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Creatine has no influence on kidney function, says meta-study
If you are healthy, supplementing with creatine will not damage your kidneys, this website has reported a few times. Nevertheless, we read a Brazilian meta-study that appeared in 2019 in the Journal of Renal Nutrition. Just to be sure.
Study
Brazilian researchers from the Centro Universitario de Itajub a collected 6 previously published scientific randomized clinical trials in which test subjects were given creatine and scientists mapped out the effects and side effects. The trials also looked at the effects on the kidneys.
The Brazilians combined the results of the trials and reanalyzed them.
Results
Kidneys filter broken down protein - urea - from the blood and expel it through the urine. As the kidneys deteriorate, you can expect the concentration of urea in the blood to increase. That was not the case, as the figure below shows. Click on it for a larger version.
As the kidneys function less well, they remove creatinine - a breakdown product of creatine - less effectively. Because creatine supplementation can increase creatinine levels, this may not be a good criterion for poorly functioning kidneys in creatine users. Anyway, according to the Brazilians, creatine supplementation did not increase creatinine levels.
Creatine supplementation also did not have a statistically significant effect on the kidneys' ability to remove creatinine, as illustrated in the figure above.
Conclusion
"The findings indicate that creatine supplementation does not induce renal damage," the Brazilians write. According to them, the results of their meta-analysis are "relevant to clinicians in renal nutrition and/or working with population interested as athletes of strength and bodybuilding".
Source:
J Ren Nutr. 2019 Nov;29(6):480-9.
More:
Steroids, creatine and high-protein diet can cause kidney damage if you don't drink enough 11.08.2015
Creatine and protein-rich diet combination not dangerous for kidneys 05.07.2013
Artichoke protects kidneys against creatine 14.01.2009
Creatine makes kidneys healthier 03.12.2008
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