Get your personalized daily creatine dose based on body weight, goal, and activity level — backed by ISSN science.
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A creatine dosage calculator converts body weight, training goal, and activity level into an
exact daily creatine dose in grams. The calculator above applies the 0.03 g per kilogram maintenance formula published in the
International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand, then scales that figure for muscle growth, athletic performance, endurance, or general
health.
Calculating a dose instead of guessing solves three problems: underdosing at low body weights,
wasted powder above the muscle creatine saturation point, and loading protocols that hand a
55 kg (121 lb) beginner the same 20 g as a 110 kg (243 lb) powerlifter.
The creatine intake calculator runs on four inputs — body weight in kilograms or pounds, training
goal, weekly activity level, and creatine type — and returns a maintenance phase protocol, an
optional 7-day loading phase protocol split into four servings, and a daily water target in
millilitres and litres.
What Makes the Best Creatine Dosage Calculator
The best creatine dosage calculator uses body weight as its primary variable and
returns the loading phase and maintenance phase as separate figures. Five features separate an accurate
creatine dosing tool from a generic one:
1.Weight-based dosing. Muscle creatine storage capacity tracks lean body mass,
so a fixed 5 g output ignores the 60 kg (132 lb) spread between the lightest and heaviest lifters.
2.Separate loading and maintenance outputs. The two phases differ by a factor
of 10 — 0.3 g/kg against 0.03 g/kg.
3.Creatine type adjustment. Creatine hydrochloride (HCl) needs roughly half the
monohydrate dose, and a calculator that ignores the form overdoses HCl users.
4.Goal and activity scaling. Training volume raises creatine turnover, which
moves the maintenance dose within the 3–5 g band.
5.A hydration output. Creatine pulls water into muscle cells, so the dose and
the daily fluid target belong in the same result.
Optimal Creatine Dosage Calculator Settings by Phase
The optimal creatine dose is 3–5 g per day for maintenance and 0.3 g per kilogram of body
weight per day for loading. Creatine supplementation runs in two phases, and the calculator outputs both.
Loading protocol phase
The loading protocol phase runs 0.3 g/kg/day for 5–7 days, split into 4 servings taken with
meals. An 80 kg (176 lb) lifter takes 24 g/day as 4 × 6 g. Loading raises muscle creatine stores
20–40% above baseline within one week. Splitting the dose across four servings of 5–6 g each
reduces the stomach discomfort and bloating that a single 20 g serving produces.
Maintenance phase protocol
The maintenance phase protocol runs 3–5 g/day for as long as supplementation continues, taken as
one serving. Maintenance holds the saturation that loading builds. Skipping the loading phase
entirely reaches identical saturation in 3–4 weeks on 3–5 g/day, which suits anyone who wants to
avoid the temporary water weight of a loading week. Read the full
creatine loading phase guide for
the week-by-week protocol.
Why trust these numbers
Built on published research, not marketing
Every figure this calculator returns traces back to a citable source. Nothing here is sponsored,
and no supplement brand pays for placement.
Primary source
ISSN Position Stand on Creatine Supplementation
The maintenance formula (0.03 g/kg/day), the loading protocol (0.3 g/kg/day for 5–7 days)
and the 25 g ceiling all come from the International Society of Sports Nutrition position
stand — the most cited document in the field.
Kreider RB, et al. ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine
supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society
of Sports Nutrition. 2017;14:18.
No account, no email wall, no stored personal data. Calculator inputs never leave your
browser.
Visualised
Creatine Dosage Chart by Body Weight
Two figures decide a creatine protocol: how much per day, and how long until muscle stores are
full. Both charts are interactive — drag the slider to set your body weight, or move across the
saturation curve to compare any day.
Loading dose by body weight
0.3 g per kilogram per day, capped at 25 g. Drag the slider to highlight your weight.
Body weight
75 kg
165 lb
Loading dose
22.5 g/day
4 × 5.6 g
Maintenance dose
3 g/day
once daily, ongoing
50 kg120 kg
Loading applies 0.3 g/kg/day for 5–7 days, capped at 25 g/day. Maintenance applies 0.03 g/kg/day against a 3 g floor, shown for a muscle-growth goal at moderate activity.
