The short answer: most creatine research used 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate a day, taken every day. Loading with about 20 grams a day for 5 to 7 days fills muscle stores faster, but expert reviews say it isn’t required: 3 grams a day reached similar muscle levels in about four weeks. Follow your product’s label and your clinician’s advice.
This guide covers the how: form, loading, timing, mixing and consistency. If you’re still deciding whether creatine is right for you, start with our guide to whether creatine is safe, which covers kidneys, hair loss and the main side effects.
A note on numbers: the doses below are what researchers gave people in studies. They’re here so you can read a label with some context. They aren’t a personal prescription.
What form of creatine should you take?
Creatine monohydrate is the form used in the vast majority of studies, and reviews have found no other form that works better. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), a sports nutrition research group, says claims that other forms are absorbed or stored better are unfounded.
| Form | What the reviews say |
|---|---|
| Creatine monohydrate powder | The most studied form since the early 1990s. About 87.9% creatine by weight, and about 99% of what you swallow is taken up by tissue or passed in urine. |
| Creatine HCl and other salts, nitrate, citrate | No published studies show they raise muscle creatine more than the same amount of monohydrate. |
| Creatine ethyl ester, buffered creatine | Not shown to beat monohydrate. Most studies found less effect. |
| Creatine drinks and serums | Some hold only 25 to 50 mg, a tiny fraction of a study dose. Creatine also breaks down in liquid over time. |
A 2021 expert review in the ISSN’s journal adds that many other forms contain less creatine per gram than monohydrate. That’s one reason they tend to cost more for less.
Do you need a creatine loading phase?
No, you don’t need to load creatine. The 2021 review calls the belief that you must load a common misconception. In a classic comparison study, muscle creatine rose by about 20% either way: after 3 grams a day for 28 days, or after 20 grams a day for 6 days.
Loading means taking 20 to 25 grams a day for 5 to 7 days, split into four or five servings of about 5 grams, then dropping to 3 to 5 grams a day. Here’s how the two approaches compare in the research:
| Loading | Steady daily amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount studied | 20 to 25 g a day (or 0.3 g per kg of body weight), split into 4 or 5 servings | 3 to 5 g a day |
| How long | 5 to 7 days, then 3 to 5 g a day | Ongoing |
| Time to fill muscle stores | About 5 to 7 days | About 28 days at 3 g a day |
| Rise in muscle creatine | About 20% (6 days at 20 g) | About 20% (28 days at 3 g) |
| Early weight gain from water | More likely. Early studies saw about 0.5 to 1.0 liters of fluid retained. | Less likely, which the review gives as a reason to choose it |
| Stomach upset | Single servings over 10 g may cause diarrhea | Servings of 3 to 5 g stay well under that 10 g level |
| When reviewers suggest it | Athletes who want results in under 30 days | Anyone taking it for longer than 30 days |
For most people training for health, the steady approach is the simpler choice, with fewer servings to remember.
When is the best time to take creatine?
There’s no proven best time of day to take creatine. A 2021 review of timing studies found early hints that taking it after exercise may beat taking it before, but said the research has too many limits to draw firm conclusions. What the studies agree on is taking it every day.
So pick a time you’ll remember. Pairing it with a meal or your after-workout drink makes the habit easier to keep. The timing studies are covered in more detail in our safety guide.
How do you take creatine powder?
Stir the powder into water or another drink and drink it soon after mixing. Creatine is stable as a dry powder but slowly breaks down in liquid, so it’s sold dry for a reason. In lab tests stored at room temperature for three days, the more acidic the liquid, the more broke down: 4% at a mild acidity and 21% in a strongly acidic one.
- With food: the ISSN says taking creatine with carbohydrate, or carbohydrate and protein, has been reported to help muscles hold on to more of it. A meal or a milk-based drink does this without any special product.
- Split large amounts: if a label ever calls for more than 10 grams in a day, the 2021 review suggests smaller servings spread out, since single doses over 10 grams may cause diarrhea.
- Water: drink as you normally would. The ISSN found no evidence that creatine causes dehydration or cramping.
Cleveland Clinic suggests that if you get side effects, dividing your daily amount into smaller doses through the day may help.
How long does it take creatine to work?
