Can creatine cause kidney failure?

Rare but mimics: Creatine may increase urea and creatinine even without kidney failure. In some. There are some rare conditions, creatine can cause kidney problems or metabolic problems. It is always advisable to check with a doctor before consuming creatine.

Side Effects: Ingesting creatinine causes water to be pulled into cells and when taken without a whole bunch of water for rehydration could easily cause acute renal failure secondary to loss of circulating blood volume to the kidneys. The key here to creatine use is also taking in large valumes of water to avoid side effects. If you have abnormal kidney function already, i would not recommend taking creatine.

Possible : By itself, creatine is usually not toxic, and is actually a naturally occurring substance in the human body. However, it is known to cause inflammation in the kidney sometimes (interstitial nephritis) and is best avoided by people who have preexisting kidney damage. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/creatine/ns_patient-creatine/dsection=safety.