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Guide

How to take creatine

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

Trials of creatine monohydrate used 3 to 5 g a day, every day, with or without a loading week of about 20 g a day split into four portions. Studies that compared taking it just before or just after training found no clear difference. Ask a doctor first if you take medicines or are pregnant.1,2,3,4

Key facts

  • NIH describes two plans: a loading week of 20 g a day in four 5 g portions followed by 3 to 5 g a day, or about 3 to 6 g a day from the start for 3 to 4 weeks.1
  • A steady 3 g a day brought muscle stores to a similar level in about 28 days, against about a week with loading.5
  • A 2025 expert review concluded that the evidence does not show the timing of creatine around training to be critical.6
  • Women were given the same amounts as men in the studies, and a review of 29 studies in 951 women found no rise in total side effects compared with placebo.7,8
  • TSA allows protein and energy powders in carry-on and checked bags, and a powder over 12 oz (350 mL) goes in a separate bin and may be opened.9
  • We found one randomized trial of creatine gummies: 32 athletes, 5 g a day for 10 weeks, with gummies donated by a company.10

How much creatine do studies use each day?

Two plans appear in NIH's summary and in the studies behind it. Both aim at the same target, which is filling the creatine that muscle stores.1

About 20 g a day, split into four 5 g portions, for 5 to 7 days. Some studies set the loading amount by body weight, at 0.3 g per kg a day.1,2

3 to 5 g a day keeps muscle stores full for most people after a loading phase. The ISSN notes that larger athletes may need 5 to 10 g.1,2

About 3 to 6 g a day, or 0.03 to 0.1 g per kg of body weight, for 3 to 4 weeks reaches the same muscle stores without a loading phase.1,5

To turn a per-kilogram figure into grams, multiply it by body weight in kilograms. For a person weighing 70 kg (154 lb), the no-loading range of 0.03 to 0.1 g per kg works out to roughly 2 to 7 g a day, a span that includes the 3 to 5 g maintenance figure. That multiplication is our arithmetic, not a dose from a source.1

Product labels add one more step. The Supplement Facts panel lists creatine per serving, and a scoop can hold more or less than 5 g, so check the serving size before comparing a product with a study amount.11

Do you need a loading week?

Loading fills muscle stores in about a week. A steady 3 g a day reached a similar level in about 28 days in a study of 31 men.5

So loading is a faster route to the same place, not a requirement. The studies that loaded split the 20 g into four portions across the day. One trial of soccer players found loose stools more often with a single 10 g serving than with two 5 g servings, which is one reason the portions are small (see the cautions below).1,12

Muscle stores drift back to their starting level about 4 to 6 weeks after stopping.2

Does the time of day matter when you take creatine?

Direct comparisons are few and small. The trials that put creatine before training in one arm and after training in another found similar results, and a 2025 expert review concluded that the evidence does not show timing to be critical, with steady daily intake the more likely thing that matters. We found no trial that compared one clock hour with another. The creatine timing page lays out each trial.3,4,6

Can you take creatine with water, food or a drink?

Water is the plainest base for the powder. The 2025 review says creatine works whether or not it is taken with other nutrients, while carbohydrate or protein raised how much creatine the body kept in short trials, without clear evidence that this changes strength or body composition. Our guide to what to mix with creatine goes through each option, and the mixing guide covers how much water and what temperature.6,13

How to take creatine as a woman

Women can follow the same amounts studied in men. A loading phase raised muscle creatine by about 19 percent in women, similar to men, and 5 g a day reached the same level in about 3 to 4 weeks.7

Only 58 of 656 creatine studies, about 9 percent, enrolled women alone.8

The creatine for women page collects the studies that enrolled women, including reviews across life stages.7,8

How to take creatine on a plane

TSA lists protein and energy powders as allowed in carry-on and checked bags. A powder-like substance over 12 oz (350 mL) goes in a separate bin for X-ray screening, may need extra screening, and the container may be opened, and TSA encourages putting non-essential powders over that size in checked bags. The TSA page was last updated in 2018 and covers US checkpoints, so check current rules before you fly, especially on international routes.9

Dry creatine powder is very stable. A review reported no sign of breakdown after more than 3 years at room temperature, or at 40 °C (104 °F). We found no source on temperatures in a cargo hold.14

How to take creatine gummies

The amounts above come from trials of creatine monohydrate in general. In a PubMed search we found one randomized trial of gummies: 32 female beach volleyball athletes took gummies providing 5 g a day of creatine monohydrate for 10 weeks. Its conflict statement says a company donated the gummies, and two authors list advisory roles with creatine companies. One small trial with donated product is thin evidence for any claim about gummies.10

The label is the practical question. A serving of gummies can be several pieces, and the panel lists creatine per serving, not per piece. FDA's guide defines a serving as the largest amount the label recommends for one eating occasion.11

Who should ask a doctor before taking creatine?

