fathers build = Hulk boy.

On the bright side creatine is horrible gritty stuff, so gummies are really popular. It turns out that one of the largest creatine gummy companies were not putting any creatine in. I’ve found it difficult to find any secondary tested creatine gummies. So, even if he does buy them, it could be very possible he doesn’t end up taking any creatine at all.

• overload

the company that didn’t put any creatine in their creatine gummies was overload.

As I understand it, many elite swimmers take it. (It's not a banned substance).

My issue isn’t about whether he’s he taking banned substances, that would be a whole different thread.
Do you mean elite teenagers? Do you have any articles/reports about 16 year olds taking it?

Here's what I've decided. I have bought some good quality creatine to give him on his Birthday. He knows my reservations, but I'm hoping if we work together it will avoid mistrust and him taking any old crap people offer him.
He'll be open about it and I'll be able to keep an eye on all the supplements he's taking.