Creatine is a fundamental chemical your body stores in its muscles and uses as an energy source. According to 2011 information from MedlinePlus, creatine is a popular supplement for muscle building, and Americans consume more than 8.8 million pounds of creatine annually. Though dietary or supplemental creatine does seem to have potential to build muscle for some people, it can be taxing on your kidney function. Speak to your doctor to see if you are at risk for kidney stones due to creatine intake before you consume the supplement.
Fluid Intake
The primary link between creatine and kidney stones is that creatine causes your muscles to retain water. Many athletes enjoy this effect from creatine because it gives muscles a full and powerful look. However, Martin I. Resnick M.D. and his team from Case Western Reserve University report that depleted fluid levels in your body can lead to kidney stones. When you do not drink enough water to meet your bodily needs, your urine is increasingly concentrated and a possible side effect is the precipitation of minerals in your kidneys, leading to painful stones.
Testing
Creatine can play a role in detecting kidney stones. When you exercise, your body changes stored phosphocreatine into creatine in your blood. This creatine metabolizes further into the waste substance creatinine, which is filtered out of your body through your kidneys and into your urine. By comparing creatinine levels in your blood and urine, physicians can tell how well your kidneys are functioning and if dehydration or a blockage like a kidney stone are causing elevated levels of creatinine in your urine.
Renal Disease Progression
Even at recommended doses, creatine may have a negative impact on your kidney function. People often consume creatine for weight gain around a rate of 20 g for the first week of supplementation, followed by around one-fifth or less of that dose in the following weeks to maintain creatine levels. A study published in January 2001 the "American Journal of Kidney Diseases" scrutinized this type of dosing regimen by testing it in laboratory rats with pre-existing cystic kidney disease. At the end of six weeks of creatine supplementation, the results indicated that creatine did exacerbate kidney disease. Whether or not creatine would also worsen conditions that can lead to kidney stones is unclear due to a lack of research, however.
Treatment
If you are taking a creatine supplement and the experience intense side pain commonly associated with kidney stones, you should immediately stop supplementation and speak to your physician. Treatment for kidney stones typically entails increased water intake and possibly pain medications. You can help prevent kidney stones while on creatine by ensuring that you drink ample water while taking it. Occasionally, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure.
References
- University of Cincinnati, Net Wellness; Kidney Stones; Martin I Resnick, M.D.; September 2009
- New York University; Creatinine and Creatinine Clearance; Monica Rhodes; August 2008
- MedlinePlus; Creatine; January 2011
- "American Journal of Kidney Diseases"; Creatine Supplementation Increases Renal Disease Progression in Han:SPRD-cy Rats; Jeff W. Edmunds, M.Sc., R.D. et al; January 2001
- Rice University; Creatine Supplementation in Athletes; Mark A. Jenkins, M.D.; 1998
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Creatine; Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD; June 2, 2009
