Can I take 25 grams of creatine a day?
creatine taken in an oral dose of 25 g per day for 14 days is safe for your health. supplementation with 4-5 g of creatine per day for 18 months has no side effects.
Typically the aim is to take 5g of creatine 4 or 5 times per day. You could take all 20g at once or 10g 2 times per day -this will depend on individual tolerance as some people are fine with these doses- but most of the evidence has come from smaller, more frequent serves.
For healthy individuals, research suggests taking a whopping 30 grams per day of creatine is safe for 5 years or longer[*]. That said, if you have a medical condition, especially a liver or kidney issue, be sure to consult your doctor before taking creatine.
Many different dosages of creatine supplements have been used in studies. For athletic performance, some people start with 10 grams to 20 grams of creatine a day. This is typically followed by a maintenance dose of 2 grams to 5 grams of creatine a day.
Taking too much creatine is futile
Taking too much creatine at one time can result in stomach discomfort and bloating, and it's a waste of money. After your muscles are fully saturated with creatine, it's recommended to take 3–5 grams (14 mg/pound or 30 mg/kg) daily to maintain optimal muscle stores.
It will take seven to 28 days to see energy effects depending on how much creatine you already have in your body. It may be dangerous to take creatine supplements when you are actually dehydrated or trying to lose weight.
With the potential for creatine to cause uncomfortable side effects at high doses, you may be concerned about taking too much of the supplement. Taking in high amounts of creatine (more than 25 grams per day) is more likely to cause side effects like bloating and gastrointestinal distress.
To maximize muscle stores quickly, a creatine loading phase of 20–25 g daily for 5–7 days is recommended, followed by a maintenance dose of 3–5 g per day.
Our calculation is based on this scale:
Under 120 pounds: 3 grams. 121-200 pounds: 5 grams. Over 200 pounds: 8 grams.
Creatine supplements will help your body produce more energy so you fatigue less during short, high-intensity exercise. Taking creatine will also help you increase muscle mass and strength.
How much creatine do I need to build muscle?
Something between 1-2 grams of creatine per day is too low of a dose for you to build muscle. The standard scoop size for most creatine products is 5 grams. However, according to research, a daily dose of 3 grams of creatine is sufficient for most lifters to increase their muscle growth.
One common question among athletes: Should I take creatine on off days? The short answer is yes, but you can also skip some days. "Research suggests that creatine stores can be maintained at high levels even if creatine is not taken every single day," says Paul Falcone, senior scientist for LADDER.
Creatine can help support and protect your muscles during cutting by bringing water into your muscles. This helps boost and preserve muscle fibers from damage. That's also why drinking plenty of water during cutting is important. It protects muscles from breakdown or injury from dehydration during your cutting cycle.
Either way, after you finish loading (or if you skip it), we recommend using 5 grams of creatine daily to enhance exercise performance. However, if you're a larger-than-average person, or don't notice benefits with 5 grams per day, you can use 10 grams of creatine daily for maintenance instead.
A creatine loading phase only needs to last for a week, this will ensure that your muscles are full of creatine. Following the loading phase, 5-10 grams per day will suffice for most individuals. Creatine loading will help creatine absorb into your muscles quickly.
Not only is it safe to take 20 grams a day for five days, but even 30 grams per day for long periods of time has been proven safe. Some people do report digestive issues when taking high doses of creatine, however, this is unusual. All supplementation should be monitored to measure its impact on health and results.
Doses up to 25 grams daily for up to 14 days have been safely used. Lower doses up to 4-5 grams daily for up to 18 months have also been safely used. Creatine is possibly safe when taken long-term. Doses up to 10 grams daily for up to 5 years have been safely used.