A student athlete presents at the clinic for his physical checkup. The athlete tells the nurse that he is using large doses of creatine to increase muscle size and strength

Question

What should the nurse instruct the student to do while taking this medication? A) Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to stop pain from expanding muscles.
B) Drink plenty of fluids while using this drug and watch for swelling.
C) Stop eating red meat or other animal products.
D) Take cimetidine (Tagamet) to relieve the stomach upset associated with the use of this therapy.

Answer 1

B
Feedback:
Creatine is a protein by-product that has to be processed through the kidneys. If an athlete is using it to try to increase muscle size, he should be advised to drink plenty of fluids to help flush it through the kidney and to watch for any swelling that could indicate change in renal function. NSAIDs could aggravate renal problems and cause more swelling. Getting protein from food sources is a natural way to provide the body with proteins. If stomach upset occurs, the athlete should stop using the herbal therapy and not add another drug to his regimen, especially cimetidine that can increase risk of kidney damage.