Loading phase
Do you need a creatine loading phase?
Two ways to fill the tank. Same ceiling. Different calendar. The creatine loading phase is optional, not a better molecule.
Two protocols
Loading: about 0.3 g per kilogram per day — often 20 g — split into three or four servings, for 5–7 days. Then 3–5 g daily. Muscle creatine is full in about a week.
No loading: 3–5 g of creatine monohydrate every day. Stores are full in about three to four weeks. Same ceiling. Fewer stomach complaints. This is the default we put in the dose calculator.
| Loading week | Daily 5 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Dose | ~20 g/day, split | 3–5 g/day |
| Time to saturate | 5–7 days | 3–4 weeks |
| GI risk | Higher | Lower |
| Gummies required | 13–20 / day | 4–8 / day |
| After week one | 3–5 g forever | Same 3–5 g |
Who should load
You have a meet in ten days. You want the water-in-muscle look before a photoshoot. You already tolerate 5 g and do not mind four extra scoops for a week. Otherwise skip it. The ISSN position stand supports both paths. Loading is a calendar choice.
The kilogram math
Maintenance after either path is the same: roughly 0.03 g per kg, usually 3–5 g, up to about 10 g for very large athletes. Vegetarians often notice the first month more because baseline stores run lower. Coffee does not cancel it. Missing Tuesday does not require a reload.
Open the calculator, put in your weight, and stop guessing. Then buy a 5 g scoop, not eight gummies. Gummies vs powder.
| Body weight | Load (~0.3 g/kg) | Daily (~0.03 g/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 120 lb / 54 kg | ~16 g | ~1.6 g (use 3 g) |
| 150 lb / 68 kg | ~20 g | ~2 g (use 3–5 g) |
| 180 lb / 82 kg | ~25 g | ~2.5 g (use 5 g) |
| 210 lb / 95 kg | ~29 g | ~3 g (use 5 g) |
| 240 lb / 109 kg | ~33 g | ~3.3 g (use 5–7 g) |
If your stomach complains
Split the loading day into three or four glasses. Take it with food. Do not dump 20 g into one shake. Switching to HCl to “fix bloating” is usually treating a loading mistake. Monohydrate vs HCl.
Questions
- Do I need a creatine loading phase?
- No. Loading fills muscle faster. 3–5 g every day reaches the same saturation in about three to four weeks with fewer GI complaints.
- How much creatine during a loading week?
- About 0.3 g per kilogram per day, often 20 g, split into 3–4 servings for 5–7 days. Then drop to 3–5 g.
- What if I miss a day?
- Resume. Do not double. Muscle creatine is a reservoir, not a stimulant.
- Is loading hard on kidneys?
- Healthy kidneys handle recommended doses. Kidney disease is a clinician conversation, not a Reddit thread.
The 5 g tub on Amazon
Sports Research Creapure · $37 · 90 servings
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Three tubs we would actually buy
We do not sell our own powder yet. These are the three 5 g monohydrate tubs we trust. We earn a commission as an Amazon Associate.
Most testedThorne Creatine
NSF Certified for Sport. The one to buy if you get drug-tested or want the most trusted powder on Amazon.
Best valueSports Research Creapure
German Creapure, Informed Sport — usually the cheapest honest 5 g scoop you can get tomorrow.
Creapure + NSFMomentous Creatine
Creapure, NSF Certified for Sport. Premium powder if you already buy Momentous. Fine. Not magic.
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Get the protocol.
One email when the first batch ships, plus the 5 g protocol PDF. No daily ‘motivation.’