Creatine needs about four weeks at 3 grams a day to fill your muscle stores, or about one week with loading. The studies that found gains in muscle and strength ran for weeks to months, alongside training. Creatine lets your muscles do a little more work in short, hard efforts, and the training is what turns that into strength.
That’s why the reviews pair it with resistance exercise. If you’re new to lifting, our guide to strength training for beginners gives you a simple plan to start with. Protein matters as well: here’s how much protein you need each day.
What happens if you miss a day of creatine?
Missing a day makes little difference, because your stores drain slowly. The ISSN says that once muscle creatine is raised, it generally takes 4 to 6 weeks to fall back to where it started. It also found no evidence that levels drop below normal after stopping, or that your body stops making its own.
Take your usual amount the next day. There’s no need to double up. Consistency over weeks matters far more than any single day, and that includes rest days.
Who should check with a doctor before taking creatine?
Talk to your doctor before taking creatine if you have kidney disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take regular medicine. Cleveland Clinic says there isn’t enough evidence on safety for people who:
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding. The 2021 review notes there are no human studies of creatine in pregnancy.
- Have kidney disease, liver disease or diabetes.
- Have bipolar disorder, since Cleveland Clinic says creatine may raise the risk of mania.
Cleveland Clinic also advises telling your provider about any medicines, vitamins or other supplements you take. For anyone under 18, many labels carry a warning. The ISSN calls that a legal precaution, and the 2021 review says the evidence in teens is limited. A parent and a pediatrician should decide together.
Two more things to know. Creatine can raise creatinine on a blood test, so tell your doctor you take it. And if you have side effects, stop and check in with your provider.
How do you start taking creatine?
Start by choosing a plain creatine monohydrate powder, taking the amount on the label once a day, and pairing it with strength training two or three times a week. Here’s a simple first month:
- Check with your clinician if anything in the list above applies to you.
- Pick a tested product. Look for third-party seals such as NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport. Our guide to creatine for women explains what those seals check.
- Tie it to a habit. Breakfast, lunch or your after-workout drink. Mix it and drink it right away.
- Train. Two or three strength sessions a week, every week.
- Give it a month before judging, since that’s how long stores take to fill without loading.
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Quick questions
Should I take creatine on rest days?
Yes, in the research creatine was taken every day, including rest days. Its benefit comes from keeping muscle stores topped up, which happens over weeks, so a steady daily habit matters more than matching it to workouts. Follow the amount on your product’s label, and check with your clinician if you have a health condition.
Is a creatine loading phase necessary?
No, a loading phase isn’t necessary. A 2021 expert review calls that belief a misconception. In a classic study, 3 grams a day for 28 days raised muscle creatine about as much as 20 grams a day for 6 days. Loading only fills stores faster, and it is more likely to cause early water weight and stomach upset.
Should I take creatine with food or on an empty stomach?
Either works, but food may help. The International Society of Sports Nutrition says taking creatine with carbohydrate, or carbohydrate and protein, has been reported to help muscles retain more of it. Having it with a meal is an easy way to do that and may also be gentler on your stomach.
Can you mix creatine with a protein shake?
Yes, you can mix creatine into a protein shake. The International Society of Sports Nutrition says taking creatine with carbohydrate and protein has been reported to help muscles retain more of it. Drink the shake soon after mixing, since creatine slowly breaks down in liquid, and faster in more acidic drinks.
What are the side effects of a creatine loading phase?
The most common side effects of loading are quick weight gain from water and stomach upset. Early studies saw about 0.5 to 1.0 liters of fluid retained during loading. A 2021 review says single servings over 10 grams may cause diarrhea, which is why loading is usually split into four or five smaller servings a day.
What happens when you stop taking creatine?
When you stop taking creatine, your muscle stores slowly return to normal. The International Society of Sports Nutrition says this generally takes 4 to 6 weeks. It found no evidence that levels fall below normal or that your body stops making its own creatine. Strength you have built through training can be kept by continuing to train.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Doses described are those used in research, not personal recommendations. Follow your product’s label, and talk to your doctor before starting creatine if you have kidney or liver disease, diabetes or bipolar disorder, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, or take regular medicine.
Sources
- 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
- Antonio J, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021
- Ribeiro F, et al. Timing of creatine supplementation around exercise: a real concern? Nutrients. 2021
- Cleveland Clinic. Creatine