How to use
- 1Enter your body weight in kg or lb.
- 2Choose with or without a loading phase and the number of loading days.
- 3Add your tub size in grams and the start date.
- 4Read the daily doses, the saturation day and the date the tub runs out.
How the dose is calculated
The calculator follows the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) 2017 position stand on creatine: the quickest way to load is 0.3 g per kg a day for 5–7 days, split into four equal doses, followed by 3–5 g a day. Maintenance is calculated as 0.03 g/kg and rounded up to at least 3 g. For an 80 kg (176 lb) lifter that means 24 g a day while loading (4 × 6 g) and 3 g a day afterwards. A 500 g tub then lasts about 131 days with a 5-day load.
Do you need to load?
No. Taking 3–5 g every day without loading saturates muscle in roughly 3–4 weeks; loading shortens that to about a week. The ISSN’s 2021 paper on common questions and misconceptions notes that long-term use appears safe in healthy people and that creatine should be taken daily, rest days included. A 1–2 kg gain in the first weeks is mostly water drawn into muscle.
Practical notes
Creatine monohydrate is the most researched and cheapest form; micronised powder only dissolves better. Timing matters little compared with taking it every day. Talk to a doctor first if you are under 18, pregnant or have kidney disease. This tool is not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams of creatine should I take a day?
3–5 g a day for maintenance; very large athletes may need up to 5–10 g. If you load, take 0.3 g per kg a day for the first 5–7 days.
What is the loading dose for 180 lb?
180 lb is about 82 kg, so 0.3 × 82 ≈ 25 g a day, split into four doses of about 6 g for 5–7 days, then 3–5 g a day.
How long does creatine take to work?
Muscle stores fill in about 5–7 days with loading and 3–4 weeks at 3–5 g a day without it; performance effects show from then on.
Should I take creatine on rest days?
Yes. The benefit depends on keeping muscle stores full, so keep taking the same daily dose.
Related guides
Need a website for your club?
Fast, SEO-friendly websites and Google Ads management for sports clubs, academies and gyms — talk to Webin Agency.