creatine helps people who lift, sprint, or play stop-and-go sports — in a review of 22 studies, strength gains with training averaged 20% on creatine versus 12% on placebo. Take 3–5 g of monohydrate a day, or load at 20 g a day for a week then drop to 3–5 g; by month's end, stores end up the same either way. Timing barely matters, but take it daily, rest days included. Loading typically adds 1–3 kg (2–7 lb) on the scale, mostly water in the muscle. Doses up to 30 g a day for up to 5 years were well tolerated in healthy people and kidneys aren't harmed, though creatinine on a blood test can read higher.
Creatine is what your muscles pull energy from in the first seconds of hard effort — a heavy set, a sprint, a jump. About 95% of it is stored in skeletal muscle. In studies, people take 3–5 g of monohydrate daily, with or without loading, with no breaks — raising muscle stores 20–40% and short-effort performance 10–20%.
What creatine is for and how it works
Creatine's job is to rebuild ATP fast — the molecule that powers a muscle contraction — in the first seconds of hard work. Muscles hold very little ready ATP, so it's remade almost instantly from phosphocreatine, creatine bound to a phosphate group. It's the fastest energy pathway you have, which is why creatine shows up most in short, powerful efforts: a heavy set of 5–10 reps, a sprint, a jump, chasing down a ball.
Per the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) 2017 position stand, about 95% of your creatine sits in skeletal muscle, and roughly two-thirds of that is stored as phosphocreatine. In a 70 kg (154 lb) person, stores average about 120 mmol per kg of dry muscle weight, and the ceiling for most people is around 160 mmol.
About 1–2% of those stores break down into creatinine and leave in urine daily, so you need 1–3 g of new creatine a day, depending on your muscle mass (ISSN, 2017). Roughly half is made in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids arginine and glycine; the rest comes from meat and fish. On a typical diet, muscle stores sit at only 60–80% of capacity, and supplementing fills the missing 20–40%.
Supplementing helps you squeeze a few more reps out of a heavy set. It doesn't build muscle on its own — it lets you do more quality work, and that, plus the four conditions for muscle growth, drives the results. It's unrelated to steroids: Antonio's 2021 review notes a different structure and mechanism entirely.
How much creatine is in meat — and why a supplement is simpler
An ordinary diet supplies 1–2 g of creatine a day (ISSN, 2017) — per the same stand, about what you'd get from a pound (about 450 g) of raw beef or salmon. Harris and colleagues measured in 1997 that raw chicken, beef, and rabbit hold about 30 mmol of creatine per kilogram, roughly 3.9 g/kg; beef liver has about 13 times less. Earlier, in 1992, Harris, Söderlund, and Hultman calculated that a single 5 g dose matches the creatine in 1.1 kg (2.4 lb) of fresh, uncooked steak.
Many people get even less. Ostojic's 2021 analysis of 4,004 US adults found that 65.2% took in under 1 g of creatine a day from food; that group averaged 0.52 g.
We converted the creatine content to grams of meat, with calories and protein from USDA FoodData Central (raw chicken breast: 120 kcal, 22.5 g protein per 100 g; raw beef steak: 201 kcal, 20.3 g protein):
| Creatine amount | Raw meat | Chicken breast | Beef steak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 g — about what an average diet provides | ~9 oz (255 g) | ~305 kcal, ~57 g protein | ~510 kcal, ~52 g protein |
| 3 g — a no-loading dose | ~1.7 lb (765 g) | ~915 kcal, ~170 g protein | ~1,535 kcal, ~155 g protein |
| 5 g — a standard serving | ~2.9 lb (1.3 kg) | ~1,525 kcal, ~285 g protein | ~2,555 kcal, ~260 g protein |
| 20 g — one loading day | ~11.2 lb (5.1 kg) | ~6,100 kcal | ~10,200 kcal |
Getting 3–5 g from food means eating 1.7–2.9 lb (0.8–1.3 kg) of raw meat a day, so a scoop of powder is simpler. Vegetarians start with lower stores — about 90–110 mmol per kg of dry muscle versus roughly 120 on a typical diet — and respond more strongly to it (ISSN, 2017). For protein without meat, see plant-based protein sources.
