Creatine and Andro not "McGwire in a bottle"

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Arlie Rahn

He has a bottle of Creatine in his bag.

Then the announcer states this product is available at GNC for the low price of $49.95.

Of course, the announcer neglects to tell you that this "nutritional supplement" could be extremely dangerous in the long term. In fact, if you went to your doctor today and said "I want Creatine, is it safe?" he would quickly reply "I have no idea." Yet here we have an advertiser blatantly marketing a product to teen-agers as "McGwire in a bottle."

But nothing could be further from the truth. Supplements like Andro and Creatine are not the "magic pill" they first appear to be. They both have very dangerous side effects. Creatine itself is a naturally produced amino acid in the liver that works by causing muscle cells to retain water and therefore increase the amount of work a cell can do. The Creatine product gives the user additional supplements of this amino acid to help increase both the recovery time and mass of the muscle. Andro works by increasing the body's level of testosterone to try and get a similar result. But, as in many things in life that seem too good to be true, there is a catch.

Some tests have shown that Creatine could cause short term muscle problems like cramping, sprains and pulls, not to mention dehydration. In the long term, supplementing the body with Creatine could cause the body to stop producing it naturally. Andro's side effects are much more serious, as it causes the body's level of testosterone to increase anywhere from 50 percent to 230 percent. Studies have shown Andro use to cause such things as large mood swings (Roid Rages) to increasing the chance of prostate cancer. In fact, Andro is outlawed in the NFL, NBA, NCAA and Olympics. Creatine is also not allowed in NCAA or Olympic competition. And while it is legal to use in the NFL, some teams (like Tampa Bay) don't recommend that their players use Creatine because of the unknown side effects.

Yet with all of this info, both are available over the counter. There is currently no written law stopping a 15-year-old kid from walking in and purchasing any of these products, even though the potential for damage from these side effects is much greater when the user is still a teenager. Plus, kids have such role models as Sammy Sosa, Mike Piazza and Shannon Sharpe that use Creatine. Andro has maybe the most prolific power hitter in baseball history in Mark McGwire using its product. So how can reason and safety compete with the thrill of being like two 60-home run heroes?

It can't.

Something needs to be done.

First off, Sosa and McGwire need to go public and say that just because they use this stuff does not mean it is good for kids to use. They need to acknowledge the dangers associated with these products and advise potential users to check with their doctor. As national role models, I think they are ethically required to make sure kids don't take supplements just because they do.

Next, these products should be available by prescription only. Potential users should be required to talk to their doctors and be informed of the potential dangers in both these supplements. Also, a doctor could stop a freshman in high school from long term damage because he "just wanted to make varsity."

But, ultimately, the responsibility is going to reside with the manufacturers of these products and the stores that carry them. They need to test these products and make the public aware of the long term problems that may occur with its use. If they don't, we may have a replay of the anabolic steroids tragedy, one that witnessed high profile athletes like Lyle Alzado develop terminal illnesses.

Arlie Rahn can be reached via e-mail at Arlie.Rahn@wildcat.arizona.edu.