Creatine monohydrate is one of the most extensively studied sports supplements and is particularly useful for people doing resistance training, sprinting, or other repeated high-intensity exercise. It increases the muscles’ stored creatine and phosphocreatine, helping regenerate ATP (the energy source used during short, intense efforts). As a result, supplementation can improve training capacity, strength, and, over time, muscle development. Recent meta-analyses find that creatine combined with resistance training produces meaningful improvements in upper- and lower-body strength and increases lean mass compared with training alone.
The most common and well-supported dose is 3–5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day. Taking it consistently is more important than taking it at a particular time of day. It can be mixed with water or another beverage and taken with or without food. Unlike many supplements, creatine does not need to be cycled; daily use can maintain elevated muscle creatine stores.
A faster alternative is a loading phase, typically around 20 grams per day, divided into four 5-gram doses, for approximately 5–7 days. After loading, users switch to 3–5 grams daily. Loading is optional: it saturates muscle stores more quickly, but taking 3–5 grams daily will eventually achieve a similar level of saturation.
Creatine commonly causes a small increase in body weight, primarily because increased muscle creatine storage draws additional water into muscle cells. This should not be confused with fat gain. Longer-term studies also show improvements in lean body mass when creatine is combined with resistance training.
For healthy adults, creatine monohydrate is generally well tolerated. Some people experience temporary gastrointestinal discomfort, particularly with large doses, which can often be avoided by dividing loading doses or simply using 3–5 grams daily. Evidence from clinical research has not shown increased kidney or liver complications in studied populations, including women.
Bottom line: for most healthy adults, 3–5 grams of creatine monohydrate every day is the simplest recommended approach. A loading phase is optional rather than necessary. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, take medications that affect kidney function, or have another significant medical condition, discuss creatine supplementation with a healthcare professional before starting.