What creatine actually does: strength, muscle, and memory
The biggest effect is on strength and rep counts. Rawson and Volek's 2003 review of 22 studies found maximal strength (a 1-, 3-, or 10-rep max) rose 20% on creatine versus 12% on placebo over a training program, and reps at a given weight rose 26% versus 12%. Results varied widely between studies — bench press max gains ranged from 3% to 45%.
The effect on muscle mass is more modest: Branch's 2003 meta-analysis of 100 studies found a small but real lean-mass gain, strongest in efforts under 30 seconds and upper-body work, with no help for running or swimming. It shows clearest in older adults — Chilibeck's 2017 meta-analysis (22 studies, 721 people averaging 57–70) found creatine plus resistance training, 2–3 times a week for 7–52 weeks, added 1.37 kg (3 lb) of lean mass over placebo.
Direct muscle scans tell a similar story. Burke and colleagues pooled 10 studies in 2023 that measured muscle by MRI, CT, or ultrasound after at least 6 weeks of resistance training. Creatine added 0.10–0.16 cm of muscle thickness in the upper and lower body on top of training. The authors called the gain small, and it was slightly larger in younger adults than in older ones.
Response varies from person to person. Syrotuik and Bell gave 11 young men 0.3 g of creatine per kg of body weight for five days in 2004. Three saw a large rise in muscle creatine, five a moderate one, and three almost none. The last group already had high stores, and their strength didn't improve.
Memory findings are mixed. Prokopidis's 2023 meta-analysis of 8 trials found a small memory benefit overall: noticeable in people aged 66–76, absent in those aged 11–31. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed 23 studies in 2024 and did not accept a link between creatine and improved cognitive function. Antonio and colleagues' 2025 review found no evidence of a thinking benefit in people who sleep enough, and only preliminary data under sleep deprivation. It's too early to take creatine for your memory.
How to take creatine: with or without a loading phase
Both schemes land in the same place: Hultman's 1996 study of 31 men found 20 g/day for 6 days and 3 g/day for 28 days both raised muscle creatine by about 20%, just on different timelines. After that, 2 g a day held the level. Stores drift back to baseline in 30 days without a maintenance dose, or 4–6 weeks by the ISSN's estimate.
| Scheme | Protocol | Stores fully saturated | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| With loading | 20 g/day (4 doses of 5 g) for 5–7 days, then 3–5 g | about a week | fast results | +1–3 kg (2–7 lb) in a week, mostly water; four doses a day | when you need the effect by a date |
| Without loading | 3–5 g a day from day one | 3–4 weeks | one dose a day, weight shifts gradually | takes about a month | everyone else |
Antonio's 2021 review notes loading isn't required: 3–5 g a day for at least 4 weeks saturates muscle just as fully.
The simplest way to see whether it's paying off is your working weights. If you log workouts in the Sportygram app, it keeps your sets, reps, and weights for every exercise; after 4 weeks, compare your main lifts against the starting numbers. You can't cleanly separate creatine's share from normal training progress, and response varies: per Antonio's 2025 review, it depends in part on your starting muscle stores.
How many grams a day, scaled to your body weight
Most people do fine on 3–5 g a day; bigger athletes may need 5–10 g (ISSN, 2017). Antonio's 2021 review gives a weight-based formula for maintenance — 0.1 g per kilogram a day — while the ISSN describes loading as 0.3 g per kilogram. We ran both formulas across a range of body weights:
| Body weight | Loading, 0.3 g/kg/day | How to split it | Maintenance, 0.1 g/kg/day | A 300 g tub lasts (at maintenance) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | ~16.5 g | 4 × 4 g | 5.5 g | 55 days |
| 65 kg (143 lb) | ~19.5 g | 4 × 5 g | 6.5 g | 46 days |
| 75 kg (165 lb) | ~22.5 g | 4 × 5.5 g | 7.5 g | 40 days |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | ~25.5 g | 5 × 5 g | 8.5 g | 35 days |
| 95 kg (209 lb) | ~28.5 g | 5–6 × 5 g | 9.5 g | 32 days |
| 105 kg (231 lb) | ~31.5 g | 6 × 5 g | 10.5 g | 29 days |
The cost per day is easy to work out: at 5 g a day, a 300 g tub lasts 60 days, so divide its price by 60.
