Determine the appropriate creatine monohydrate dosage for both novice and experienced lifters and athletes!
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most popular and effective supplements for athletes, from bodybuilders to strength athletes to team sports competitors.
Exercise physiologist and researcher Krissy Kendall, Ph.D., believes nearly everyone should take creatine monohydrate. But how much should you take every day?
This calculator will give you an appropriate daily dose recommendation to gain the muscle, strength, and health benefits of creatine supplementation.
Creatine Supplementation
Creatine supplementation can increase the body’s phosphocreatine stores, a perfect energy source for intense loading, which is naturally stored in the muscles.
Creatine supplementation can be used to aid in muscle gain as follows:
Enhanced workload: Creatine supplementation can help add more reps or sets to a single training session, which is necessary for long-term muscle growth.
Increased signaling of satellite cells: Creatine can enhance the signaling of satellite cells, which can help with muscle repair and stimulate new muscle growth.
Increased concentration of anabolic hormones: Supplementing with creatine can lead to an increase in anabolic hormones, which is the main goal for many gym-goers.
Lower levels of myostatin: Myostatin is a protein that can block muscle growth. Creatine supplementation can reduce myostatin levels, allowing for more hypertrophy.
Increased cell hydration: Taking creatine can result in putting on some water weight, which is beneficial to muscle growth. It also helps bring water into the muscle cells, which can contribute to hypertrophy.
Decreased protein breakdown: Creatine may reduce protein breakdown and increase total muscle mass over time.
Do I need to go through a loading process before I begin this dosage?
1. People often initiate creatine supplementation with a five-day “loading protocol” where they take a recommended quantity four times daily to “saturate” their muscles.[1][2][3]2. Afterward, they reduce their intake to the recommended creatine intake calculator result daily as a “maintenance” dose.[2]
Is the Creatine Loading Phase Beneficial?
During the creatine loading phase, you take recommended doses of the supplement by the loading phase calculator for 5-7 days to quickly build up your muscle stores and benefit from its effects.
Creatine is a substance found naturally in your muscles and in food such as meat and fish.
It is one of the most commonly used supplements in the sports world.
For a good reason, it has been shown to provide short bursts of energy, enhance performance during high-intensity exercise, build muscle strength, and reduce the risk of injury.
Understanding the creatine loading phase
Consuming a regular omnivorous diet usually provides 1–2 g of creatine per day, enough to fill your muscles’ creatine stores to 60%–80%.[2]
However, taking creatine supplements is recommended for those wanting to maximize their muscle stores.
Trainers usually propose a creatine loading phase, in which 20–25 g of creatine is ingested daily for 5–7 days.
This is usually split into four or five 5-g servings throughout the day.
Studies have found this to increase muscle stores of creatine by 10%–40%.
After the loading phase, a lower dose of 3–5 g daily is recommended to maintain your muscle stores, although some may require more due to their increased muscle mass.
Advantages of creatine loading
The quickest way to reap the advantages of creatine is through a loading phase.
The benefits of maximizing the creatine levels in your muscles include [1][2][9]
- Gaining muscle.
- Increasing strength and power.
- Improving performance during intense physical activity.
- Reducing the risk of sports-related injuries.
Reference:
- Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?
- International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine
- Effects of a traditionally-dosed creatine supplementation protocol and resistance training on the skeletal muscle uptake and whole-body metabolism and retention of creatine in males
- Creatine Use in Sports
- Muscle creatine loading in men
- Effect of 28 days of creatine ingestion on muscle metabolism and performance of a simulated cycling road race
- Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective
- Creatine electrolyte supplement improves anaerobic power and strength: a randomized double-blind control study
- Creatine for Exercise and Sports Performance, with Recovery Considerations for Healthy Populations
- Putting to rest the myth of creatine supplementation leading to muscle cramps and dehydration
