What it does
Creatine helps your muscles quickly regenerate energy for short, hard efforts. Over time that means a few extra reps, a bit more strength and slightly more muscle gain.
Your dose
Take 0.044 g of creatine monohydrate for every pound of body weight, every day. Rounded to the nearest gram, that works out to:
Dose by body weight
- 120 lb → 5 g
- 140 lb → 6 g
- 160 lb → 7 g
- 180 lb → 8 g
- 200 lb → 9 g
- 220 lb → 10 g
- 250 lb → 11 g
- 275 lb → 12 g
How to take it
- Any time of day — consistency matters more than timing
- No loading phase needed (it just takes ~3–4 weeks to saturate)
- Take it every day, including rest days
- Mix it into water, juice or a shake; it dissolves best in a warm liquid
Common questions
- Water weight: expect 1–3 lb, mostly inside the muscle — not bloat
- Safety: one of the most studied supplements; safe for healthy people
- Hair loss: not supported by good evidence
Evidence strength
Strong. If you buy one supplement, make it plain creatine monohydrate.