CREATINE REVEALS MARKET MUSCLE

A big hit among athletes, teens

AS BASEBALL fans cheer on Mark McGwire's effort to capture the seasonal
home run record set by Roger Maris in 1961, manufacturers of a dietary
supplement called creatine are cheering wildly, too. The St. Louis
Cardinals first baseman says he has been aided in his quest by the muscles
and strength he acquired through creatine-supplemented workouts.

Inspired by McGwire, as well by Baltimore Orioles outfielder Brady
Anderson, a creatine user transformed from a virtual 97-pound weakling into
a hulk, and the many other professional athletes who swear by it, countless
prospective athletes and teenage boys are now spending upward of $200
million a year on creatine. By taking this perfectly legal but minimally
tested and unregulated substance, they hope to improve their box scores
and/or physiques. Creatine has become one of the nation's hottest selling
supplements.

There is good reason for creatine's popularity. Unlike anabolic steroids,
which mimic the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone, creatine does
not cause hair loss or make testicles shrink. Although virtually nothing is
known about possible long-term hazards, no obvious adverse effects have yet
been linked to creatine use. Although sales fell significantly last year
after the deaths of three wrestlers taking creatine, it was cleared of
responsibility.

Creatine occurs naturally

Since creatine occurs naturally in common foods and is manufactured by the
body, it has not been -- nor is it likely to be -- banned from use in
athletic competitions. Another over-the-counter supplement used by McGwire
and others, androstenedione, is converted to the steroid hormone
testosterone in the body and has been banned by several leading athletic
associations. It would not be possible to tell whether an athlete got
creatine from a steak or a bottle.

Creatine may also prove helpful beyond the playing field to counter the
muscle-wasting that occurs, for example, in AIDS patients, the elderly and
people with cancer or heart disease.

Creatine is an amino acid made in the liver and kidneys. It is acquired in
the diet from animal protein foods, especially meats, milk and some fish.
The muscles of a 154-pound person need about 2 grams of creatine a day
(more or less depending on muscle mass). Meat eaters get about half that
from their diets (a half-pound of meat has about one gram); the rest is
made in the body. As might be expected, creatine levels are lower in
vegetarians.

Creatine is stored in muscle cells as the compound phosphocreatine, which
the body uses to enhance the action of the muscles. It also increases the
water content of muscle cells, which adds to their size and probably also
their ability to function. Users also are likely to experience a rise of
the heart-protective HDL cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Useful for energy bursts

Studies of the effects of creatine supplementation on athletic performance
have clearly shown that its benefits are limited to anaerobic activities
that involve short, intense bursts of energy, like weight lifting,
sprinting, jumping and, it seems, slamming a baseball over an outfield
fence. Researchers say that creatine is of no particular benefit to
endurance athletes, who may in fact be slowed down by creatine supplements
because of the weight gain they cause.

Creatine's benefits are likely the result of an increased ability to train
intensely and to gain strength and improve body composition as a result of
such training.

People with kidney disorders are advised not to take creatine supplements.
Creatine supplements also increase the likelihood of dehydration and should
not be used when dehydration is a risk -- for example, when exercising in
extreme heat or when trying to make weight in wrestling.

It is generally a good idea to have a thorough medical checkup before
starting creatine supplementation and, since there are no long-term safety
studies, to have periodic kidney and liver function tests and cardiac
examinations.

Jane Brody writes about health for the New York Times.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson