As a result, many high-performing teen athletes are considering supplementation. Read on to find out why teens should take creatine, if it’s safe for them to do so, and which kinds are ideal for them to use.
High school soccer and cross country gave me a healthy dose of competition, so I’ve always been a fierce competitor. This meant that we participated in ALL preseason activities, including team practises, conditioning/lifting sessions, and one-on-one training sessions. we was open to any means by which my performance could be enhanced.
This is a terrific mindset to have if you want to perform better, but we didn’t realise the importance of a healthy diet for muscle growth and recovery until much later in life. Many adolescent athletes are in the same boat; they are ready to put in the time and effort on the field or in the gym, but they are woefully unprepared nutritionally to reap the benefits of their hard work.
Any type of performance enhancing supplement is not safe for teenagers. Therefore, creatine is not considered safe for teenagers and it is recommended to not take if you are under 18.
Just what is creatine, anyway?
Creatine is a protein that can be found in most people’s bodies. Creatine is used as a source of energy during intense activity and weightlifting, and is stored in the muscles. Phosphocreatine is the form of creatine that muscles use to store energy.
What Does Creatine Do?
Creatine is important in a wide variety of physiologic functions, but it’s most notable when applied to extreme physical effort. By increasing phosphocreatine and creatine reserves in the muscle, creatine supplements improve strength and power. That is to say, when you work out, your body’s ability to utilise the energy it stores in your muscles is enhanced.
Where CanweFind Creatine?
The liver and the kidneys can manufacture about a third of the creatine your body needs. Two-thirds of the remaining one must be obtained through one’s food. Creatine, unlike most other nutrients, does not have a dietary reference intake (RDA). However, research has shown that 1–3 g of creatine per day is necessary for the body to keep normal reserves.
Before resorting to supplements, we always urge people to try meeting nutritional needs through diet alone. Fiber and antioxidants, for example, are often lacking in dietary supplements but can be found in a healthy, well-rounded diet. Most creatine is found in red meat and seafood. One to two grammes of creatine can be found in a pound of raw beef or fish.
For Adults, What Do Creatine’s Benefits Include?
Supplementing with creatine has been shown in numerous studies to have positive effects on exercise performance and training responses in adult athletes. Creatine supplementation has been found to have neuroprotective effects against head and spinal cord injuries, as well as improved recovery time after exercise.
Is It Safe For Teens To Take Creatine Supplements?
Misconceptions about the effects of creatine supplementation on adolescents result from a lack of available research. As an example of a con of creatine, one may point to the warnings on product labels telling anyone under 18 not to use creatine. Label warnings, however, aren’t based on data but are instead a legal precaution due to the paucity of research on creatine’s effects on young people.
Fortunately, accumulating evidence indicates that creatine is not only safe for adolescents, but also highly useful.
When Is The Right Time To Take Creatine?
If you look around online for recommendations on when to take creatine, you’ll find a wide range of opinions. It’s a reality that the research findings are contradictory. If you’re going to begin using creatine supplements, it’s best to do it during the off-season, in my expert opinion.
You can’t predict how your body will respond to a new supplement the way you can with a new drug. Your training and performance can’t afford to be disrupted at any point in the season in case your body has an adverse reaction to the supplement.
However, it’s also crucial to realise that commencing a creatine supplementation regimen, especially in the loading phase (a word I’ll discuss in further detail later), may cause you to gain water weight and feel bloated. As usual, this doesn’t last too long and is quite common. However, weight-related performance in sports like cross-country running, track and field, and wrestling may be negatively affected.
In What Amount Do You Consume Creatine?
A sports medicine specialist or sports nutritionist should be consulted first to determine whether or not creatine supplementation is beneficial for your adolescent. These experts can help you figure out how much creatine your adolescent needs based on their diet and activity level.
Can you recommend a good creatine supplement for teenage athletes?
Since the supplement industry is always changing, it can be tough to tell if a given product is reliable, secure, and tried and true. Creatine supplements with a wide variety of added substances are sold at a wide range of prices at a variety of retail locations.
When deciding whether or not to give your teen athlete a creatine supplement, it’s crucial to think about the brand, the dosage, and any hidden dangerous chemicals. When searching for the ideal product, it can be helpful to utilise the following checklist:
Verified by an Independent Body –
This guarantees there are no hidden or hazardous ingredients, or any ingredients at all, in the product. Keep an eye out for labels that include “NSF Certified for Sport,” “Informed Choice,” or “USP.”
Costs Stay Within Budget –
It’s crucial to balance the costs and benefits of purchasing an expensive supplement vs simply eating more healthily. The cost of the supplement can be broken down into its per-meal equivalent by dividing the entire price by the total number of doses. If the price is right and you can afford it, that’s fantastic! You might want to rethink it if the price is getting close to what you’d spend on a snack or supper.
