In the past, athletes had to turn to such things as anabolic steroids or blood doping (the process of taking out blood and adding oxygen to it and putting it back into your body in order to increase a persons endurance) to get an edge over the competition. However, these procedures have many drawbacks. Mainly, they are illegal. An athlete may be suspended form playing their sport for using them. They have many long terms and short term side effects. Now there is a new drug that can give an athlete the edge that they desire, Creatine. Creatine has exploded onto the supplement market. Last year alone Creatine sales topped 100,000,000 dollars (McDonald 7).Creatine monohydrate has been proven to significantly enhance athletic performance in the areas of power, strength, and muscle mass. Most importantly though, at present, it does not seem to have any serious side effects. Also, since Creatine is found naturally in the body and in foods, it has not been banned from use in athletic competition (Brody 8). What is Creatine? Creatine is a nutrient that is found in many foods. It is most highly concentrated in lean red meat. A half-pound of red meat contains about two grams of Creatine (McDonald 7). Your body also produces Creatine in very small amounts. Creatine is necessary for proper cell functions and reproduction and is one of the main energy tools for muscle. (McDonald)Creatine claims to have many advantages, such as increased endurance, increased overall work potential, increased speed of muscular action, and the potential to further increase muscle mass. If all this were true, it would be easy to see why athletes are turning to Creatine for an edge on the competition. The facts dont lie Creatine has definite advantages. Since studies on Creatine effects are new, it is still unknown what long-term effects will have. Short-term side effects include dehydration, diarrhea, and muscle cramping. (Collins)What most athletes do n...
