Whilst hosting season 2 of FIT'N'FLEXED on major Australian network Channel Ten, I did a segment on why creatine wasn't to blame for the actions of the "Virgin Killer" Elliot Rodger, who went on a shooting spree in California.
Poor journalism led to this claim, and boy did it backfire.
At the time I also posted about it passionately on the FIT'N'FLEXED facebook page.
And just when you thought this myth was all sorted - another report has surfaced blaming creatine for agression, this time from news outlet Inside Edition.
The publication has suggested creatine might have made police officer Ben Fields act in the manner he did towards the 16-year-old South Carolina high school girl, where he threw her off the chair and dragged her across the classroom floor.
The story made international headlies and the officer was subsequently fired.
And I've got an inside scoop for inside edition - you have no idea what you're talking about.
Creatine seems to be unfairly targetted lately by those in media incapable of research - yet in all the studies conducted (and it's one of the most researched supplements ever) there's no solid evidence linking the humble amino acid to agression levels.
Creatine, as you might know, is found in foods like meat and fish for example.
And it's known as something to potentially help depression (1), if we really want to get into the role it can play outside of performance and muscle growth.
But it still seems people are happy to make crazy claims for a story - and claims that can be detrimental to the health and fitness goals of the layman.
Because let's face it - some people eat up everything they're told, and take everything at face value.
Verdict: keep getting stuck into your creatine...there's nothing wrong with it. They may as well have asked Ben Fields what he ate for breakfast that morning, then blamed oats and eggs for his aggression...
Come to think of it, I'm surprised they didn't.
"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"
References
(1) Allen PJ. Creatine metabolism and psychiatric disorders: Does creatine supplementation have therapeutic value? Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2012 May;36(5):1442-62. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.03.005. Epub 2012 Mar 24.
Author
Dayne Hudson