How Many Grams of Creatine Per Day? Dosage by Phase

On Quora forum, Nicholas Vagnoni is a person who uses creatine to increase muscle mass. But unfortunately, when using more than 15 grams/day, he experienced stomach pain and diarrhea.

So, is the cause due to using this nutrient incorrectly or simply because the body is not suitable? It can be said that in his case, the reason why side effects after using functional foods occur faster is mostly due to not using the correct dose and method.

At the same time, creatine supplementation typically involves two phases rather than a single consistent dosage. What is it? Continue reading the article to find the answer.

How Many Grams Of Creatine A Day? Creatine Dosage

According to WebMD, creatine is safe to take at a dose of 25 grams per day for 14 days and reduced to 4-5 grams per day for up to 18 months. In addition, in some cases, such as long-term muscle enhancement, you can take up to 10 grams per day for up to 5 years [1].

According to Gavin Van De Walle, MS, RD, in the loading phase, you need 20-25 grams per day, for 5-7 consecutive days. After that, you maintain 3-5 grams per day or 30 mg/kg of body weight, continuously for 28 days [2].

Moreover, according to Alireza Naderi from the study Timing, optimal dose and intake duration of dietary supplements with evidence-based use in sports nutrition, the timing and amount of creatine intake are mentioned, in which the loading phase is 20 - 25 grams/day (or 0.3 grams/kg/day) for 5 - 7 days and the maintenance phase is 3 - 5 grams/day (0.03 grams/kg/day) [3].

From the above information, it can be concluded that you should use it according to the following schedule:

• Under 25 grams/day, for a maximum of 7 days in the active loading phase.
• Under 5 grams/day, for a maximum of 5 years in the maintenance phase.

However, the information is for reference only. Because each person's body's reaction after use is different, you should present your entire health status to your doctor to consult about how much to use and for how long.

Creatine Supplementation Phases

Loading Phase

Loading Phase is the phase where you increase your creatine intake. This phase typically involves taking up to 25 grams per day, continuously for up to 7 days without stopping.

In addition, the best time to take such a high dose of creatine is early in the morning, at noon, or after a high-intensity workout. The purpose of the Loading Phase is to help muscles improve firmness quickly.

Maintenance Phase

Maintenance Phase is the phase where you maintain a stable creatine level in your body. At this point, you only take a maximum of 5 grams per day, continuously for at least 28 - 30 days or up to 5 years.

The appropriate time to supplement creatine in the Maintenance Phase is after training. It is important to note that you should not take creatine with fruit juices, smoothies, or any acidic foods or dextrose.

Related article: Should You Take Creatine Before Bed? Is It Effective?

Why Is Creatine Supplemented in Two Phases: Loading and Maintenance?

Supplementing creatine to the body, to be truly effective and ensure safety, you must divide it into 2 basic stages, mentioned above.

The reason is that the loading stage is when you supplement a large amount of creatine needed in a short period of time that has not been in the body before so that the body can clearly demonstrate the basic effects of this nutrient.

After moving to the maintenance stage, you will load a smaller amount of creatine but at a minimum level to ensure that there is always a certain level of creatine inside the body instead of returning to zero, maintaining the effectiveness of that nutrient.

Thanks to that, the body feels familiar with the presence of creatine inside to support consistent muscular adaptation and maintain sustainable results.

Alternative Dosage Approaches Of Creatine

The above dosage information is for reference only. Because each individual has different body weight, goals, and nutritional needs. Therefore, below will guide you on how to calculate the amount of creatine needed at each stage. Here’s how you can estimate it:

Weight-Based Loading

The formula for calculating the required creatine level based on body weight is very simple. That is, multiply your weight (kg) by 0.3 grams/day (in the Loading Phase) or 0.03 grams/day (in the Maintenance Phase).

For example, if you weigh 50 kg and want to supplement creatine, you should initially use 0.3 x 50 = 15 grams/day for a maximum of 7 days, then reduce to 0.03 x 50 = 1.5 grams/day (for 28 - 30 days).

