Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for Health his plans to ban the use of creatine and other muscle building supplements by children under the age of 18 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38820/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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I have been informed by the FSAI that there are no documented safety reasons that would justify banning creatine. However, due to a lack of data on safety of creatine consumption during childhood and adolescence, it is advised that creatine supplements be avoided until adulthood.

In 2004 the European Food Safety Authority considered the safety and bioavailability of creatine monohydrate in foods for particular nutritional uses and concluded it was not a matter of concern provided that there was adequate control of the purity of this source of creatine with respect to dicyandiamide and dihydro-1,3,5-triazine derivatives. Provided high purity creatine monohydrate is used in foods for particular nutritional uses, EFSA concurred with the previous opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) that the consumption of doses of up to 3g/day of supplemental creatine, similar to the daily turnover rate of creatine, is unlikely to pose any risk. Taking this into consideration, along with the advice of the FSAI, my Department advises that as a precautionary measure, the consumption of high doses of creatine over a long period should be avoided.