Thank you for your interesting question
The consensus seems to be that if used properly it does not expose the
athlete to serious health problems and it does provide some benefits.
A father asks Joe Luxbacher if it's ok for his 16 yr old to use
creatine on Fitness Q&A
at post-gazette.com
http://www.post-gazette.com/healthscience/20030311hlux4.asp in the
article
Supervise creatine use in teens
Tuesday, March 11, 2003
"I do have reservations about unsupervised use of creatine among high
school athletes, specifically regarding dosage. Competitive athletes,
in their zeal to become bigger and stronger, may incorrectly assume
that if some creatine is good, more must surely be better. That is not
necessarily the case. The body has a ceiling on how much creatine it
can store in the muscles, so taking large doses may be
counterproductive and possibly even hazardous to one's health."
This is a very good article that describes how creatine works, side
effects and how to avoid the side effects (drink lots of water)
A 15-year old football player also asked Dr. Eric Serrano this exact
question on
mikefrancois.com's Supplement News
Ask the Doctor: Creatine and Teenagers
by Eric Serrano, M.D.
http://www.mikefrancois.com/creatineteenagers.htm
"Yes, creatine monohydrate is safe for guys and girls your age to use
as long as they do not have any health problems that would be worsened
by taking supplemental creatine. No one under the age of thirteen
should use creatine though, since their muscles are not developed
enough yet to get any real benefit."
He also recommends that inform your parents that you want to use
creatine and have your parents educate themselves about the product.
In this article by Associated Press Writer IRA DREYFUSS
"Young athletes try creatine; adults hold their breath"
http://www.canoe.ca/Health0012/11_fitness-ap.html
Dr. Jay Smith, Mayo physician states that
"Teens should not use creatine, Smith said. "The safest thing is not
to take it," he said. Although short-term side effects are relatively
mild, including cramping and diarrhea, long-term effects are not known
because the substance has not been followed for long enough, he said."
Another researcher Charles Yesalis of Penn State says
"It's not good for teens to become accustomed to using strength
training supplements, Yesalis said.”Speaking as a parent, I don't
think we should get our kids in the habit," he said. "When taken as
directed, nothing there scares me. However, if there is one thing I
have learned in 22 years, there is a group that lives by the adage
that if one works, 10 will work great."
"However, another researcher, Dr. Richard Kreider of the University of
Memphis, thinks the risks of creatine, even in high schoolers, are
vastly overstated. Research has not found the stuff to be dangerous,
and the cramping that is a commonly reported side effect can be
controlled by drinking lots of water, he said."
I hope this helps you with your decision
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