Creatine monohydrate has more published human research behind it than anything else in the supplement aisle. Which makes it strange how much conflicting advice there is about how to take it. Load or don't load. Take it before training, or after. Five grams, twenty grams, or a number based on your bodyweight.
The short answer: 3 to 5 grams per day, every day, taken whenever is convenient. That is the maintenance dose in the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand, and for most people the rest is detail.
Here is the reasoning behind that, and where the detail actually matters.
What creatine does
Your cells run on ATP. During short, hard efforts — a heavy set, a sprint, the last two reps that actually count — you spend ATP faster than you can make it, and output drops. Creatine helps regenerate ATP, so there is more available for those efforts.
The practical effect is more quality work before performance falls off. Over months, more quality work is what drives adaptation. Creatine does not build muscle directly; it lets you do more of the training that does.
The two ways to get to the same place
Muscle creatine stores need to be saturated before you see an effect. There are two routes, and they end in the same place.
With a loading phase: roughly 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day, split across the day, for 5 to 7 days. For an 80 kg lifter that is about 24 g daily, usually taken as four 5 to 6 g doses. Then drop to 3 to 5 g daily to maintain.
Without a loading phase: 3 to 5 g daily from day one. Stores reach the same saturation in about three to four weeks.
Loading gets you there faster. That is the entire advantage. If you have a meet in two weeks, load. If you are training year-round with no deadline, the slower route arrives at the same destination with less stomach upset and less powder.
One caveat worth knowing: the ISSN notes that very low doses, around 2 to 3 g daily, will raise muscle stores over three to four weeks, but the performance effects of that approach are less well supported than the loading protocols. If you are going to skip loading, sit at the 5 g end rather than the 2 g end.
Does timing matter?
Far less than consistency. Creatine works by keeping muscle stores saturated, which is a function of taking it every day, not of taking it at a particular hour. Post-workout has a slight edge in some studies, but the difference is small enough that the best time is the time you will actually remember.
Take it on rest days too. Saturation is the point, and your muscles do not know it is Sunday.
Which form should you buy?
Creatine monohydrate. It is the form used in the overwhelming majority of the research, and newer forms — hydrochloride, buffered, ethyl ester — have not shown a reliable advantage that justifies the price difference.
This is one of the rare cases where the cheapest, oldest, least exciting option is also the correct one. Our Creatine Monohydrate is exactly that, and the amount per serving is printed on the label.
What to watch for
Water retention. Creatine draws water into muscle tissue, particularly in the first few weeks. Some of the early weight gain on the scale is that, not fat. Drink enough fluid.
Stomach upset. Usually a dose-size problem rather than a creatine problem. If a 5 g dose bothers you, split it or take it with food. This is the most common reason people quit during a loading phase.
Kidney concerns. In healthy adults, the research has not found harm at these doses. If you have existing kidney issues or take medication that affects kidney function, talk to a clinician before starting.
The honest summary
Take 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily, with or without food, at whatever time you will remember. Skip the loading phase unless you are in a hurry. Do not bother with expensive forms. Give it four weeks before you judge it.
That is genuinely all of it. Creatine is well studied enough that the guidance is boring, and boring is a good sign in this category.
For the full ingredient breakdown — forms, serving ranges, cautions and the research behind each one — see The Science. If you train regularly, the BodyPower lineup covers what else is worth considering.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Speak to a healthcare professional before starting any supplement, particularly if you take prescription medication or manage a health condition.