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CNN Live At Daybreak
High Schoolers Boost Performance With Creatine
Aired August 07, 2001 - 08:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
VINCE CELLINI, CNN ANCHOR: If your teenager is a high school athlete, he or she may be taking Creatine. It's a supplement to make athletes bigger and stronger and to boost endurance. But pediatricians don't know what else it does.
A new study conducted in five suburban New York City schools shows 5.6 percent of students have tried Creatine. Forty-four percent of senior athletes at these five schools use it, 74 percent of these users want to boost their physical performance and 61 percent say they just want to look better.
Well, Leslie Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center joins us now. She works every day with high school and college athletes.
Leslie, good morning. Thanks for being with us.
LESLIE BONCI, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH MEDICAL CENTER: Good morning.
CELLINI: You know, if Creatine was around when I was in high school, you know what? I would be in. As a thin high school athlete trying to put on bulk, I would have been right there -- right or wrong. They're just try to -- maybe try the latest magic potion. Is that how you see it?
BONCI: Well, the problem with Creatine is that first of all, the studies haven't been done in teenagers. So we really don't know what that effect is. And secondly, we know how kids are. I have a 17- year-old at home. And if they just focus on the supplement, they forget about everything else, and they assume, I don't have to train, because I am just taking this magic bullet that is going to do it all for me.
CELLINI: Well, science aside, what does Creatine do to your body, especially a young body?
BONCI: The effect of Creatine is that first of all, it can have an effect on strength. You feel stronger and it may make you a little bit quicker in the short run. The problem is that the major thing is does in the body is it causes fluid retention, and it causes weight gain. And we might think that would be a great thing. But if you put on more weight on a body that's still growing and have that body trying to adjust, it can throw off balance, it can throw off agility. And one of the big concerns we have, especially in the weather, is it's hot and humid is it may, if kids are not taking in enough fluid, affect their ability to thermoregulate. They can't regulate their internal temperature, and that can be extremely dangerous.
CELLINI: Leslie, have you seen any of these cases firsthand -- some bad experiences firsthand? Can you share some with us?
BONCI: Well, I think one of the things that comes up with the kids is they look at these products and say, hey, if a little is good, let's take a lot. That's No. 1. And the second thing that happens is they are so busy thinking about the supplement that they are taking it with water, or they are taking less than they should, or they are not taking as much, or they are not taking it with food. So then they are too tired when they get out -- they're on the field. Or they assume, hey, I have taken this stuff. Let's go into the weight room and let's just lift a lot. And then we have to worry about what can happen as a result of that.
CELLINI: Well, more is always better, or so the kids think. But can this lead to more serious supplements and maybe even steroids? I know that's a big jump, but if a kid has success with one thing, maybe he will try something else.
BONCI: Well, this is the thing. If somebody tries something, they get a little affect from it. Hey, if that worked, let's go on to something else. The other thing we need to be aware of is that some of the supplements that are out there, even the Creatine, have been found to be tainted with Medralone -- that's a steroid -- as well as having arsenic and lead. And those are both things that nobody's body needs to have in it.
CELLINI: All right. Leslie Bonci, thank you very much -- director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh. We appreciate the information.
BONCI: Thank you.
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