Calculator · Performance Lab
Creatine Calculator
Determine your creatine monohydrate dose — for maintenance or loading, factually and without hype.
Ergebnis
- Recommended daily dose
- 2.4g/day
0.03 g per kg of body weight — many simply take a flat 5 g/day.
Explained
What this calculator does for you
Creatine monohydrate is by far the most studied supplement in strength sports. It raises muscular phosphocreatine and measurably improves short, intense efforts — typically +5–15 % reps in near-maximal sets.
You have two routes: maintenance from day 1 (slower saturation in ~3–4 weeks) or loading (~1 week to full saturation), followed by maintenance. The end result is identical — loading only saves time.
Important: monohydrate. Expensive 'new' forms (HCl, ethyl ester, etc.) offer no evidence-backed advantage.
Science
Scientific background
Maintenance: ~0.03 g per kg of body weight per day — most people land at 3–5 g. A flat 5 g works very well for most.
Loading: ~0.3 g per kg per day, split into 4 servings, for 5–7 days. Then switch to maintenance.
Safety: very well-established for healthy adults — long-term studies over 5+ years show no kidney or liver harm. With existing kidney conditions or during pregnancy, clear it with a doctor.
Examples
Practical examples
80 kg, maintenance
Daily dose ~2.4 g — many round up to a flat 5 g. Works just as well.
80 kg, loading phase
~24 g/day split into 4 servings of ~6 g, for 5–7 days. Then maintenance (~2.4–5 g/day).
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- 01Buying expensive 'premium forms' without evidence of any advantage over monohydrate.
- 02Skipping days. Consistency beats timing.
- 03Confusing intramuscular water with bloating.
- 04Loading right before a single workout — the effect builds over weeks, not hours.
Recommendations
Further recommendations
- 01Monohydrate, 3–5 g per day, permanently, no cycling.
- 02Take with enough water — general hydration needs rise slightly.
- 03With kidney conditions, pregnancy or medication: clear it with a doctor — standard disclaimer applies.
- 04Calibrate expectations: +5–15 % reps, not +50 % strength. But consistent across years.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to load?
- No. Loading is purely optional and only accelerates saturation. Maintenance alone reaches the same effect in 3–4 weeks.
- Which creatine should I buy?
- Monohydrate. A pure, well-soluble powder. Premium brands like Creapure® are high quality but not required. Save the money for good food.
- When during the day?
- Timing essentially doesn't matter. Daily consistency is what counts — missed days slowly de-saturate over weeks.
- Do I need to cycle off?
- No. There's no scientific reason to cycle. Daily intake is safe long-term.
- Does creatine make you 'puffy' from water?
- It stores water IN the muscle — that's part of the effect and looks fuller, not bloated.
- Is creatine a steroid?
- No. Creatine is an endogenous compound that naturally occurs in meat and fish. Pharmacologically nothing in common with anabolic steroids.
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