Teens using muscle building supplements risking health

Teenage rugby players using supplements to bulk up are putting their health at risk, the IRFU has warned.

The union’s national performance nutritionist, Ruth Wood-Martin, said no player under 18 should use supplements such as creatine, which are widely available on the internet and on the high street.

She said the increased popularity of muscle-building products across all ages and all sports may be due to a lack of understanding of manufacturers’ claims, many of which are not backed up by scientific evidence.