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Weight trainingCreatine: how much to take
3–5 g a day works. Loading is optional, just faster. · 2 min read · Updated October 1, 2026
How we made this guide: we built it from the research below and checked every number against it: ISSN position stand on creatine (2017); Antonio et al., creatine questions and misconceptions (2021); Desai et al., creatine and resistance training meta-analysis (2024).
Creatine is one of the most studied supplements in sport. The useful questions are how much, whether to load, and whether it’s safe.
How much to take
The International Society of Sports Nutrition’s position stand (Kreider et al., 2017) and its later review of common questions (Antonio et al., 2021) recommend 3–5 g of creatine monohydrate a day. Monohydrate is the most studied form, and the 2021 review found other forms are not better.
Do you need to load?
Loading means taking a bigger daily dose for the first 5–7 days to fill your muscles’ creatine stores quickly, then dropping to a smaller daily amount. You don’t need to: loading just gets you there faster.
| Approach | How | Muscle creatine stores rise |
|---|---|---|
| Loading | About 0.3 g/kg a day for 5–7 days, then 3–5 g a day | In about a week |
| No loading | 3–5 g a day from the start | Over about 3–4 weeks |
Both from the 2017 position stand. The 2021 review concludes a loading phase is not required.
| Body weight | Loading dose (0.3 g/kg a day, 5–7 days) | Daily dose after |
|---|---|---|
| 130 lb (59 kg) | ~18 g | 3–5 g |
| 150 lb (68 kg) | ~20 g | 3–5 g |
| 170 lb (77 kg) | ~23 g | 3–5 g |
| 190 lb (86 kg) | ~26 g | 3–5 g |
| 210 lb (95 kg) | ~29 g | 3–5 g |
Loading amounts calculated from 0.3 g/kg and rounded.
One thing to expect if you load: the 2021 review notes that a loading phase typically adds 1–3 kg of body mass, mostly body water. If you track your weight, expect that bump.
What it does for lifters
A 2024 meta-analysis of 12 studies in adults under 50 (Desai et al.) found that people who took creatine while resistance training gained about 1.1 kg more lean mass than those who trained without it. Lean mass includes more than muscle, and some of the trials had a risk of bias, but it fits the long record of creatine supporting training.
Is it safe?
- For healthy adults, yes at these doses. The 2017 position stand found no compelling evidence of harm from short- or long-term use in healthy people.
- Kidneys: the 2021 review concludes creatine at recommended doses does not damage the kidneys in healthy individuals. If you have kidney disease or take medication that affects your kidneys, ask your doctor first.
- Hair loss: the same review says most of the evidence does not support a link.
Supplements aren’t checked like medicines, so many athletes choose products tested by an independent third-party program.
Give it a fair test
Creatine works over weeks, so the only way to judge it is to compare your training before and after. We built My Track Record so each session is one spoken sentence, which keeps the before-and-after record honest.
General information for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, are under 18 or take medication, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before taking any supplement.
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By Andrew, founder of My Track Record. Andrew has been active all of his life across a variety of sports and continues to stay active through climbing, swimming, weight training, golfing, snowboarding, and more. He built My Track Record so logging food and training takes one spoken sentence and can support any activity. He puts these guides together from published sports science research cited on each page. About AndrewSources
- Kreider RB, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. Source
- Antonio J, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):13. Source
- Desai I, et al. The effect of creatine supplementation on resistance training-based changes to body composition: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res. 2024;38(10):1813–1821. Source