What does creatine do and how much should you take?
Creatine comes from meat, fish and your liver; 95% of it is in your muscles, where it quickly recharges energy for short, intense efforts, and 3 g a day raises the store by about 20% in 28 days.
Curve: our own estimate, fitted to Hultman 1996 (6 days at 20 g or 28 days at 3 g for about +20%, back to the starting level in 30 days).
Diagram: the durations are not real. Recharging happens at rest.
What does each dose do?
A large dose fills up faster, a small dose reaches the same gain later. In Hultman's study of 31 men, 20 g a day for 6 days and 3 g a day for 28 days gave the same rise, about 20%.
| Dose | Duration | Effect on the muscle store |
|---|---|---|
| 20 g a day | 6 days | about +20% |
| 3 g a day | 28 days | about +20% |
| 2 g a day, after loading | 30 days | the rise is maintained |
| Nothing, after loading | 30 days | back to the starting level |
Page updated on October 30, 2026. Values from Hultman et al., 1996. The position stand of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) suggests 5 g 4 times a day for 5 to 7 days for loading, then 3 to 5 g a day. This society is not neutral on the subject.
Where does creatine come from?
From two places: meals and your own body. The liver and kidneys make it from three amino acids: arginine, glycine and methionine. A usual diet provides 1 to 2 g a day, and muscles are then 60 to 80% full, according to the ISSN.
Raw beef contains about 2.5 to 6 g per kilo depending on the measurements (to be checked). To get 3 g, you would therefore need about 0.5 to 1.2 kg a day, or about 1 to 2.6 lb (our calculation: 3 ÷ 6.33 and 3 ÷ 2.53).
Where is it stored?
95% is in the muscles, the rest mostly in the brain and testes. About two thirds is in the form of phosphocreatine, the form that recharges energy. The average store is about 120 mmol per kilo of dry muscle, with a ceiling of about 160. With a vegetarian diet, it is closer to 90 to 110.
Where does it go next?
Each day, 1 to 2% of the store turns into creatinine, which enters the blood and leaves in the urine through the kidneys. So it has to be replaced every day, by meals or by what the body makes.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a loading phase?
No. It fills up faster, but 3 g a day reaches the same gain in about 4 weeks. Taken with carbohydrates or protein, creatine gets into the muscle a little better, according to the ISSN.
Does creatine make you bloated or gain weight?
It makes the body hold on to water, especially in the first few days. This can show on the scale. It is not a steroid, and it is not fat (Antonio, 2021).
Is it dangerous for the kidneys?
In healthy people, at recommended doses, studies show no harmful effect (Antonio, 2021). Blood creatinine can rise even though the kidney is fine: mention it before a blood test. If you have kidney disease, ask for medical advice.
What about a vegetarian or vegan diet?
The starting store is lower (90 to 110 instead of 120). The rise with a supplement is therefore generally more marked, according to the ISSN.
Does creatine help memory?
It's possible but not established. An analysis of 16 trials (492 people) finds a small gain in memory (Xu, 2024). The European Food Safety Authority ruled in 2024 that the link was not established.
See also
A workout Muscle soreness The route of fats Eggs and their protein
Sources
- 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. PMC5469049
- Hultman E, Söderlund K, Timmons JA, Cederblad G, Greenhaff PL. Muscle creatine loading in men. J Appl Physiol. 1996;81(1):232-7. PMID 8828669
- Antonio J et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18:13. PMC7871530
- Xu C et al. The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2024. PMID 39070254; correction: PMC11873458
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Creatine and improvement in cognitive function: evaluation of a health claim. 2024. PMID 39564533
True or false?
Creatine is a steroid.
False. It is a small molecule made from three amino acids, unrelated to steroids (Antonio, 2021).
Creatine can raise your weight in the first few days.
True. It makes the body hold on to water, especially at the start. It is not fat (Antonio, 2021).
At recommended doses, creatine damages the kidneys of healthy people.
False. Studies show no harmful effect in these people (Antonio, 2021). If you have kidney disease, ask for medical advice.
Cite this page
To cite this page in a paper, an article or a presentation:
Metabolive. "What does creatine do and how much should you take?" Updated October 30, 2026. https://metabolive.com/en/effort-stress/creatine.