Creatine Loading Dose Calculator
Calculate a creatine loading protocol from your body weight — 0.3 g/kg a day, the classic 20 g a day, or no loading — with grams per dose, the maintenance dose, a dated day-by-day schedule, when your muscles should be saturated, scoops per dose, how long a tub lasts and the cost per day.
How it works
Loading = 0.3 g/kg/day (or 20 g/day) for 5–7 days, split into 3–4 doses · maintenance = 0.03 g/kg/day (commonly 3–5 g; 5–10 g for large athletes) · no loading = 3–5 g/day for about 28 days · other forms: grams × 0.879 ÷ creatine share
Creatine monohydrate works by saturating muscle stores, and a loading phase of roughly 0.3 g per kg per day — about 20 g for most adults — for 5–7 days fills those stores in about a week. Splitting the daily load into three or four smaller doses eases the digestive discomfort a single large dose can cause. After loading, a maintenance dose near 0.03 g/kg per day, commonly rounded to 3–5 g, keeps the muscles saturated; very large athletes in hard training sometimes use more. You can also skip loading and reach the same saturation in 3–4 weeks on about 3–5 g a day alone. The calculator gives the daily and per-dose grams for the protocol you choose, the maintenance dose, a dated day-by-day schedule, a comparison of the three protocols, scoops per dose, how long a tub lasts and what it costs per day. If you use creatine anhydrous or HCl, the amounts are converted so you get the same creatine as the monohydrate doses used in research.
Worked example
For a 75 kg athlete: loading = 0.3 × 75 = 22.5 g/day, taken as 4 doses of about 5.6 g. Over 5 days that is 112.5 g. Maintenance is 0.03 × 75 ≈ 2.3 g/day, so most people simply take 3–5 g daily thereafter. With 5 g scoops that is about 1.1 scoops a dose while loading; a 500 g tub then lasts about 177 days, and at $30 a tub maintenance costs about $0.14 a day.
Sources: Kreider RB et al. (2017) — ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation · Hultman E et al. (1996) — Muscle creatine loading in men (J Appl Physiol)
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to do a loading phase?
No. Loading just fills your muscle stores faster (about a week versus 3–4 weeks). Taking a steady 3–5 g per day reaches the same saturation without the higher initial doses and any bloating that can come with them. Choose No loading to see that plan.
Which form of creatine should I use?
Creatine monohydrate is the most researched, effective and inexpensive form. Fancier versions have not been shown to outperform it, so the doses here assume monohydrate; for anhydrous or HCl the calculator converts to the same amount of creatine.
When should I take it?
Timing matters little for a saturation supplement — consistency does. Take your maintenance dose whenever you will remember it daily, including rest days; some evidence gives a slight edge to taking it around training or with a meal.
Why did my weight go up during loading?
Creatine draws water into the muscle cells, so a gain of about 1–2 kg in the first week is common. It is water, not fat, and it stops rising once the muscles are saturated.
Is 0.03 g/kg enough for maintenance?
It is the amount shown to keep muscles saturated after loading, about 2–3 g a day for most adults. Many people take 3–5 g because it is simple and well studied; larger athletes in hard training may use 5–10 g.
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Educational estimate only — not medical advice. Individual needs vary; consult a qualified professional before making health decisions.