Parents Are Giving Their Kids Creatine. Experts Have Concerns.

# Parents Are Giving Their Kids Creatine. Experts Have Concerns

Creatine supplements have become increasingly popular among young athletes and their parents seeking performance boosts, but pediatric experts warn that safety data in children remains limited.

Creatine works by increasing phosphocreatine stores in muscles, helping cells produce energy during intense exercise. Studies in adults show it enhances strength and muscle mass, particularly during resistance training. However, the research stops there for most age groups.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has not endorsed creatine use in children and adolescents, citing insufficient long-term safety data. While short-term studies in young athletes show no obvious harm, pediatric sports medicine specialists emphasize that developing bodies process supplements differently than adult bodies.

Potential concerns include stress on developing kidneys, dehydration risk, and possible effects on hormonal development. Children's organs and metabolic systems continue maturing into their mid-20s, making extrapolation from adult studies problematic. Additionally, most young athletes haven't exhausted basic training principles, nutrition, and hydration strategies that produce results without supplementation.

The supplement industry operates with minimal FDA oversight, meaning quality and purity vary widely between brands. Contaminated products present additional risks for young users.

Dr. Aaron Baggish, director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, emphasizes that elite young athletes rarely need supplements. "Basic training fundamentals, adequate protein intake, and proper sleep drive performance gains," he notes.

Parents considering creatine for their child should first consult their pediatrician or a sports medicine physician. A registered sports dietitian can often achieve performance improvements through optimized nutrition alone. For most developing athletes, patience with training progression matters far more than quick supplementation.