Why do some labels say 3 g? Russia's supplement guidelines (MR 2.3.1.1915-04, 2004) set an adequate intake of 1,000 mg and an upper level of 3,000 mg a day for creatine in supplements, so Russian labels stop at 3 g. That's a regulatory line for manufacturers. Higher doses are well studied: per the ISSN's 2017 stand, up to 30 g a day for up to 5 years was well tolerated in healthy people.
How many scoops or teaspoons is 5 g? There's no exact answer: powders differ in grind and scoops differ in size. Weigh one serving on a kitchen scale once and you'll know.
When to take it: before, after, and on rest days
Timing makes little measurable difference. Candow and colleagues' 2022 review looked at studies where creatine was taken before or after resistance training, in both younger and older adults: gains in muscle and strength were similar. Antonio's 2025 review reached the same conclusion, with consistent daily intake as the deciding factor.
Taking it only on training days works worse — in its 2016 opinion, EFSA noted that creatine given only on training days showed no strength benefit. One missed day changes nothing, but regularly skipping weekends is best avoided.
Creatine is retained more consistently when taken with carbs, or carbs plus protein (ISSN, 2017). Per Antonio's 2025 review, that speeds up uptake, but there's little evidence it adds strength or muscle. So a regular meal is convenient timing, and there's little point buying sugary blends for this.
Drink mixed creatine right away. In liquid it slowly turns into creatinine, faster in more acidic drinks and at higher temperatures: per the ISSN's 2017 stand, after 3 days at 25 °C (77 °F) in an acidic solution, 4% to 21% breaks down.
No cycling needed: the ISSN's 2017 stand found no long-term suppression of your own synthesis, and stores don't fall below baseline after you stop. On a "month on, month off" schedule, stores drain during the month off and then take almost four weeks to refill without loading (Hultman, 1996), so for a good part of the year your muscles run on partial stores.
attach your dose to something you already do daily — a glass of water with creatine at breakfast, or right after brushing your teeth. Fewer missed days matter more than the exact time you take it.
Monohydrate vs. HCl, powder vs. capsules
Monohydrate is the best-studied form by far. Per Jäger and colleagues' 2011 review, it isn't broken down during digestion, and nearly 99% of what you swallow is either taken up by muscle or excreted in urine. The authors found little to no evidence that newer forms work better or are safer. Per Antonio's 2021 review, monohydrate is 87.9% pure creatine by weight (only the anhydrous form is higher), and no peer-reviewed study has shown creatine salts like HCl, buffered creatine, ethyl ester, or nitrate outperforming monohydrate at an equal dose.
Powder versus capsules is just convenience: powder is cheaper, capsules travel better. Check the label for how much creatine is in one capsule and count how many make up your dose.
Creatine mixed with a mass gainer, protein, or amino acids works the same as on its own: per Antonio's 2025 review, it's effective whether taken with other nutrients or not, and evidence for extra benefit from such combinations is mixed. If you already drink a protein shake, you can stir creatine into it. Whether you need protein powder at all is covered in do you need protein powder.
Does creatine cause water retention? Weight while loading and while cutting
Yes, during loading: a week at 20 g a day typically adds 1–3 kg (2–7 lb) on the scale, mostly from water (Antonio, 2021). In the early studies the ISSN's 2017 stand cites, fluid retention during loading was about 0.5–1 liter. In 5–10-week studies, total body water didn't keep climbing (Antonio, 2021), so it's a one-time shift.
