How Much Creatine Should You Take Per Day?

For most people, the optimal daily dose of creatine is 3–5 grams per day. This amount has been shown to reliably increase muscle creatine stores over time and is sufficient for long-term use in both athletic and general health contexts.

That said, the “right” dose can vary depending on your goal, whether you’re training for performance, supporting cognition, or using creatine during periods of mental fatigue.

Before worrying about amount, you might wonder whether creatine is safe for beginners – spoiler: it is, and here’s why.

Dosage is only one part of the picture. Before worrying too much about exact grams, it’s worth asking a more basic question: should I take creatine at all, given my goals, lifestyle, and tolerance for supplements?

The Standard Daily Dose (Maintenance)

Most long-term creatine studies use a maintenance dose of 3–5 g per day. Taken consistently, this dose fully saturates muscle creatine stores within a few weeks, even without a loading phase.

For general use, this is:

• Effective

• Safe

• Easy to maintain

This is why it’s the most commonly recommended creatine dosage per day for beginners.

You may also have heard about loading creatine. Read about loading vs maintenance creatine dosing.

If you want a dose tailored to your body weight and specific goal, use the Creatine Dosage Calculator to estimate a research-informed range.

And if you’re choosing a product, see how much creatine actually costs per serving in the Creatine Price Index.

When Higher Doses Are Used

Higher doses of creatine are typically used in specific contexts, such as:

• A short loading phase (to saturate muscles faster)

• Research examining cognitive performance or mental fatigue

• Short-term use during sleep deprivation

In these cases, doses are often adjusted by body weight, rather than using a fixed number.

We have a free Creatine Dosage Calculator to calculate the best dose, based on your goals.

Why “More” Creatine Isn’t Always Better

Once your muscles are saturated with creatine, taking more does not increase strength or muscle growth further. Excess creatine is simply excreted.

This is why most people benefit from finding the lowest effective dose for their goal and sticking to it.

Thinking of taking Creatine?
Check out our Creatine Quick Start Guide