NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

October 1, 1998

All Performance-Enhancing Substances Are Not the Same

This year's home-run derby in major league baseball between contestants Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs has increased public interest in and debate about performance-enhancing substances—in particular, androstenedione and creatine. But missing from many of the discussions is a distinction that needs to be made, says an exercise physiologist at North Dakota State University.

"Pharmacological drugs include anabolic steroids, testosterone and drugs that mimic that actions of the male sex hormone and are used to increase muscle size and strength. Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid and is not in this category. It's considered a nutritional ergogenic aid," says Brett Dolezal, an assistant professor in NDSU's health, physical education and recreation department.

An ergogenic aid is any substance, technique or piece of equipment that increases a person's ability to perform physical work. For a laborer, gloves may qualify as an ergogenic aid. For marathon runners, it could be shoes or perhaps even petroleum jelly to prevent painful chafing.

In contrast, androstenedione is a pharmacological drug. Dolezal says it's purported to raise testosterone levels and promote muscle growth, like an anabolic steroid. However, due to a loophole in the Federal Supplement Act of 1994, companies that manufacture androstenedione can market it as a nutritional supplement.

Even so, using pharmacological drugs to enhance performance in sport has been banned by the governing bodies of most organized sports. For example, androstenedione is included on the "banned drug" list of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). But major league baseball currently has no such ban, which is why Mark McGwire can legally use androstenedione.

So any controversy surrounding performance-enhancing substances is probably better focused on androstenedione, which is available in this region primarily via mail-order catalogs, Dolezal says. On the other hand, creatine is available locally through many retail outlets and while it may be less controversial, its use still begs some ethical questions and eventually may raise medical concerns.

"Right now, there's no documented evidence that has shown detrimental effects from creatine," says Dolezal.

Meanwhile, there is anecdotal evidence that using creatine may cause muscle cramps or muscle pulls and perhaps heat exhaustion. But Dolezal says the deaths last December of three collegiate wrestlers were not connected to creatine, as initially reported by some in the news media. The deaths were attributable to heart malfunction and kidney failure, brought on by dehydration and muscle breakdown from excessive exercise.

Before taking creatine as a supplement, young athletes need to weigh its positive effects against its potential for long-term harm. But this comparison is not as simple as it appears, Dolezal says, because research can not establish a cause-and-effect relationship to prove the benefits of creatine. The question, then, for individual athletes to ask themselves is this: "Do I want use something that may cause me to develop health problems later on?"

Even if that answer is "yes," Dolezal says creatine is not for everyone. Specifically, creatine may benefit only strength/power athletes like weight lifters or sprinters. Endurance athletes like those participating in cross country, weekend athletes or sedentary people will see no benefit from taking creatine.

Those taking creatine who train intensely may grow stronger and improve their body composition (more muscle mass). Actually, it's a case of taking additional creatine because the human body produces its own creatine from other amino acids. Creatine is also present in meat and fish, so anyone who eats these foods is already ingesting creatine. Dolezal says the ancient Greek Olympians would eat large quantities of red meat a day before competition.

"Unknowingly, the Greeks may have been providing themselves with an ergogenic effect because of the associated increases in creatine consumption," says Dolezal.

Today, the typical meat-eating American consumes about 1 to 2 grams of dietary creatine, says Dolezal. Athletes who want to use creatine as an ergogenic aid will need to supplement in two stages: loading and maintenance. The loading stage lasts for five days, during which time an individual should ingest about 20 to 30 grams of nondietary creatine per day depending upon body weight.

During the maintenance phase, consumption of supplemental creatine drops to 3 to 5 grams per day--again, depending upon a person's body weight. Cost for the loading phase runs about $35, with maintenance-phase expenses running about $35 a month. Dolezal says those taking the powered form of creatine should drink it with a high-carbohydrate beverage like fruit juice.

Athletes need to "cycle" their creatine use, Dolezal cautions. That is, they should stop taking it for a couple of weeks every two or three months to reduce the likelihood that their bodies will stop synthesizing the supplement.

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Source: Brett Dolezal (701) 231-6385

Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136