Creatine Dose (Loading & Maintenance)
Turn body weight into simple creatine grams you can actually follow
Creatine loading, maintenance and safety FAQ
Do I have to do a loading phase with creatine?
No. A classic loading phase (around 20 g/day for 5–7 days split into several servings) can raise muscle creatine faster, but most people can also skip loading and just take 3–5 g/day. You will still reach similar muscle levels; it just takes a little longer.
Is more creatine always better?
Going far above common ranges does not seem to build more muscle, but it can raise the chance of stomach upset, bloating or loose stools. Evidence reviews often highlight doses of roughly 3–5 g/day or about 0.1 g/kg/day as typical upper ranges for healthy adults, rather than mega-dosing for long periods.
When is creatine usually taken?
Most people take creatine once per day with food. During loading, it is often split into smaller servings (for example 4 × 5 g) across the day to reduce stomach discomfort. Over the long term, timing matters less than simply taking the right amount consistently.
Is creatine safe for my kidneys?
Large reviews and position stands suggest creatine monohydrate is generally safe for healthy adults at normal doses, but people with kidney disease or on kidney-affecting medicines need medical supervision. Always let your clinician know you supplement with creatine so they can interpret blood tests correctly.
Can teenagers use creatine?
Many expert groups are cautious about routine creatine use under 18, partly because long term data in adolescents is limited and because supplement use can mix with body-image pressure. If a young athlete is considering creatine, it should be done only with direct medical and parental supervision.
What form of creatine should I buy?
Most research and position statements focus on creatine monohydrate. It’s usually the simplest, best-studied and most cost-effective option. Look for products that are third-party tested and avoid blends that hide the exact grams of creatine behind proprietary labels.
Do I need to cycle off creatine?
Many programs keep people on a steady maintenance dose for months or longer. Current evidence does not show that short breaks are required for safety in healthy adults, though some athletes choose to cycle for their own preferences, budgets, or to monitor how they feel without it.
How to use this creatine dosage calculator
This calculator turns your body weight and plan style into clear, rounded creatine doses you can match to a scoop or teaspoon. Instead of guessing between videos and labels, you get a simple loading suggestion and a maintenance range that line up with common sports nutrition guidelines.
1. Choose units and add your weight
Pick whether you prefer US (lb) or metric (kg). The page always loads with pounds first, but you can flip to kilograms in one click. Then enter a realistic current body weight, ideally from a recent morning weigh-in. The tool converts everything internally, but your display stays in the unit you chose.
2. Pick loading versus maintenance only
With Loading week then maintenance selected, the calculator uses your weight to suggest:
- A short loading phase in grams per day, capped near 20 g.
- A maintenance dose in grams per day once loading is finished.
If you’d rather keep things gentler, switch to Maintenance only (no loading). You’ll see a single daily gram target you can run with from day one.
3. Adjust loading days if you use that option
Many programs suggest 5–7 days of loading. The loading days box lets you nudge that window up or down between 3 and 7. The calculator automatically spreads your total creatine across that many days so the per-day grams still make sense.
4. Read the summary and copy it out
Hit Calculate creatine dose to see:
- Your plan mode and body weight in your chosen unit.
- Suggested daily grams during loading and how many days that lasts.
- Suggested daily maintenance grams and a short note on what’s typical.
The Copy summary button gives you a neat text block you can paste into notes, a coaching plan, or a message to your dietitian so everyone is looking at the same numbers.
5. Combine this with real-world feedback and labs
Even though creatine is one of the best studied sports supplements, it is still a supplement. If you notice ongoing bloating, stomach upset, headaches, or changes in blood tests, work with your healthcare team. People with kidney disease, high blood pressure, or complex medication lists especially need tailored guidance rather than generic online grams.
Used well, creatine is one small part of a bigger picture: sleep, protein intake, training quality and recovery matter just as much as a scoop of powder. Treat this calculator as a way to remove dose guesswork so you can pay more attention to the rest of your routine.
How the creatine loading and maintenance math works
The calculator leans on position stands and reviews from sports nutrition researchers rather than random gym lore. The goal is to keep the numbers transparent so you can discuss them easily with a coach or clinician.
1. Weight to kilograms behind the scenes
Creatine research usually reports doses in grams per kilogram of body weight. If you choose US units, your weight in pounds is divided by 2.2046 to get kilograms. If you choose kilograms directly, the number is used as-is. All dose formulas then run off that kilogram value.
2. Loading dose: about 0.3 g/kg per day
Many protocols and position stands use a short loading phase of roughly 0.3 g/kg/day for 5–7 days. For a 70 kg person, that would be about 21 g/day. To keep things practical and reduce stomach upset, the calculator:
- Computes 0.3 × body-weight-in-kg.
- Caps the result at around 20 g/day.
- Shows the total per day in grams, which you can split into several doses with meals.
3. Maintenance dose: about 3–5 g/day
After muscles are saturated, studies often support a maintenance range of 3–5 g/day, or about 0.03 g/kg/day. The calculator:
- Starts from 0.03 g/kg/day.
- Rounds and gently clamps that to stay between 3 and 5 g/day for typical adult weights.
- Shows a single, clean maintenance number you can match to scoops or teaspoons.
4. Maintenance-only path
When you choose Maintenance only, the loading math is skipped and you just see the daily maintenance grams. That reflects the idea that loading is optional: you still end up at similar muscle creatine levels, you just get there more slowly while minimizing the chance of digestive discomfort or big water-weight swings.
As with any supplement, treat these grams as starting points. If blood tests, symptoms or your medical history suggest a different approach, your healthcare team’s guidance always beats a generic calculator—even a careful one.
References and further reading on creatine dosing and safety
These resources discuss evidence-based creatine intakes, loading approaches and safety in healthy adults:
- Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition — Safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation — position stand outlining typical loading (≈0.3 g/kg/day) and maintenance strategies, plus safety data in athletes and clinical settings.
- Antonio et al. — Common questions and misconceptions about creatine — reviews practical dosing (3–5 g/day or ~0.1 g/kg) and summarizes side-effect and safety evidence.
- Mayo Clinic — Creatine: Safety and side effects — general overview of benefits, typical doses and when to avoid or discuss creatine with a clinician.
Use these as background reading, then pair the calculator’s suggestions with individual medical and sports nutrition advice before changing your supplement routine.