Supplement creatine suspect in kidney problems of 2 New Zealand soccer players

Two New Zealand soccer players have been diagnosed with the same rare kidney condition, nephrotic syndrome. They believe creatine, a supplement they took to build bulk, is the culprit.

One of the victims of the nephrotic syndrome is Joel Vidiri, 42, a former player for Auckland Blues and All Blacks. His diagnosis goes back to 2001 and in May 2015, he underwent a kidney transplant. He is presently working in an Auckland hardware store to support his two children who lives with him in Pukekohe, reports The Telegraph.

The other victim, Jonah Lomu, a former All Blacks player, is not as lucky as Vidiri even if he had also a kidney transplant in 2004, but it failed in 2011. In November 2015, 40-year-old Lomu did not survive a heart attack.

Players of Auckland Blues took creatine, a chemical normally found in the body, mostly in the muscles. The body manufactures it, but it could also be obtained from certain foods such as fish and meat. Athletes take it to improved exercise performance and increase muscle mass, according to WebMD.

Even famous athletes such as John Elway, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire admit to using creatine. The International Olympics Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association and other professional sports groups allow its use.

According to Vidiri, Lomu still took creatine even after he was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome in late 1995. The rare kidney ailment affects only three in 100,000 of the population. Among its symptoms are high levels of protein in urine and low levels of protein in blood which a signs that the kidneys are not working properly.

WebMD points out that it is not a disease, rather a warning that something is damaging the kidneys which are supposed to keep the right amount of protein in the blood. When the tiny blood vessels, called glomerull, are damaged, too much protein would slip from the blood into the urine. This would result in the fluid building up in the tissues and causing swelling.

Medical experts believe that Lomu’s continued use of creatine, which was given to players every few months in a big container, worsened his condition.

Lomu and Vidiri were players of Counties Manukau in 1984, then they moved to Auckland Blues in 1996.