Typically the aim is to take 5g of creatine 4 or 5 times per day. You could take all 20g at once or 10g 2 times per day -this will depend on individual tolerance as some people are fine with these doses- but most of the evidence has come from smaller, more frequent serves.
A typical loading strategy would be to consume 20g creatine a day (5g x4) for 5-7 days. 2 This will be enough to ensure your muscle creatine stores are fully saturated and you're ready to start making increased training gains.
The answer is that you should take 5 grams (5000mg) of Creatine daily, no more, no less. Five grams is, by far, the best dosage you can take if you want the supplement to work its wonders. This dose will provide your body with optimal creatine levels, leading to numerous performance benefits.
Creatine Dosage
While it's actually safe for healthy individuals to take up to 30 grams per day for extended durations, such high doses are overkill for performance enhancement[*]. However, some evidence suggests large doses of creatine could reach the brain and other non-muscle tissues more effectively[*].
Lower doses up to 4-5 grams daily for up to 18 months have also been safely used. Creatine is possibly safe when taken long-term. Doses up to 10 grams daily for up to 5 years have been safely used. Side effects might include dehydration, upset stomach, and muscle cramps.
Creatine and Water
Therefore, proper hydration is essential. As previously mentioned, 6-8 cups of water are the average drinking amount when out of training. However, when supplementing with creatine, you should drink an additional 8-10 cups of water daily, or slightly more, depending on your exercise regimen.
The phase usually entails supplementing a larger daily amount for the first week. Generally, between 15-20 grams of creatine is supplemented for the first 5-7 days. This should be spread out throughout the day into several 5g doses and timings can vary although before and after workout are usually recommended.
Taking in high amounts of creatine (more than 25 grams per day) is more likely to cause side effects like bloating and gastrointestinal distress. The good news is that taking more than 25 grams of creatine per day is not likely to be harmful; it's just uncomfortable.
Most creatine companies recommend taking between 20 to 30g a day to creatine load. One scoop is typically 5g. You'll want to only take one scoop at a time to mitigate potential side effects.
During the loading phase though, you must split the dosages up and take it over two or three times during the day as this will simply be too much for your body to handle at once.
Rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue) and sudden kidney failure was reported in one case involving an athlete taking more than 10 grams daily of creatine for 6 weeks. People with kidney disease, high blood pressure, or liver disease should not take creatine.
Creatine supplementation increases creatine stores in the brain. By reducing the accumulation of adenosine and adenosine triphosphate in the brain during wakefulness, creatine supplementation seems to reduce sleep depth, duration, and “rebound sleep” after sleep deprivation.
When you don't drink enough water while taking creatine, the body will break down muscle tissue to get the water that it needs. That can lead to muscle cramps and a host of other issues like kidney problems.
Creatine increases the amount of protein in your muscles, which helps stimulate muscle growth. Therefore, taking creatine on rest days can be a great way to give your muscles a boost and help you build muscle more quickly.
If you take too much creatine or larger doses than is recommended, some of the suggested side effects could include bloating, stomach discomfort, dehydration, dry mouth, muscle cramps, hair loss, and damage to the liver and kidneys.
The standard dosage recommendation for creatine is 3-5 grams per day. Either of these amounts should be sufficient for all but the largest and most muscular athletes, particularly if they are getting the normal amount of 1-2 grams per day from their diet.
Bottom line. Creatine supplementation enhances exercise performance, but most studies show that it has no effect on testosterone levels.
A 2-pound steak only has about 5 grams of creatine in it. Five grams of the supplement form of creatine fit in a teaspoon. Thus, supplementing with creatine allows us to significantly increase the creatine levels in our cells without the burden of eating large quantities of meat.
Unfortunately, creatine also comes with some negative side effects for certain people. Studies have documented creatine causing issues related to mood and anxiety – such as panic attacks or sudden mood swings – among some users.