Manufacturers of creatine claim that prolonged use of the supplement may increase the strength, agility, and speed. Athletes use this supplement hoping that it will allow them to work out longer and harder in order to gain advantages on their competition (Graham & Hatton, 1999, Introduction). Brady Anderson, a centerfielder for Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles, admitted that he uses ten times the daily recommended dosage of creatine because he believes it will help him become bigger, faster, and stronger (Graham & Hatton, Adverse Effects). From my viewpoint, Anderson has become bigger and stronger but his performance in the game of baseball has not improved. Studies conducted on the effect of creatine supplementation on muscle strength, high-intensity exerci

On the other hand, creatine may lack the institutional research necessary to make conclusions on the safety of its use. Because creatine is a naturally occurring bodily compound, people may believe that the use of it as a performance enhancing supplement is safe(Graham & Hatton). Derek Bell, a major league outfielder for the Houston Astros, admitted that his ailments during the 1998 season were related to his creatine use. He made two different hospital stays during the season for kidney dysfunction (Graham & Hatton, Adverse Effects). In the article "In the 'Zone'," Dr. Edward Laskowski says "Whether the kidneys can process that much creatine for a number of years is a prime worry, especially in young athletes." This statement shows that doctors are skeptical of the safety of the drug, especially the use of creatine in younger athletes who are emulating their professional role models. Anne Harding (2001) found in her survey that fifty-seven percent of American teenagers have either taken or know someone who has taken creatine monophosphate as a performance enhancing drug. This survey shows that teenagers do not have the information to understand that the prolonged use of creatine may be harmful to their health. This information provides insight into the lack of knowledge American teenagers have about the dangers of using creatine, despite the fact that a professional athlete attributed his health problems to his creatine use.

se, and endurance tasks all showed a higher improvement in the test subjects as opposed to those treated with a placebo (Graham & Hatton, Clinical Tri

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