Creatine doesn't add body fat: studies lasting from a week to two years haven't shown it (Antonio, 2021). The same review cites a meta-analysis by Forbes and colleagues of adults over 50 doing resistance training (19 studies, 609 people): body fat percentage dropped more on creatine than on placebo. In kilograms, the difference was about 0.5 kg (1 lb) of fat, but it wasn't statistically significant.
If you're in a calorie deficit, account for that early shift on the scale, then judge progress by the trend and by measurements — weight bounces for plenty of other reasons too, see why your weight fluctuates day to day. How to keep muscle while calories are low is covered in cutting without losing muscle.
Creatine and kidneys, creatinine on a blood test, hair loss, blood pressure, caffeine
In healthy people at standard doses, creatine doesn't damage the kidneys: the ISSN's 2017 stand finds no convincing evidence of harm, and Antonio's 2021 review adds that nearly 30 years of monitoring haven't turned any up. A separate check came from de Souza e Silva and colleagues in 2019: they included 15 studies in their review and 6 in the pooled analysis, and concluded that creatine does not cause kidney damage at the doses and durations studied.
Creatine and creatinine are different substances. A "creatine in blood" search usually means a lab report reading "creatinine" — creatine's breakdown product, which doctors use as a kidney-function marker: when kidneys filter less well, blood creatinine rises. Supplementing and eating a lot of meat can raise it too. In a summary cited by Antonio's 2021 review, blood creatinine didn't rise on creatine in 12 studies, rose but stayed within the normal range in 8, and went above the upper limit in only 2. Creatinine also depends on muscle mass, so per the same review, kidney filtration estimates based on creatinine should be read with caution in people who take creatine or eat a lot of meat. Tell your doctor you're taking it, and at what dose, before a blood test.
Hair loss. The whole story traces to one 2009 study: 20 rugby players on 25 g/day for a week, then 5 g for two weeks, saw DHT — linked to pattern baldness — rise 56%, with no testosterone change (van der Merwe et al.). Hair loss itself was never measured, and no one has replicated it; Antonio's 2021 review cites 12 more studies with no meaningful testosterone change, and none reporting hair loss.
Blood pressure, urination, and fertility. Per Antonio's 2025 review, 10–20 g of creatine a day for up to a month didn't change blood pressure in healthy young people, and a two-year study in postmenopausal women found no difference from placebo either. There are no studies in people with high blood pressure. Creatine itself doesn't increase urine output: people pee more because they tend to drink more fluids with it. There's no evidence of harm to male fertility.
Cramps and caffeine. Per the ISSN's 2017 stand, college football players taking creatine had fewer cramps and less dehydration than those who didn't. Caffeine under 5 mg per kg of body weight a day — up to 350 mg for a 70 kg (154 lb) person — didn't interfere with creatine in studies lasting a few days (Antonio, 2025); how the two combine over months hasn't been studied. Daily caffeine during loading adds no extra benefit and may upset your stomach. More in caffeine and workouts.
See a doctor first if: you have kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, take medication regularly, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are under 18. Safety data on pregnancy come mostly from animal studies so far (Antonio, 2025).
Who benefits most — and who can wait
The people who gain the most do strength training, sprints, or stop-and-go sports.
- Beginners in the gym. You can start in month one. But in the first weeks your working weights climb anyway as your technique improves, so you won't be able to tell what creatine adds. It makes more sense to start once progress slows. For building your first workouts, see strength training for beginners.
- People over 40 and 55+. The evidence is strongest here: +1.37 kg (3 lb) of lean mass with resistance training (Chilibeck, 2017), and EFSA recognizes a strength benefit over 55 at no less than 3 g taken daily, with resistance training three times a week. In postmenopausal women, 5 g a day during 12 weeks of resistance training added more muscle mass and strength than placebo (Antonio, 2021). See fitness after 40.
- Teenagers. The ISSN's 2017 stand accepts it for young athletes training under a coach, eating well, within recommended doses. The authors call "not for under 18" label warnings a legal precaution. In teenage swimmers and soccer players, creatine improved sprint speed and power (Antonio, 2025). It's a call for parents and a doctor together.
