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How much creatine should you take? The research is simple: about 0.3 g/kg per day to load for a week, then 3–5 g per day to maintain. This free 2026 calculator gives your exact loading and maintenance dose by bodyweight — and whether you even need to load.
Creatine Dosage Calculator by Bodyweight (Free 2026 Tool)
Top 5 Creatine Monohydrate Supplements — Tested & Ranked 2026
| Product | Form / Dose | Rating | Price | Best For | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
EDITORS CHOICE Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Informed Sport Certified | Creatine Monohydrate 5g | ★★★★½ 4.8/5 (68,400+) | $29.99 | Strength & power | Amazon ↗ |
|
PREMIUM Thorne Creatine NSF Certified Sport | Creatine Monohydrate 5g | ★★★★½ 4.8/5 (8,200+) | $39.00 | Athletes & clinical use | Amazon ↗ |
|
BUDGET PICK NOW Foods Creatine Monohydrate GMP · Vegan | Creatine Monohydrate 5g | ★★★★½ 4.7/5 (14,300+) | $22.99 | Value choice | Amazon ↗ |
|
SPORT TESTED Klean Athlete Creatine NSF Certified Sport | Creatine Monohydrate 5g | ★★★★½ 4.7/5 (2,400+) | $38.99 | Drug-tested athletes | Amazon ↗ |
|
Legion Recharge Creatine GMP · Third-party tested | Creatine + L-Carnitine 5g | ★★★★½ 4.7/5 (6,100+) | $39.99 | Recovery focus | Amazon ↗ |
Disclosure: NordVital earns a commission on Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you. Rankings based on independent testing, clinical evidence, and third-party lab reports.
How much creatine should you take? The research is simple: about 0.3 g/kg per day to load for a week, then 3–5 g per day to maintain. This free 2026 calculator gives your exact loading and maintenance dose by bodyweight — and whether you even need to load.
Free Tool
Creatine dosage calculator (by bodyweight)
Your creatine loading and maintenance dose by bodyweight, from the research (about 0.3 g/kg to load, 3–5 g/day to maintain).
Educational, not medical advice. Creatine monohydrate is well studied and safe for healthy adults; drink enough water and check with a doctor if you have kidney issues.
Creatine dose by bodyweight (2026 reference)
Loading is optional: it fills your muscle stores in about a week instead of 3–4 weeks. Either way you end up equally saturated. Amounts are creatine monohydrate.
| Bodyweight | Loading (5–7 days) | Daily maintenance |
|---|---|---|
| Under 60 kg | ~18 g/day (4 splits) | 3 g/day |
| 60–75 kg | ~20 g/day (4 splits) | 3–4 g/day |
| 75–90 kg | ~25 g/day (4–5 splits) | 4–5 g/day |
| 90–105 kg | ~29 g/day (5 splits) | 5 g/day |
| Over 105 kg | ~33 g/day (5 splits) | 5–6 g/day |
Frequently asked questions
How much creatine should I take per day?
For maintenance, 3–5 g of creatine monohydrate per day (roughly 0.03 g/kg). To saturate your muscles faster you can load with about 0.3 g/kg/day (often ~20 g split into 4 doses) for 5–7 days first, but loading is optional.
Do I need to load creatine?
No. Loading just fills your muscle stores in about a week instead of 3–4 weeks — the end result is identical. Skipping the load is gentler on the stomach and simpler to stick to.
When is the best time to take creatine?
Any time. Daily consistency matters far more than timing. The evidence slightly favors taking it around your workout, but the difference is small. Take it with water.
Do I need to cycle creatine?
No. Creatine monohydrate is safe for continuous daily use in healthy adults; there is no need to cycle off it.
Which form of creatine is best?
Creatine monohydrate — it is the most researched, most effective and cheapest. “Advanced” forms (HCl, ethyl ester and others) do not outperform it. Look for Creapure-certified monohydrate for purity.
Is creatine safe?
For healthy adults, yes — it is one of the most studied supplements available. Stay well hydrated. If you have kidney disease or take medication, check with a doctor first.
How we put this together
Creatine monohydrate is the most evidence-backed performance supplement in existence with over 500 studies. The strength and muscle mass gains are consistent, dose-dependent, and well-tolerated. There is no reason to pay more for HCL, buffered, or "kre-alkalyn" variants — monohydrate outperforms them all in head-to-head tests at a fraction of the cost.
Doses reflect the general research on creatine monohydrate (including the International Society of Sports Nutrition position on creatine): ~0.3 g/kg/day to load and 3–5 g/day to maintain. This is educational, not medical advice. See our ranked picks in the best creatine guide.
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