Creatine Dosage Calculator
Work out your creatine amount for loading or daily maintenance, based on your body weight.
This tool was built by Serge (MSc) using established science and government sources. My academic background covers plant biology, environmental biology, and biogeochemistry. My tools are for educational purposes and give practical guidance, not professional advice.
Creatine monohydrate has two common approaches: a short loading phase to fill your muscle stores quickly, or a steady daily amount that reaches the same point over a few weeks. This tool gives both, using the widely cited guidance from the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Enter your body weight and pick a phase.
How this works
The loading amount is based on body weight, and the maintenance amount is a standard daily range:
Loading = 0.3 g per kg per day, split into 4 doses, for 5 to 7 days
Maintenance = 3 to 5 g per day
For an 80 kg person, loading is about 24 g a day, taken as four doses of roughly 6 g, for 5 to 7 days. After that, or from the start if you skip loading, 3 to 5 g a day keeps the stores topped up. Skipping the loading phase reaches the same saturation in about 3 to 4 weeks.
Understanding your result
Loading fills muscle stores faster, which is the only difference. Both routes reach the same place. Many people simply take 3 to 5 g a day and skip loading to avoid the higher amounts, which can cause mild stomach upset. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and cheapest form, and taking it with food is fine. There is no need to cycle off.
Important limitations
- These are general amounts for healthy adults from published guidance, not personal advice.
- People with kidney problems should speak with a doctor before taking creatine.
- Creatine can raise the creatinine reading on a blood test, which is not kidney damage. Tell your doctor if you take it.
- More than 3 to 5 g a day for maintenance adds no benefit and can upset the stomach.
Scientific basis
The loading and maintenance amounts come from the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand on creatine:
- ISSN position stand on creatine, Kreider et al. 2017 (National Library of Medicine)
- ISSN position stand on creatine, full text (Journal of the ISSN)
This calculator is for general education only and is not medical or professional advice. Speak with a qualified professional before starting a supplement, especially if you have a health condition.