Hey

I don't know if this has already been mentioned but I saw an article earlier in the week about muscle building supplements and testicular cancer, basically the article stated that muscle building supplements may well be a cause of testicular cancer with a 65% increase in men who took them with emphasis on creatine and androstenedione. What are people thoughts on this, should I continue using supplements or is better to play it safe?

Article:http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20150416/muscle-building-supplements-cancer

Olly,

You have to be careful with all the studies out there. They also just released a study saying taking extra vitamin supplements can increase the risk of cancer. Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells. Even though these cells are mutated or have damaged DNA, they still follow the biological laws of cell growth and division. Protein and your sex hormones promote cell growth. It makes sense that if you have cancer that added protein or hormones will increase the growth rate of the malignancy. This is CORRELATION not CAUSATION. These things are related but it does not prove that one causes the other.

You have to look at the total picture. Cancer is caused either by DNA mutations at birth, DNA mutations caused by known DNA disruptors like radiation and certain chemicals, and malnutrition at the micro-nutrient layer. Most cancers are caused by the latter - poor nutrition and eating heavily processed, chemically laden foods devoid of any micro-nutrients to protect your DNA and keep your immune system strong to find and destroy cancer cells before they can cause harm. Cancer of the sex organs - testicles, prostate, ovaries, uterus, etc can be exacerbated by too much testosterone and its precursors like Androstenedione and estrogen as they are responsible for the development and growth of the cells that form these organs. The Creatine connection is utter nonsense. The one thing cancer cells have that normal cells don't is defective mitochondria (the energy system of the cell). A normal cell can run on glucose or fat and can operate in environments with or without oxygen to create fuel. Creatine is used to produce a fuel called ATP which does not need oxygen. Cancer cells can only run on glucose and only when oxygen is present. Therefore, I see no way Creatine can facilitate cancer cell growth. This is why eating a diet too high in simple and processed sugars combined with chronic inflammation from a poor diet and lack of micro-nutirents can create the perfect growth environment for cancer.

John

There is a study out there that says everything can cause every disease. Some may be right, some may be wrong. It was always my personal belief that creatine was the most studied and researched supplement, with from what Ive heard(until this) there wasnt any known health risks with taking it.

Having said this...It is not something that I normally do take....I have taken it before for a few months at a time, and have tried 5 types, from best known to "gucci" healthy brand stuff to cheap grocery store brands....some worked better than others but. I stopped taking it not due to fear of health hazzards but for lack of satisfactory results....it made me look bigger, but it just looked like I had a higher BF% than I did...I just found people on creatine for long periods look the same...like they jsut are holding 10lbs of water, I personally think it looks funny. But thats just me.

I hope this study is wrong...I like my boys....but it has peaked my interest.

The majority of these studies get grossly mis-interpreted so as to create buzz or a shock factor. They also now claim protein causes cancer. At the end of the day, anything that promotes cell growth like protein, creatine, testosterone precursors, IGF-1, etc will also help cancer cells grow. This is CORRELATION not CAUSATION. There is a big difference. An article that states protein supplements could aid cancer cell growth is not as sensational as protein causes cancer.

John

hey;

Stress also makes you cancer. So don't think them all. You are what you eat.You should eat healthy foods and smile to world

I didn't read the full study, but I also heared they didn't take steroids in consideration. Only looking to a group of people who use supplements like creatine and a group who doesn't. Chances are that some of the people who were on these supplements were also using steroids. I'm not a fan of these kind of studies, I'd rather see studie where they got deep into the biology and chemistry of these facts. Indeed correlation isn't causation, like this example:

Love it