Coaches and trainers should be knowledgeable about creatine loading and maintenance. Since athletes are going to use creatine anyway, they should have access to accurate information from professionals. Furthermore, athletes need to know they are receiving the amount of creatine the manufacturer claims is in the container. According to several studies, the one noticeable side effect of creatine supplement is weight gain. However, such a dramatic increase in weight is probably a result of increased body water.
Creatine supplements are most helpful to athletes with lower creatine levels in their systems.
Normal creatine concentrations vary widely from person to person, with one study indicating that vegetarians have lower creatine levels than non-vegetarians. The Penn State Sports Medicine Newsletter is a monthly publication of Penn State's Center for Sports Medicine.