Creatine Loading Phase: How To, Results, Benefits, And Safety

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Evidence BasedWhat to Know About the Creatine Loading Phase

Medically reviewed by Jared Meacham, PhD., RD, CSCS — Written by Makayla Meixner MS, RDN — Updated on June 10, 2024

What the research says
Benefits
Safety and side effects
How to creatine load
FAQ
Takeaway

During the creatine loading phase, you take high doses of creatine for 5 to 7 days before moving on to lower maintenance doses. This may be the quickest way to reap the benefits of creatine.

Creatine is a compound stored in your muscles. Your body naturally produces creatine, but foods like meat and fish also contain it.

If you eat a typical omnivorous diet, you take in about 1 to 2 grams (g) of creatine each day, but your muscle stores of creatine are still only 60% to 80% full.

Taking creatine supplements may help maximize your muscle stores.

Some trainers recommend a creatine “loading phase” when you start supplementing. During this phase, you consume a relatively large amount of creatine over a short period to rapidly saturate your muscles.

A common approach is to take 20 to 25 g of creatine daily for 5 to 7 days. This dose is typically divided into four or five 5-g servings throughout the day.

After the loading phase, you can maintain your stores of creatine by taking a 3 to 5 g dose daily.

Keep reading to learn more about the benefits and side effects of the creatine loading phase.

person scooping creatine powder into a plastic beverage bottle — Mattia/Stocksy United

Research on creatine loading

Some research suggests creatine loading may help boost muscle stores of creatine by 20% to 40%.

However, other studies have found that lower doses of creatine taken once daily can be equally effective at maximizing your stores of creatine, though it may take a bit longer.

A 1996 study in male participants found that muscles can become fully saturated after taking 3 g of creatine daily for 28 days.

Similarly, a 2022 study in males found that taking 3 g of creatine for 28 days helped increase creatine store levels compared to participants who did not take creatine.

This method may take 3 additional weeks to maximize your muscle stores compared to creatine loading, so you may have to wait longer to see the benefits of creatine.

Can females do a creatine loading phase?

There are fewer studies on creatine use in people assigned female at birth.

However, a large 2021 review found that creatine supplementation may have several benefits for females, regardless of whether they undergo a loading phase or a gradual approach.

In a 6-week study involving male and female college students, some students took a performance supplement containing 4 g of creatine and varying amounts of electrolytes. Others took a placebo.

Researchers stated a creatine loading phase wasn’t conducted because taking lower maintenance doses of the performance supplement would produce the same results.

In the end, students who took the performance supplement improved their back squats and bench presses, even without a loading phase.

Benefits of creatine loading

A creatine loading phase may be the fastest way to benefit from creatine’s effects. Some benefits of maximizing your muscle stores of creatine include:

Muscle gain: Studies consistently tie creatine supplements to significant increases in muscle mass when combined with resistance training.
Muscle strength: After creatine loading, strength and power may increase.
Improved performance: After creatine loading, performance during high intensity exercise may jump.
Injury prevention: In many studies, athletes using creatine reported less muscle tightness and fewer sport-related injuries (like strains) than non-users.

Creatine side effects

Several studies demonstrate that creatine is safe over short- and long-term periods.

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), up to 30 g per day for 5 years may be safe and is generally well tolerated by healthy individuals.

Though rare, some people have reported gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Creatine may also cause temporary weight gain and bloating, as it may increase water retention in your muscles.

While it’s commonly believed that creatine may increase your risk of dehydration, cramping, and heat illness, current research contradicts these claims.

Since your kidneys metabolize creatine, creatine supplements may worsen kidney function in people with renal disease.

It’s best to speak with a healthcare professional before using supplements if you have an underlying health issue or are pregnant or nursing.

Learn more about what research has to say about the safety and side effects of creatine.

How to creatine load

Creatine supplements are widely available in stores and online. The most well-studied form is creatine monohydrate.

Studies suggest taking 5 g of creatine monohydrate four or five times daily for 5 to 7 days is the most effective way to increase your muscle creatine levels.

However, recommended amounts may vary depending on your weight. According to the ISSN, you can determine your daily dose for the loading phase by multiplying your weight in kilograms (kg) by 0.3.

For example, during the loading phase, an individual weighing 80 kg (176 pounds) would consume 24 g (80 x 0.3) of creatine daily.

After 7 days, a daily maintenance dose of 3 to 5 g can help you maintain high levels.

If you stop taking creatine, your muscle stores will gradually decrease to the levels they were at before you started supplementing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take 20 g of creatine at once?

In most cases, taking a 20 g dose of creatine at once is fine. However, research focuses on dividing this daily dosage into four or five doses throughout the day to maximize the benefits.

Is creatine loading necessary?

Creatine loading may provide benefits quicker, but research suggests it’s not necessary to experience creatine’s benefits.

Is 10 g of creatine enough for loading?

Taking 10 g of creatine is more than the typical 3 to 5 g daily maintenance dose. However, research suggests the loading phase should comprise 20 to 25 g of creatine daily for 5 to 7 days.

How to load creatine properly?

Research suggests taking 20 to 25 g of creatine monohydrate for 5 to 7 days. This daily dose is most commonly divided into 5 g servings throughout the day. After the loading phase, you can take 3 to 5 g doses daily to maintain creatine stores.

Takeaway

It’s possible to maximize your muscle stores of creatine gradually over several weeks.

However, the fastest way to maximize your muscle stores is a weeklong loading phase followed by lower doses to maintain high levels.

These benefits include increased muscle mass and strength, improved performance, and a reduced risk of sport-related injuries.

If you’re unsure whether creatine is right for you, speak with a healthcare professional. They can help determine the best dosage for you.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Antonio J, et al. (2021). Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: What does the scientific evidence really show?https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w
Gann JJ, et al. (2022). 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.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/1550-2783-12-S1-P2
Hickner RC, et al. (2022). Effect of 28 days of creatine ingestion on muscle metabolism and performance of a simulated cycling road race.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/1550-2783-7-26
Hultman E, et al. (1996). Muscle creatine loading in men.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8828669/
Hummer E, et al. (2022). Creatine electrolyte supplement improves anaerobic power and strength: A randomized double-blind control study.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/s12970-019-0291-x
Kreider RB, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine.https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
Smith-Ryan AE, et al. (2021). Creatine supplementation in women’s health: A lifespan perspective.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/3/877
Wax B, et al. (2021). Creatine for exercise and sports performance, with recovery considerations for healthy populations.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/6/1915

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Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Medically reviewed by Jared Meacham, PhD., RD, CSCS — Written by Makayla Meixner MS, RDN — Updated on June 10, 2024

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