Muscle creatine saturation over 28 days
Both protocols reach the same ceiling. Loading arrives in a week, no-loading in 3–4 weeks.
With loading phaseWithout loading
Hover or drag across the chart to compare any day.
Saturation modelled from the timelines in the ISSN position stand: 5–7 days at 0.3 g/kg/day, or 3–4 weeks at 3–5 g/day. Baseline assumes an omnivorous diet.
Full creatine dosage chart
Loading figures apply 0.3 g/kg/day and cap at 25 g/day, the ceiling above which absorption
plateaus and excess creatine is excreted. Maintenance figures apply 0.03 g/kg/day against a 3 g
floor. Lifters carrying high lean body mass often run the upper end of the 3–5 g range.
Creatine loading dose, maintenance dose and daily water target for body weights from 50 kg
to 120 kg.
Creatine monohydrate is dosed at 3–5 g per day for maintenance and 0.3 g/kg/day
for a 5–7 day loading phase. Monohydrate carries more than 500 published human studies, which makes
it the reference form against which every other type is measured.
Micronized creatine and Creapure carry the same dosing. Micronization grinds the same molecule
into smaller particles for easier mixing, and Creapure names a German-manufactured monohydrate
held to a stated purity standard. Neither changes the gram figure the calculator returns.
Kre-Alkalyn and creatine ethyl ester market themselves on absorption claims that published
research has not supported against monohydrate.
Take monohydrate with 300–500 ml (10–17 oz) of water or juice, and stir until the powder no
longer settles at the bottom of the glass.
Creatine HCl vs Monohydrate Dosage
Creatine HCl is dosed at 1–2 g per day against 3–5 g of monohydrate — roughly half
the gram figure. The hydrochloride salt dissolves more completely in water, so a smaller serving
delivers a comparable amount of absorbed creatine.
Creatine HCl compared against creatine monohydrate across dosing, solubility, research volume
and cost.
Factor
Creatine monohydrate
Creatine HCl
Maintenance dose
3–5 g/day
1–2 g/day
Loading phase
0.3 g/kg/day for 5–7 days
Not required
Solubility in water
Moderate — may settle
High — dissolves fully
Published human studies
500+
Fewer than 20
Cost per effective dose
Lowest
3–5× higher
Stomach comfort at full dose
Bloating reported by some users
Smaller volume, fewer reports
Monohydrate remains the better value for most lifters. HCl earns its price for anyone who
reports bloating or stomach discomfort on a full monohydrate dose. Set the creatine type to HCl
in the calculator above, or open the dedicated
creatine HCl dosage calculator.
How to Calculate Creatine Dosage
1
Weigh yourself and pick a unit
Enter body weight in kilograms or pounds. Weight drives every figure the calculator returns, so use a morning weight taken before food.
2
Multiply by 0.03 for maintenance
A 70 kg (154 lb) lifter calculates 70 × 0.03 = 2.1 g. The ISSN floor of 3 g applies below that figure, and the calculator applies it automatically.
3
Multiply by 0.3 for loading
The same 70 kg lifter calculates 70 × 0.3 = 21 g/day for 5–7 days, split into 4 servings of 5.3 g. Loading caps at 25 g/day.
To calculate creatine dosage by hand, multiply body weight in kilograms by 0.03 for the daily
maintenance dose and by 0.3 for the daily loading dose. Working in pounds, divide by 2.2 first: a
185 lb lifter weighs 84 kg, which gives 2.5 g maintenance (raised to the 3 g floor) and 25 g
loading. The calculator applies the floor, the 25 g loading cap, and the HCl adjustment in one
step.
Creatine Dosage Calculator by Weight
Body weight sets the creatine dose, not sex or age. A 65 kg (143 lb) woman and a
65 kg man calculate the same 3 g maintenance dose and the same 19.5 g loading dose. Four groups
have body weight considerations worth stating directly.
Creatine dosage for men
Men calculate 0.03 g/kg/day for maintenance. Higher average lean body mass places most men in the
4–5 g range rather than the 3 g floor, and a 90 kg (198 lb) man running a loading phase takes
25 g/day for one week.
