Creatine doses

Creatine dosage varies greatly depending on the user; however, a basic guideline is about 2 to 5 grams per day. There are also various ways to consume Creatine. The two most popular methods are:

1. Creatine loading and maintenance

   Creatine loading involves consuming a higher than normal level of Creatine over a week long period. For example, instead of a regular 3g dose per day, you may consume 20g split into 5 separate 4g dosages throughout the day. This method is used to boost initial Creatine levels within the body. After a week of Creatine loading you will be in maintenance phase, which means taking a regular dose (around 2 to 5 grams) per day to maintain your increased levels of Creatine.

2. Creatine maintenance

   This method skips the loading phase, which means that increasing your Creatine levels can take a bit longer. However, you will ultimately end up with an equal store of Creatine within 4 to 6 weeks. To start, just begin taking a regular dose of Creatine each day. This is on average about 2 to 5 grams. If you’re new to Creatine start on a low dose and slowly increase this as your body gets used to it.

Cycling Creatine

Some users also like to 'cycle' their Creatine intake. This means stopping use after 6 to 8 weeks then starting back up 2 weeks later. Or just simply continuing use, but reloading every 6 to 8 weeks.

Most users believe that cycling stops the body from getting too used to Creatine and prevents a plateau.

When to take Creatine

Creatine is best taken after a workout; however, consuming it at other times throughout the day won’t cause you to lose any benefits.