How much creatine should I drink every day?

November 17, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), creatine is one of the most researched and effective dietary supplements for improving exercise performance and building muscle. Understanding how much creatine should I drink every day is crucial for maximizing its benefits while ensuring safe and efficient use.

Quick Summary

The ideal daily creatine dose depends on your goals, with a 3-5 gram maintenance phase being standard. A loading phase of 20-25 grams for 5-7 days can saturate muscles faster, but is not essential for long-term benefits. Consistency is key for achieving results.

Key Points

Standard Dosage: The general recommendation is a daily maintenance dose of 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate for most people.
Loading Phase: An optional, faster method involves taking 20-25 grams per day for 5-7 days to quickly saturate muscles, followed by the standard maintenance dose.
Monohydrate is Best: Creatine monohydrate is the most researched and cost-effective form, with other versions offering no proven superiority.
Consistency Over Timing: Taking creatine consistently every day is more important than the exact time you take it, as it works by saturating muscle stores over time.
Side Effects: High loading doses may cause temporary bloating or digestive issues, but these are manageable. Long-term, recommended doses are generally safe for healthy individuals.
Take With Carbs/Protein: To enhance absorption, taking creatine with a meal containing carbohydrates and/or protein can be beneficial.

Creatine Dosing: Loading vs. Maintenance

Creatine is one of the most popular and scientifically validated supplements, known for its ability to boost strength, increase lean muscle mass, and improve high-intensity exercise performance. The question of how much creatine to take daily hinges on whether you opt for a loading phase or a simpler, long-term maintenance approach. Both methods lead to full muscle saturation, but differ in the time it takes to achieve peak levels.

The Creatine Loading Phase

For those who want to see results more quickly, a loading phase is a common strategy. This involves taking a higher dose of creatine for a short period to rapidly saturate your muscle stores. A typical protocol is 20 to 25 grams per day, divided into 4 or 5 smaller doses of 5 grams each, for 5 to 7 days.

Bodyweight-based loading: A more personalized approach is to use 0.3 grams of creatine per kilogram of body weight during the loading phase. For example, a person weighing 80 kg (176 lbs) would take 24 grams per day (80 kg x 0.3 g).
Potential side effects: Higher doses are more likely to cause minor gastrointestinal side effects like bloating or stomach upset. Spreading the dose throughout the day can help minimize these issues.

The Maintenance Phase (No-Load Approach)

If you prefer a slower, more gradual approach and want to avoid the potential bloating from a loading phase, a simple maintenance dose is just as effective over time.

Standard daily dose: The most common and studied dose is 3 to 5 grams per day. This amount is sufficient to fully saturate your muscles within about 28 days.
Larger athletes: Individuals with a larger body mass might benefit from a slightly higher maintenance dose, sometimes up to 10 grams per day.
Consistency is key: With this method, consistency is paramount. Taking your dose every day, including rest days, is necessary to reach and maintain full saturation.

Creatine Monohydrate: The Gold Standard

When choosing a creatine supplement, creatine monohydrate is the most recommended form. It is the most extensively studied, proven to be both safe and effective, and is the most cost-effective option. While other forms like creatine HCl and buffered creatine exist and boast better solubility or fewer side effects, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest they offer a significant advantage over monohydrate. Any claimed benefits are largely speculative and based on limited research.

The importance of consistency

Regardless of your chosen dosing strategy, taking creatine consistently is the most important factor for success. Creatine works by increasing the saturation of your muscle cells over time, not through an immediate, stimulating effect. Missing a day or two after achieving saturation won't significantly impact your levels, but skipping doses regularly will prevent you from maximizing your stores.

Best practices for supplementation

To enhance absorption, it is often recommended to take creatine with carbohydrates or carbohydrates and protein, which can help increase insulin levels and drive creatine into the muscles. Taking your daily dose around your workout, either shortly before or after, may also be beneficial due to increased blood flow to the muscles, although research is mixed on whether this timing is critical.

Comparison of Dosing Strategies


Feature	Loading Phase	Maintenance Phase (No-Load)
Daily Dose	20–25 grams, split into 4-5 servings	3–5 grams, once daily
Duration	5–7 days (initial)	28 days to saturate
Time to Results	Quicker (within a week)	Slower (about a month)
Side Effects	Higher chance of bloating, stomach upset	Lower chance of side effects
Necessity	Optional, not required for benefits	Sufficient for all long-term goals
Consistency	Critical for initial saturation	Critical for long-term maintenance

Conclusion

For most individuals seeking to boost strength and performance, the simplest and most cost-effective approach is a daily 3-5 gram dose of creatine monohydrate. While a loading phase can speed up the process, it is not necessary and carries a higher risk of minor side effects like bloating. Regardless of your method, the key to success is consistent daily intake. For any underlying health concerns, particularly kidney issues, it is always wise to consult a healthcare provider before beginning a new supplement regimen. A reliable resource for supplement information is the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, a loading phase is not necessary to gain the benefits of creatine. Taking a consistent daily dose of 3-5 grams will achieve the same level of muscle saturation, though it will take longer, usually around 28 days.

While daily doses of up to 10 grams have been used safely long-term in some studies, there is generally no added benefit to taking more than 5 grams per day after the initial muscle saturation is reached. Excessive amounts may cause digestive issues.

For optimal results, it is best to take creatine around your workout, either shortly before or after. On rest days, the timing is less important, but taking it with a meal can aid absorption.

Creatine powder can be mixed with water, juice, or a protein shake. Mixing it with a beverage containing carbohydrates and protein can enhance its absorption by the muscles.

Yes, it is important to take creatine consistently every day to maintain elevated muscle creatine levels. Consistency is more crucial than the exact timing of the dose.

The most common side effect is temporary water retention, which can cause slight weight gain and bloating, especially during a loading phase. Other potential, though rare, side effects include digestive issues like nausea or diarrhea at high doses.

Creatine has been extensively studied and is considered safe for healthy individuals at recommended dosages, even with long-term use. However, those with pre-existing kidney conditions should consult a doctor before supplementing.