Creatine dosage for women
Women calculate the same 0.03 g/kg/day formula, which lands most women at 3 g/day. Women carry
roughly 70–80% of the baseline muscle creatine stores that men carry, so the relative gain from
supplementation is often larger. No separate women's formula exists — products marketed that way
contain the same monohydrate. Our guide to
creatine for women covers the research on
strength, body composition, and menstrual cycle timing.
Creatine for teenagers
Teenagers under 18 need clearance from a physician or registered dietitian before starting
creatine. The ISSN reports no adverse effects in supervised adolescent athletes at standard
doses, and this site does not calculate doses for anyone under 18 without that supervision.
Creatine dosage for vegetarians and vegans
Vegetarians and vegans start from a lower vegetarian baseline supplementation point, since
dietary creatine comes from red meat and fish. Baseline muscle creatine runs 20–30% below that of
omnivores, which produces a larger measured response to the same 3–5 g/day. The gram figure does
not change.
Safety and side effects
Creatine does not harm the kidneys in healthy adults. Studies running up to 5 years
at 3–5 g/day report no change in renal function. Anyone with existing kidney disease needs medical
clearance first.
Creatine is not a steroid. Creatine is an amino acid derivative the liver and kidneys
already produce at roughly 1–2 g per day.
Loading phase side effects are stomach-related. Bloating, cramping and 1–2 kg
(2–4 lb) of water weight appear during loading and resolve on the maintenance dose.
Cycling creatine is not required. No published evidence shows receptor
downregulation or a need for time off.
Take creatine on rest days. Saturation depends on daily intake, not training days.
This calculator provides educational information and does not constitute medical advice. Consult
a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, particularly with
pre-existing conditions, kidney disease, pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much creatine should I take?
Take 3–5 g of creatine monohydrate per day. The calculator sets the exact figure by multiplying body weight in kilograms by 0.03, then applying a 3 g floor. A 75 kg (165 lb) lifter takes 3 g/day, and a 115 kg (254 lb) lifter takes 3.5 g/day. Creatine HCl runs at half that figure, 1–2 g/day.
How much creatine per day per kg of body weight?
Take 0.03 g of creatine per kilogram of body weight per day for maintenance, and 0.3 g per kilogram per day for a 5–7 day loading phase. A 70 kg (154 lb) lifter calculates 2.1 g maintenance, raised to the 3 g ISSN floor, and 21 g for loading split into 4 servings of 5.3 g.
What does the creatine calculator measure?
The creatine calculator measures four outputs from your body weight, goal, activity level and creatine type: a daily maintenance dose in grams, an optional 7-day loading dose split into four servings, a daily water target in millilitres and litres, and a dosing schedule. All figures follow the ISSN position stand on creatine supplementation.
How much creatine HCl is equivalent to monohydrate?
1–2 g of creatine HCl is equivalent to 3–5 g of creatine monohydrate, roughly a 1:2 ratio. Creatine HCl dissolves more completely in water, so a smaller serving delivers a comparable amount of absorbed creatine. Creatine HCl needs no loading phase.
How much creatine per day to build muscle?
Take 5 g of creatine per day to build muscle, combined with resistance training. The ISSN reports the largest lean mass gains in the 3–5 g/day maintenance range, and setting the goal selector to Muscle Growth scales the calculated dose toward the upper end. An optional loading phase of 0.3 g/kg/day for 5–7 days reaches full muscle creatine saturation faster, though 3–5 g/day reaches the same saturation within 3–4 weeks.
Do I need a loading phase?
No, a loading phase is not required. Loading at 20–25 g/day for 5–7 days saturates muscle stores faster, and taking 3–5 g/day without loading reaches identical saturation in 3–4 weeks. Choose loading for faster results before a competition, and skip it to avoid 1–2 kg (2–4 lb) of temporary water weight.
Is creatine safe for long-term use?
Yes, creatine monohydrate is safe for long-term use in healthy adults at 3–5 g/day. Studies running up to 5 years report no adverse effects on kidney or liver function. Consult a doctor before supplementing with pre-existing kidney disease, and take creatine with 2.5–3 L (85–100 oz) of water per day.
