From: "Richard B. Kreider, PhD" <kreider.richard@coe.memphis.edu>
Subject: Re: Creatine: Inventive marketing angle?
Robert:
I agree I will probably not hear from him. Unfortunately, its
unsubstantiated claims about "dangers" of creatine supplementation (e.g.,
water retention, long-term effects, cramping, etc) which are alarming NCAA
and IOC officials. No side effects (other than fat free mass gain,
improvements in repetitive sprint performance, and enhanced adaptations to
training) have been reported from nearly 100 double blind, placebo,
randomized clinical trials in athletes and patient populations (heart
failure, etc.).
Regarding your comment about EAS, I believe they are making strides in the
market place because they have made a significant investment in supporting
clinical research trials at over ten universities in the US and abroad
(about 2 million dollars over the last few years). This research has served
as the basis behind developing their products as well as documenting
effectiveness or ineffectiveness. Hopefully, other supplement companies will
begin to follow their example.
>From: Robert <image@erols.com>
>Subject: Re: Creatine: No water retention
>
>>>From: "Richard B. Kreider, PhD" <kreider.richard@coe.memphis.edu>
>>Subject: Re: Creatine without side effects ?
>>
>>I read your email with interest. We have been doing research on creatine
>>for a number of years and have never seen the any evidence of water
>>retention out of proportion to the weight gained (i.e., weight gain is fat
>>free mass determined by hydrodensiometry and DEXA with no increase in the
>>percent of total body water determined by BIA). Please send me any
>>references you have which documents the weight gain is water (not commentary
>>or hypothesis but actual data). Also, I am interested in reviewing your
>>clinical studies showing that your product is better than 100% pure creatine
>>monohydrate. If these are not available, possibly you would consider
>>funding a research study at our University to directly evaluate your
>>hypothesis.
>>
>>Thank you.
>
>I seriosly doubt he will respond--you just blew him out of the water. You
>have to admit, though, it was an inventive marketing angle on creatine. I
>mean, what else COULD he do but tout dangers and claim his product is free
>of said dangers. If he didnt say that, what would his selling point be?
>Creatine is sold under so many labels now. My advice to him is to pick a
>new product or get celebrity endorsment(like Muscle Media does with
>EAS--they mention it in every article with a featured fitness person).
>
>Robert
>
>
Richard B. Kreider, PhD, FACSM
Associate Professor & Assistant Department Chair
Department of Human Movement Sciences & Education
FH 204a
The University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152
Phone: 901/678-3474
Fax: 901/678-3464