Work out your creatine dose from your body weight, with or without a loading week, using the International Society of Sports Nutrition figures. Nothing is stored, and there is no sign-up.

Your daily dose

3–5 g creatine monohydrate / day

Take it every day, training day or not. Timing barely matters.

Stores fill over 3 to 4 weeks on this route, then stay full while you keep taking it.

Doses follow the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: about 0.3 g per kg of body weight a day for 5 to 7 days if you want to load, then 3 to 5 g a day, or simply 3 to 5 g a day from the start. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and effective form, and the expensive variants have no proven advantage. Up to 30 g a day for five years has been safe and well tolerated in healthy people, with no compelling evidence of harm to kidney function. Expect one to two kg of scale weight early on, mostly water inside muscle. If you have kidney disease or take medicines that affect the kidneys, ask your doctor first. This tool is information, not medical advice.

How it works

Enter your weight and choose whether you want to load first. The tool returns either a loading dose in grams a day for the first week or the plain daily dose.

The formula and sources

Doses follow the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand on creatine: about 0.3 g per kg of body weight a day for 5 to 7 days to fill muscle stores quickly, then 3 to 5 g a day to keep them full, or 3 to 5 g a day from the start, which fills stores over 3 to 4 weeks. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and effective form.

Assumptions

You are a generally healthy adult.
You are using creatine monohydrate.
You take it daily, including rest days.

Limitations

Creatine supports training; it does not replace it. Expect one to two kg of early scale weight, mostly water held inside muscle. A minority of people respond little because their stores are already high from diet.

When to see a doctor

Up to 30 g a day for five years has been safe and well tolerated in healthy people, with no compelling evidence of harm to kidney function. If you have kidney disease or take medicines that affect the kidneys, ask your doctor before starting.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to load creatine?

No. Loading fills muscle stores in about a week; 3 to 5 g a day gets you to the same place in 3 to 4 weeks with less stomach upset.

Which form of creatine should I buy?

Monohydrate. It is the most studied and the cheapest, and the premium forms have no proven advantage.

Does creatine harm your kidneys?

There is no compelling evidence of harm to kidney function in healthy people, with safe use reported up to 30 g a day over five years. Existing kidney disease is a reason to ask your doctor first.

Will creatine make me gain weight?

Usually one to two kg early on, mostly water held inside muscle rather than fat.

Creatine Dose Calculator: How Much to Take