Short answer
Most studies used 3 to 5 grams of creatine a day. The ISSN position stand says that amount keeps muscle stores full, and that the fastest start is about 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight (roughly 20 grams a day) for 5 to 7 days. Loading fills muscle in about a week instead of about a month. The endpoint is the same.
The two schedules studies use
The International Society of Sports Nutrition's 2017 position stand, still its current one, describes a loading phase of 5 grams four times a day, or about 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight, for 5 to 7 days. After that, 3 to 5 grams a day generally maintains stores, though some studies suggest larger athletes may need 5 to 10 grams.
The alternative it lists is 3 grams a day for 28 days with no loading. In the classic 1996 comparison, 20 grams a day for 6 days and 3 grams a day for 28 days both raised muscle creatine by about 20%.
Per pound or a flat scoop
Per-weight amounts come from the research. One kilogram is 2.2 pounds, so 0.3 grams per kilogram works out to about 0.14 grams per pound: roughly 20 grams a day at 150 pounds and 27 grams at 200 pounds, split into smaller servings. Trials in older adults often used 0.1 gram per kilogram, about 0.045 grams per pound. One low-dose trial used 0.03 grams per kilogram, about 2.3 grams a day.
For maintenance, most trials simply used a flat 3 to 5 grams.
What loading changes
Loading only changes speed. Without it, the ISSN says 3 to 5 grams a day fills muscle over 3 to 4 weeks, and early performance effects are less well supported. A 2021 review in the same journal says loading usually adds 1 to 3 kg (about 2 to 7 pounds) of body weight, mostly water, and that single doses above 10 grams may cause stomach upset such as diarrhea. Its summary: you do not have to load.
What the ISSN says about safety
The position stand says short- and long-term use, up to 30 grams a day for 5 years, has been safe and well tolerated in healthy people and in several patient groups, from infants to older adults. It also notes that higher amounts for longer may be needed to raise brain creatine, which is a separate and less settled question. If you have kidney disease or are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor first.
Related questions
Is 10 grams a day better than 5?
The ISSN position stand says 3 to 5 grams generally keeps muscle stores full, and that larger athletes may need 5 to 10 grams. It notes higher amounts may be needed to raise brain creatine, which is less settled.
What happens if you stop or miss days?
Stores fall slowly. In the 1996 study, muscle creatine was back to its starting level about 30 days after stopping; the ISSN puts it at 4 to 6 weeks.
Read next
Sources
- Kreider et al., ISSN position stand on creatine, J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2017
- Antonio et al., J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2021 (common questions and misconceptions about creatine)
- Hultman et al., J Appl Physiol, 1996 (muscle creatine loading in men)
- Rawson et al., Nutrition, 2011 (low-dose creatine for 6 weeks)
- Candow et al., Appl Physiol Nutr Metab, 2015 (0.1 g/kg in adults 50 to 71)
Published 2026-10-07 · Last checked 2026-10-07
Educational content, not medical advice. Made for the United States.