Creatine and DHEA: Worth the Money and the Muscle?

Creatine and DHEA are two fitness supplements that are highly touted and very popular. The fitness craze shows no signs of abating nor does the desire of athletes to achieve peak performance at whatever it takes. The FDA does not regulate creatine and DHEA because they occur naturally in the body and therefore have been ruled to be “dietary supplements”. The NCAA or the International Olympics Committee does not ban these supplements. Anyone can buy these supplements legally and can take as much of them as they desire. Anyone taking Creatine or DHEA should ask themselves two questions: 1. Are they safe? And 2. Do they work?

Creatine

Creatine is very, very popular and most athletes and body builders swear by it. It is naturally occurring in the body and is also found in many foods such as salmon or steak. The “International Journal of Sports Medicine” found the side effects of Creatine to be very rare as did “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise” which found no difference in cramping between those who took Creatine and those who took a placebo. However, there is much anecdotal evidence of cramping, GI disturbances and renal dysfunction. Effects on the heart, brain, reproductive organs and other organs are yet to be determined. All reports state that those with kidney problems should not take Creatine.

The general consensus among the medical and scientific community is that Creatine is effective for sports or workouts that emphasize strength or repeated short bursts. Some studies show that Creatine works for weight lifters and sprinters while others do not find any evidence for sprinters. “Physicians and Sports Medicine” support Creatine’s efficacy for strength sports and those demanding short bursts but did not find convincing data for ergogenic effect on running, swimming, or single cycle sports.

It looks like Creatine is fairly safe and that it does work for certain sports and activities. It is important not to dose too high as it is not known what side effects this might produce and higher dosing does not produce better performing. Recommended dosing is to start with a loading dose of 20 g a day for five days, followed by a maintenance dose of 2 g a day.

DHEA

DHEA stands for Deihydropiandrosterone and its good effects are probably due to the ability to pronounce that word. DHEA is a steroid hormone and, like any hormone should be taken only under supervision of a physician who will check steroid and cholesterol levels, glucose tolerance, and prostate health in men.

DHEA is thought of as a fountain of youth drug. It peaks in the body in a person’s mid twenties and declines thereafter. There are those who feel that taking DHEA prevents the effects of aging and there is tantalizing research that may support this. Although it is the most plentiful hormone in the body, its function is not well understood but it seems to be the precursor to estrogen and testosterone.

What is of interest in this article are claims that it promotes loss of body fat and builds body mass and that it builds strong muscles. The evidence for this is, so far, anecdotal. The “Annals of the New York Academy of Science” found that it promotes a general sense of well being

There may be a link to cancer because it increases testosterone and estrogen levels. Some women grow hair and stop menstruating. It has been shown to decrease HDL (good) cholesterol.

While DHEA may be proven to be beneficial in many ways, it seems a good idea to be careful with it at the present time and if one wants to take it, take it only under a physician’s supervision.