- Women. Branch's 2003 meta-analysis found no difference by sex. Smith-Ryan and colleagues' 2021 review includes a study of college soccer players: over 13 weeks of resistance training with creatine, bench press rose 18% and squat 24%, versus 9% and 12% on placebo. More on the menstrual cycle and menopause in creatine for women.
- Distance runners and swimmers. Very little: Branch's 2003 meta-analysis found no effect on running or swimming. Any benefit would show in bursts under 30 seconds and in strength work.
- People who don't train. A small effect is possible, and it may be stronger in vegetarians (Antonio, 2025), but that's not much reason to buy a tub.
Questions and answers
How long does it take for creatine to start working?
With loading, stores hit their peak in about a week; without loading, in about 28 days (Hultman, 1996). It's worth judging any gain in working weights after 4 weeks. If nothing has moved after a month, your stores may have been high to begin with (Syrotuik and Bell, 2004).
What happens if you miss a day or stop taking creatine?
One missed day changes nothing: stores fade slowly. If you stop completely, they return to baseline in about 30 days (Hultman, 1996), or 4–6 weeks by the ISSN's 2017 estimate. The extra water and the extra reps on heavy sets go away. The muscle you built through training stays, and stores don't drop below where you started (ISSN, 2017).
How much weight can you gain on creatine in a month?
About 1–3 kg (2–7 lb) during a loading week, mostly water (Antonio, 2021). Without loading, weight comes on gradually. After that, muscle gain depends on your training and food. For reference, in adults aged 57–70 doing resistance training, creatine added 1.37 kg (3 lb) of lean mass over placebo across 7–52 weeks (Chilibeck, 2017).
Morning on an empty stomach or at night — does it matter?
Not in any meaningful way: timing makes little measurable difference (Antonio, 2025; Candow, 2022). Creatine is retained more consistently with a meal that has carbs or protein (ISSN, 2017), so breakfast or dinner is the easy choice. Drink it as soon as you mix it, since in liquid creatine slowly turns into creatinine (ISSN, 2017).
Can you take creatine without working out?
You can, but you'll get little out of it. Per Antonio's 2025 review, muscle stores rise even without exercise, and a small effect is possible, stronger in people with low stores such as vegetarians. Everything creatine is valued for shows up in heavy sets, sprints, and jumps.
Why is creatinine high on a blood test if you take creatine?
Because creatinine is creatine's breakdown product: 1–2% of your muscle stores turn into it every day (ISSN, 2017). On a supplement your stores are higher, so blood creatinine can be higher even with healthy kidneys. Tell your doctor you take creatine, and at what dose, before the test.
At what age can teenagers take creatine?
There's no fixed age cutoff; it's a decision for parents together with a doctor. The ISSN's 2017 stand accepts creatine for young athletes in serious supervised training, eating a balanced diet, and staying within recommended doses. Its authors consider "18+" label warnings a legal precaution.
Should you take creatine while cutting or losing weight?
It won't get in the way: creatine doesn't add body fat, per studies lasting from a week to two years (Antonio, 2021). Expect a one-time 1–3 kg (2–7 lb) shift on the scale during loading, mostly water. After that, judge progress by your weight trend over several weeks, your measurements, and your working weights.
The bottom line
- Supplementing raises muscle creatine stores by 20–40%; strength gains with training run about 20% on creatine versus 12% on placebo. Response varies, and it's weak in people with high starting stores.
- The standard routine is 3–5 g of monohydrate a day, or 0.1 g/kg of body weight — loading at 20 g/day just saturates muscle faster.
- Getting 5 g from food takes 1.1–1.3 kg (2.4–2.9 lb) of raw meat, so powder is simpler.
- Timing barely matters — don't skip rest days, and no cycling is needed. Stores fade in about 30 days without a maintenance dose.
- The 1–3 kg (2–7 lb) gain during loading is mostly water in the muscle, not fat.
