Nutrition & supplements
How much creatine should you take per day?
Creatine dose by body weight (maintenance or loading) plus a copyable creatine + protein protocol card.
Quick answer
Creatine monohydrate maintenance ≈ body weight (kg) × 0.04 g, capped between 3–6 g/day. At 75 kg that is about 3 g every day; optional loading is 0.3 g/kg (≈22.5 g/day for 5–7 days, split into 4 doses). The tool also builds a copyable creatine + protein protocol card for your goal.
Creatine per day
3 g
- When
- Every day, including rest days
- Protein per day
- 120 – 165 g
- Per meal (4 meals)
- 30 – 41 g
- Reference used
- 1.6 – 2.2 g per kg of body weight
Your protocol
SmartBio — Creatine + protein protocol Weight: 75 kg · Goal: Muscle gain · Creatine phase: Maintenance Creatine: 3 g/day (every day, including rest days) Protein: 120–165 g/day Distribution: ~30–41 g per meal (4 meals) General guidance only — not medical or nutrition advice. For specific needs, consult a professional. https://smartbio.live/calc/creatine-dosage
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Creatine: typically 3–5 g monohydrate daily (optional loading 0.3 g/kg for 5–7 days). Protein ranges follow sports-nutrition guidelines (ISSN). Food first; powder fills gaps. Drink more water than usual with creatine. General guidance only — not medical or nutrition advice. For specific needs, consult a professional.
How it works
Creatine is the most studied sports supplement for strength and power: it raises muscle phosphocreatine so you can squeeze out one or two extra hard reps. Consistency beats timing — take it daily, including rest days. Skip exotic forms: plain creatine monohydrate (ideally Creapure-certified) is what the research used. Pair with daily protein from the same protocol; use a shaker bottle if it helps adherence. General guidance only — not medical advice.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I take creatine on rest days?+
Yes. Creatine works by keeping your muscle stores saturated, not by acting on the single workout. Skipping rest days slowly drains the reservoir you built. Take your 3-5 g every day — with a meal if you find it more convenient to remember.
Does creatine cause water retention or hurt the kidneys?+
The water creatine draws is inside the muscle cells — that’s part of how it works, not bloating under the skin. As for kidneys: in healthy people, decades of research show no damage at standard doses. If you have a pre-existing kidney condition, talk to your doctor first. Blood creatinine can read higher while supplementing — tell your doctor you take it before lab tests.
Do I need to cycle creatine on and off?+
No. Cycling is a myth left over from old bodybuilding culture: your body doesn’t build tolerance to creatine, and natural production resumes normally if you ever stop. Continuous daily use is exactly what long-term studies did, safely, for years.
How long before I notice results from creatine?+
With the standard 3-5 g daily dose, muscles saturate in 3-4 weeks — that’s when strength benefits show up (typically +5-10% on repeated high-intensity efforts). With a loading phase, saturation takes 5-7 days. A quick 1-2 kg weight increase in the first weeks is normal: it’s intracellular water, a sign it’s working.
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