Creatine Calculator – How Much Creatine Per Day (Loading & Maintenance)
Use this free creatine calculator to work out how much creatine to take per day from your body weight. Choose maintenance or a loading phase and it shows grams, scoops, how long your tub lasts, and how much water to aim for.
Creatine calculator
Enter your details, then press calculate.
How much creatine should I take a day?
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most researched sports supplements. The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests 3 to 5 grams a day for most adults, or about 0.03 grams per kilogram of body weight. This creatine calculator turns that into a daily dose for your weight, shows the number of scoops, and tells you how long your tub will last.
Creatine loading vs maintenance
There are two common ways to take creatine. In a loading phase, you take about 0.3 g per kg of body weight a day (around 20 grams for most people) split into four doses for 5 to 7 days, then drop to a maintenance dose. A 75 kg person would take about 22 g a day for 5 days. The upside is that muscles saturate faster. In the maintenance only approach you take 3 to 5 grams daily from the start, and muscle stores fill over about 3 to 4 weeks. Both end up in the same place, so loading is optional.
| Approach | Daily dose | Time to full effect |
|---|---|---|
| Loading | about 0.3 g/kg (20 g) for 5 to 7 days | about 1 week |
| Maintenance | 3 to 5 g | 3 to 4 weeks |
How much water should I drink on creatine?
There is no official creatine-specific water target. Creatine draws water into muscle cells, and a good general approach is to meet your normal daily fluid needs and drink a little extra, especially on training days. The Australian adequate intake from all fluids is about 2.6 L for men and 2.1 L for women, and the calculator suggests around half a litre extra. Use the water intake calculator to tailor this for exercise and heat.
Tips for taking creatine
- Take it any time of day. Consistency matters more than timing.
- Mix a serve into water, a shake or a smoothie. Stirring well helps it dissolve.
- Choose creatine monohydrate, the most studied form. Look for a single-ingredient product.
- Expect a small rise in scale weight, usually 1 to 2 kg, from water stored in muscle rather than fat.
- Pair it with resistance training and enough protein. See the one rep max calculator to track strength and the protein calculator for daily protein.
Shop creatine and sports nutrition
Browse our creatine range alongside protein powder, pre workout and hydration. Check the label for the serve size and grams of creatine per scoop, then enter your scoop size above for exact numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How much creatine should I take per day?
Most adults take 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate a day. A weight-based option is about 0.03 g per kg. The calculator shows both.
Do I need to do a creatine loading phase?
No. Loading saturates muscles in about a week, but taking 3 to 5 grams daily reaches the same level in three to four weeks.
How many scoops of creatine is 5 grams?
It depends on the scoop. A level teaspoon is roughly 5 grams, but scoops vary, so check your tub and enter your scoop size in the calculator.
Is creatine safe?
Creatine monohydrate is well studied and considered safe for healthy adults at standard doses. If you have kidney problems, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are under 18, ask your doctor first.
Does creatine make you gain weight?
It can add 1 to 2 kg of water weight in muscle in the first weeks. This is not fat gain.
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General information only, not medical advice. Creatine is not suitable for everyone. If you have kidney or liver conditions, take medications, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are under 18, speak to your doctor or an accredited practising dietitian before using it.