Creatine Calculator

About Creatine Calculator

How Creatine Dosing Works

Creatine dosing follows a simple formula based on body weight. The ISSN's 2017 position stand on creatine supplementation (Kreider et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition) sets out two protocols:

Loading phase formula: 0.3g x body weight (kg) = total daily dose, divided into 4 equal servings, for 5-7 days.

Maintenance phase formula: 3-5g per day (or roughly 0.03-0.05g per kg of body weight).

Here is a worked example for a 75kg person:

• Loading dose: 0.3 x 75 = 22.5g per day, rounded to 22.5g. That is four servings of about 5.5g each.
• Maintenance dose: 0.03 x 75 = 2.25g minimum, 0.05 x 75 = 3.75g maximum. The recommended daily amount sits at around 3g.

Research by Hultman et al. (1996) showed that a 20g/day loading protocol for 6 days increased total muscle creatine content by about 20%. The loading phase is not strictly necessary - taking 3g per day without loading achieves the same muscle saturation, it just takes about 3-4 weeks instead of one week.

What Does Creatine Actually Do?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in muscle cells. Your body produces about 1-2g per day from amino acids (glycine, arginine, and methionine), mainly in the liver and kidneys. You also get another 1-2g from dietary sources like red meat, fish, and poultry. For reference, a 500g steak contains roughly 2-2.5g of creatine. Supplementation tops up your muscle stores beyond what diet alone provides.

Inside muscle cells, about 95% of your body's creatine is stored as phosphocreatine. During short, intense efforts - sprints, heavy lifts, explosive jumps - your muscles use phosphocreatine to regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy currency of cells. This ATP-PCr energy system fuels the first 10-15 seconds of all-out effort. Higher phosphocreatine stores mean you can sustain high-intensity output for slightly longer before fatigue sets in, which translates to an extra rep or two in the gym, or a marginally faster sprint time.

A 2003 meta-analysis by Branch in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism examined 96 studies and found that creatine supplementation increased maximal strength by an average of 8% and repetition performance by 14% compared to placebo. The effect is most pronounced in activities lasting under 30 seconds. Endurance activities (running, cycling at steady state) show little to no benefit, since those rely primarily on aerobic metabolism rather than the ATP-PCr system.

If you are tracking your overall nutrition alongside creatine, the protein calculator can help you dial in your daily protein target, and the macro calculator gives a full breakdown of protein, carbs, and fat.

Creatine in Food Sources

While supplementation is the most practical way to reach optimal creatine levels, it is worth knowing how much creatine occurs naturally in common foods. The table below shows approximate creatine content per serving:

Food Source	Serving Size	Creatine Content
Beef steak	200g (7 oz)	0.9-1.0g
Pork chop	200g (7 oz)	0.7-0.9g
Salmon	200g (7 oz)	0.8-0.9g
Herring	200g (7 oz)	1.3-1.5g
Tuna	200g (7 oz)	0.8g
Chicken breast	200g (7 oz)	0.6-0.7g
Milk	500ml	0.05g

As the numbers show, you would need to eat over 1kg of beef daily just to get 5g of creatine from food alone. This is why supplementation is the standard approach for anyone looking to fully saturate their muscle creatine stores. Vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower baseline creatine levels since they get almost none from their diet, and often see larger performance gains from supplementation as a result.

Body Weight	Loading Dose (daily)	Per Serving (x4)	Maintenance Dose
50 kg / 110 lbs	15g	3.5g	3g
60 kg / 132 lbs	18g	4.5g	3g
70 kg / 154 lbs	21g	5g	3-3.5g
80 kg / 176 lbs	24g	6g	3-4g
90 kg / 198 lbs	27g	6.5g	3-4.5g
100 kg / 220 lbs	30g	7.5g	3-5g
110 kg / 243 lbs	33g	8g	3.5-5.5g
120 kg / 265 lbs	36g	9g	3.5-6g

Loading Phase vs No Loading - Which Should You Choose?

The loading phase gets your muscles to full creatine saturation in about a week. Without loading, you reach the same saturation level - it just takes 3-4 weeks of daily 3-5g doses. A 2003 study by Willoughby and Rosene in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research confirmed that both approaches produce identical end results in muscle creatine content.

Loading makes sense if you want results fast - for example, if you are starting creatine a week before a training block or competition. The downside is that some people experience mild GI discomfort at the higher 20-30g daily dose. Splitting the loading dose into 4 servings with meals helps reduce this. Taking each serving with carbohydrates (a piece of fruit, juice, or a meal) can also improve creatine uptake, as the insulin response helps shuttle creatine into muscle cells.

