Creatine Use Must be Banned

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Athletes are always searching for ways to enhance their performance. Recently, beginning in the 1950s, that search has included the use of illegal substances like steroids and growth hormones. Illegal substances have been used widely by athletes in hop es of achieving the desired Olympic gold medal or multi-million dollar contract. Some nations, for example the late East Germany in the 1970s and 1980s, have mandated the use of steroids by their athletes. The downside of using those illegal substances is that because they are illegal, getting caught using them can lead to losing that coveted gold medal, a lifetime ban from sports, and a total loss of honor and dignity. This is why the search is now on to find some legal means of enhancing athletic per formance.

Much to athletes' delight, a new promising product, creatine, has recently appeared on the market. Creatine is a substance found in meats and synthesized by the human body but the latest craze is over artificially made creatine. Many athletes take it in hopes of increasing their strength, speed, or endurance. Althoug h the initial results of creatine testing were very positive, showing potential to help athletes increase their strength and speed, new evidence shows that creatine is not as perfect of a nutritional supplement as it once appeared to be. Creatine supplementation is now being linked to several hazardous side effects in the body and even its effectiveness has come into question. The use of creatine supplements by athletes is a dangerous wa y to enhance performance and should be regulated or banned.

Creatine is a nitrogenous compound that is found naturally in meats and is synthesized by the body and stored in th...

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Works Cited

Eichner, E. Randy. "Ergogenic Aids: What Athletes are Using and Why." The Physician and Sportsmedicine April 1997: 25(4): 70-83.

Gordon, Kevin. Personal Interview. 7 May 1998.

Jenkins, Mark A. "Creatine Supplementation in Athletes: Review." (1998) Online. SportsMedWeb. 10 May 1998.

Lowengrub, Tamara. "Creatine: The Jury's Still Out." Swimming World April 1998: 39(4): 16-17.

Mujika, I and Padilla, S. "Creatine Supplementation as an Ergogenic Aid for Sports Performance in Highly Trained Athletes: A Critical Review." International Journal of Sportsmedicine October 1997: 18(7): 491-496.

Peyser, Marc and Springer, Karen. "The New Muscle Candy." Newsweek 12 January 1998: 131(2): 68.

Toler, Steven M. "Creatine Is an Ergogen for Anaerobic Exercise." Nutrition Reviews 1 January 1997: 55(1): 21-23.

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