NIH's summary of safety is written for healthy adults. These groups should ask a doctor or pharmacist first:1

  • People with kidney disease or reduced kidney function, people taking medicines that affect the kidneys, and anyone with a kidney blood test coming up. Creatine supplements can raise blood creatinine, the marker doctors use as a stand-in for kidney function.15
  • Anyone who is pregnant or nursing. A 2025 expert review says no well-designed randomized trial has tested creatine in human pregnancy.6
  • Anyone under 18. Studies in teen athletes used loading amounts of 20 to 25 g a day, and the same review says research in teen girls is lacking.6
  • Anyone taking medicines. FDA lists mixing medicines and supplements among the situations where problems occur.16

Nausea, diarrhea or stomach upset have been reported by some users.1

Diarrhea was more common with one 10 g serving a day (56 percent of players) than with two 5 g servings (29 percent) or placebo (35 percent) in a 28-day trial of 59 soccer players.12

No tolerable upper intake level is set for creatine. NIH reports few safety concerns at 20 g a day for up to 7 days followed by 3 to 5 g a day, and says use for several years appears safe in healthy adults. The ISSN reports no harm in studies using up to 30 g a day for up to 5 years.1,2

Questions people ask

How to take creatine powder?

The studies used creatine monohydrate powder in daily amounts of 3 to 5 g, or about 20 g a day for a week of loading, split into four portions. The trials that compared before and after training found no clear difference.1,6

How to take creatine for women?

The studies gave women the same amounts as men. A loading phase raised muscle creatine by about 19 percent in women, similar to men.7

How to take creatine with water?

Water is a plain base for the powder, and creatine works with or without other nutrients. Cold water dissolves less powder than warm, which the mixing guide quantifies.6,14

How to take creatine properly?

A 2025 review says steady daily intake is likely the variable that matters most, and loading is optional. NIH's summary lists loading followed by 3 to 5 g a day, or 3 to 6 g a day without loading.1,6

How to take creatine on a plane?

TSA allows powders in carry-on and checked bags, with powders over 12 oz (350 mL) screened separately and possibly opened. Check TSA's current guidance before you fly.9

How to take creatine gummies?

Read the Supplement Facts panel for creatine per serving and for how many gummies make a serving. We found one 10-week trial of gummies, and it used 5 g a day.10,11

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Sources

  1. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated April 1, 2024. Opened 2026-10-06.
  2. Kreider RB, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. Opened 2026-10-01.
  3. Forbes SC, Krentz JR, Candow DG. Timing of creatine supplementation does not influence gains in unilateral muscle hypertrophy or strength from resistance training in young adults: a within-subject design. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2021;61(9):1219-1225. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. Dinan NE, Hagele AM, Jagim AR, Miller MG, Kerksick CM. Effects of creatine monohydrate timing on resistance training adaptations and body composition after 8 weeks in male and female collegiate athletes. Front Sports Act Living. 2022;4:1033842. Opened 2026-10-07.
  5. Hultman E, et al. Muscle creatine loading in men. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1996;81(1):232-237. Opened 2026-10-01.
  6. Antonio J, Brown AF, Candow DG, et al. Part II. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2025;22(1):2441760. Narrative review. Opened 2026-10-11.
  7. Smith-Ryan AE, Cabre HE, Eckerson JM, Candow DG. Creatine Supplementation in Women's Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):877. Opened 2026-10-07.
  8. de Guingand DL, Palmer KR, Snow RJ, Davies-Tuck ML, Ellery SJ. Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Females Taking Oral Creatine Monohydrate: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2020;12(6):1780. Opened 2026-10-07.
  9. Transportation Security Administration. Protein or Energy Powders (What Can I Bring?). Last updated June 22, 2018. Opened 2026-10-11.
  10. Pereira F, Forbes SC, Romano V, Christopher P, Santana JC, Antonio J. Effects of Creatine Monohydrate Gummies on Performance and Body Composition in Female Beach Volleyball Athletes. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2026;11(1):105. Randomized trial, 32 women. Opened 2026-10-11.
  11. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dietary Supplement Labeling Guide: Chapter IV. Nutrition Labeling. April 2005. Opened 2026-10-11.
  12. Ostojic SM, Ahmetovic Z. Gastrointestinal distress after creatine supplementation in athletes: are side effects dose dependent? Res Sports Med. 2008;16(1):15-22. Opened 2026-10-07.
  13. Steenge GR, Simpson EJ, Greenhaff PL. Protein- and carbohydrate-induced augmentation of whole body creatine retention in humans. J Appl Physiol. 2000;89(3):1165-1171. 12 men. Opened 2026-10-11.
  14. Jager R, Purpura M, Shao A, Inoue T, Kreider RB. Analysis of the efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of novel forms of creatine. Amino Acids. 2011;40(5):1369-1383. Review. Opened 2026-10-11.
  15. Antonio J, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):13. Opened 2026-10-07.
  16. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA 101: Dietary Supplements. FDA Consumer Update. Content current as of June 2, 2022. Opened 2026-10-11.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.