- Kidneys aren't harmed in healthy people, but creatinine on a blood test can read higher — mention it to your doctor.
- Evidence for memory is thin: EFSA did not accept a link with cognitive function in 2024.
- A 3 g label serving comes from Russian supplement rules; studies have tested up to 30 g/day.
Checklist: how to start taking creatine
- Choose monohydrate — no other form has been shown to beat it.
- Weigh one serving on a kitchen scale once and remember how it looks.
- Pick a scheme: a week at 20 g/day in 4 doses, or straight to 3–5 g/day.
- Attach your dose to breakfast or dinner, and drink it right after mixing.
- Don't skip rest days or weekends.
- Compare working weights against baseline after 4 weeks.
- Mention creatine to your doctor before a blood test.
- Kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, regular medication, pregnancy, or under 18 — see a doctor first.
Sources
- Kreider R. B. et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017. — Storage and turnover, +20–40%, dosing, stability in liquid, safety to 30 g/day, teens.
- Antonio J. et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2021. — 0.1 g/kg, water, fat, creatinine, kidneys, DHT, 87.9% purity.
- Antonio J. et al. Part II. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2025. — Timing, combinations, caffeine, blood pressure, urine, teens, memory.
- Hultman E. et al. Muscle creatine loading in men. Journal of Applied Physiology, 1996. — 20 g × 6 days and 3 g × 28 days both give +20%.
- Harris R. C., Söderlund K., Hultman E. Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation. Clinical Science, 1992. — 5 g equals 1.1 kg of raw steak.
- Harris R. C. et al. The concentration of creatine in meat, offal and commercial dog food. Research in Veterinary Science, 1997. — About 30 mmol/kg of creatine in raw meat.
- Ostojic S. M. Nutritional profiles of US adults with suboptimal dietary creatine intake. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2021. — 65.2% get under 1 g a day.
- Rawson E. S., Volek J. S. Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2003. — Strength +20% versus +12%, reps +26% versus +12%.
- Branch J. D. Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 2003. — No effect in running or swimming, no difference by sex.
- Chilibeck P. D. et al. Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, 2017. — +1.37 kg of lean mass.
- Burke R. et al. The effects of creatine supplementation combined with resistance training on regional measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Nutrients, 2023. — Muscle thickness +0.10–0.16 cm.
- Syrotuik D. G., Bell G. J. Acute creatine monohydrate supplementation: a descriptive physiological profile of responders vs. nonresponders. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2004. — 3 of 11 barely responded to loading.
- Prokopidis K. et al. Effects of creatine supplementation on memory in healthy individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition Reviews, 2023. — Memory: effect at 66–76, none at 11–31.
- EFSA NDA Panel. Creatine and improvement in cognitive function: evaluation of a health claim. EFSA Journal, 2024. — Link with cognitive function not established.
- Candow D. G. et al. Creatine O'Clock: does timing of ingestion really influence muscle mass and performance?. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2022. — Before and after training give similar results.
- Jäger R. et al. Analysis of the efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of novel forms of creatine. Amino Acids, 2011. — Nearly 99% absorbed; newer forms no better.
- de Souza e Silva A. et al. Effects of creatine supplementation on renal function: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Renal Nutrition, 2019. — No kidney damage at the doses studied.
- van der Merwe J. et al. Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 2009. — DHT +56%.
- Smith-Ryan A. E. et al. Creatine supplementation in women's health: a lifespan perspective. Nutrients, 2021. — Soccer players: bench +18%, squat +24%.
- EFSA NDA Panel. Creatine in combination with resistance training and improvement in muscle strength: evaluation of a health claim. EFSA Journal, 2016. — Strength benefit over 55 at no less than 3 g daily.
- Rospotrebnadzor. MR 2.3.1.1915-04 "Recommended intake levels for food and biologically active substances", 2004 (in Russian). — Creatine: 1,000 mg and 3,000 mg per day.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. SR Legacy, 2018. — Raw chicken breast (FDC 171077) and beef steak (FDC 168726).
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice.