To help you save time calculating, the table below will summarize the creatine results for common weights:

Alternatively, you can enter your weight directly into the Creatinine Clearance (Cockcroft-Gault Equation) tool from MD+ CALC to estimate the amount of creatine you need.

Gradual Buildup

For Athlete Specific and High-Intensity Training Considerations, the way to load creatine is a little different than other subjects.

The reason is that they need to maintain muscle condition for a long time, so they need to use it gradually to maintain long-term results. Accordingly, the way to use it is to use 3 - 5 grams/day, continuously for 4 weeks [4].

However, for some professional athletes, they may use it according to the loading schedule of 5 grams/day, for 5 - 7 days and then reduce to 3 - 5 grams/day [5].

What Happens If You Miss A Creatine Dose?

Have you ever forgotten your creatine supplementation schedule because you were too busy? Does this affect the results of using the product? Sadly, the answer is yes.

Creatine is a nutrient that must accumulate slowly in the body, until reaching a certain milestone to give the expected good results. Therefore, there is a high-dose and maintenance creatine supplementation roadmap!

And if you miss a day in that nutrient supplementation roadmap, the impact will depend on the stage you are going through. In which:

• In the loading phase: If you forget to use a dose, the body will have a slight reaction - that is, interrupting the nutrient saturation process in the body, negatively affecting the final results. However, the overall results do not change much because, as mentioned, using creatine is a long-term accumulation process.
• In the maintenance phase: If you miss a day in the creatine maintenance roadmap, do not worry too much. Although creatine drops a little, it does not suddenly return to zero. Therefore, energy supply efficiency is not significantly affected, which is not good for health.

Can You Take Too Much Creatine?

Not only creatine, but any functional food or daily food when used in large doses at one time will leave many unpredictable complications.

It can be seen that even though there is a period of high creatine intake, the level provided to the body is the necessary level, carefully calculated by experts so as not to cause harm.

Therefore, you should avoid arbitrarily using more than that level or the maintenance level just because you want to have more creatine in your body to limit dangerous side effects such as uncontrolled weight gain, water retention, affecting kidney function or fluid regulation, stomach pain, cramps, ...

Read more: Can You Take HMB And Creatine Together?

Can You Get Creatine From Foods?

Of course. In addition to supplements, you can completely supplement creatine through daily foods. Here are some suggestions for your reference:

When creatine enters the body through food, it will begin its journey in the small intestine. After the small intestine has finished processing, the nutrients are slowly absorbed into the blood and then spread throughout the body. In particular, creatine is absorbed and stored in the form of phosphocreatine.

Although creatine can be supplemented through food, each person's absorption and metabolism are different. Therefore, with the same amount of food containing creatine, some people get enough creatine, but some people need to use additional functional foods under the guidance of a nutritionist.

In case you are using creatine supplements in combination with these foods, you need to pay close attention to the content. You need to carefully calculate the creatine content from food under the guidance of a doctor, from there calculate the remaining amount to use functional foods. In addition, when using both in parallel, you should pay attention to all reactions of the body.

If there are any unusual signs, you need to immediately notify a nutritionist. At the same time, do not forget to drink enough water every day so that the body can metabolize creatine better.

Why Diet Alone May Not Be Enough for Creatine Intake

While creatine is naturally found in certain foods, supplementation can be a convenient way to help maintain optimal levels—especially for individuals with higher physical demands.

In general, the dosage each person needs to use is different according to weight, age, gender, health status, etc. As you know, creatine is usually used with a loading dose of 20-25 grams/day for 5-7 days. Then reduce to 3-5 grams/day, for 30 days.

However, in some cases, more may be prescribed but must be prescribed by a doctor or nutritionist. You absolutely should not use it on your own because you just want to increase muscle quickly.

Conclusion

With the information shared in the article, I hope you have found the answer to the question of how many grams of creatine a day. In general, according to recommendations, in the loading phase, you can use up to 25 grams (can be combined with food and supplements), and in the maintenance phase, it is a maximum of 10 grams per day.

However, the information is for reference only because the purpose of use and the constitution of each person are different. Do not forget to consult your doctor carefully before using to ensure safety and achieve the optimal efficiency.