Skipping the loading phase works well if you are not in a rush and prefer a simpler routine. Just take one dose of 3-5g per day with food and let your stores build up gradually. The ISSN considers both approaches equally valid. A 2012 review by Cooper et al. in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition noted that the low-dose approach is better tolerated and results in less water retention during the initial phase.

One important note: about 20-30% of the population are "non-responders" to creatine. These individuals already have naturally high muscle creatine levels, so supplementation produces little additional benefit. If you notice no change in performance after 4-6 weeks of consistent use, you may fall into this category.

For context on your overall calorie and energy needs during a training programme, the calorie calculator can give you a useful baseline.

Pre-Workout or Post-Workout - Does Timing Matter?

The short answer: not much. The most-cited study on creatine timing is a 2013 trial by Antonio and Ciccone in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, which compared 5g taken immediately before versus immediately after resistance training. The post-workout group gained slightly more lean mass and strength over 4 weeks, but the difference was not statistically significant given the small sample size (19 recreational bodybuilders).

A 2021 systematic review by Forbes and Candow in the Journal of Exercise and Nutrition looked at all available timing studies and concluded that post-workout may have a small edge, possibly because increased blood flow to muscles after exercise improves creatine uptake. But the effect is minor compared to the impact of simply taking creatine consistently every day. If you skip days regularly, timing becomes irrelevant because your stores never stay full.

The practical takeaway: pick a time that fits your routine and stick with it. Many people take creatine with their post-workout protein shake because it is easy to remember and pairs well with the carbs and protein that aid absorption. On rest days, take it with any meal. If you want to track your strength progress alongside creatine use, the one rep max calculator can help you monitor whether your estimated max is improving over time.

Common Mistakes and Practical Tips

A few things worth keeping in mind when supplementing with creatine:

• Stick with creatine monohydrate. Despite marketing claims, creatine HCl, buffered creatine, ethyl ester, and other forms have not been shown to outperform plain monohydrate in peer-reviewed studies. A 2021 review by Antonio et al. in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition reaffirmed that monohydrate remains the gold standard. It is also the cheapest option per gram.
• Consistency matters more than timing. Taking creatine at the same time each day is more important than taking it at a specific time relative to your workout. Daily use keeps your muscle stores topped up. That said, a small 2013 study by Antonio and Ciccone found a slight advantage to taking creatine post-workout vs pre-workout, but the difference was marginal.
• Stay hydrated. Creatine draws water into muscle cells, so drinking enough water is important. Aim for your usual daily intake plus an extra 500ml or so, especially during the loading phase when you are taking larger doses.
• You do not need to cycle creatine. Unlike some supplements, there is no evidence that cycling on and off creatine provides any benefit. Continuous daily use is both safe and effective based on long-term studies spanning up to 5 years (Schilling et al., 2001).
• Caffeine interaction. Early research suggested caffeine might blunt creatine's effects, but more recent studies have been mixed. Most researchers now agree that moderate caffeine intake (1-2 cups of coffee) does not significantly interfere with creatine uptake or performance benefits.
• Mixing tip. Creatine monohydrate dissolves best in warm water. Stir it into your shake, juice, or water - it is tasteless and odourless. Avoid letting it sit undissolved in cold water for long periods, as it can convert to creatinine (an inactive byproduct) over time.
• Weight gain is normal. Expect a 1-2kg increase in the first week or two from water drawn into muscle cells. This is intracellular water retention (inside the muscle), not bloating or fat gain. It is actually a sign the creatine is working and can make muscles appear slightly fuller.
• Kidney safety. The most common concern about creatine is kidney health. Multiple long-term studies in healthy adults have found no adverse effects on kidney function at recommended doses. However, creatine does increase creatinine levels in blood tests (a marker doctors use to assess kidney function), which can cause a false alarm. If you are getting blood work done, mention your creatine use to your doctor.

Creatine is one of the most researched and well-supported supplements in sports nutrition. Over 700 peer-reviewed studies have examined it, and the consensus from organisations like the ISSN, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the Australian Institute of Sport is that it is safe and effective for healthy adults at recommended doses. For anyone in a serious training programme, creatine monohydrate is one of the few supplements with a genuinely strong evidence base behind it.

Sources

• Kreider et al. (2017) - ISSN Position Stand: Safety and Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
• Antonio and Ciccone (2013) - The effects of pre versus post workout supplementation of creatine monohydrate, JISSN
• Branch (2003) - Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis, IJSNEM
• Hultman et al. (1996) - Muscle creatine loading in men, Journal of Applied Physiology
• Cooper et al. (2012) - Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance, JISSN
• American College of Sports Medicine - Nutrition and Athletic Performance Position Stand
• NHS - Sports Supplements Guidance