VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS · GUIDE
Creatine Amounts in Studies and Official Statements: Reference Table
A reference table of creatine amounts described in studies and a sports-nutrition position stand, with population and source, and a plain note on official figures we could not verify.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to Creatine: What It Is, Evidence, Tolerability and SafetyRead this first
This page is a reading aid, not dosing advice. It lists amounts that researchers used or described, with the group studied, the length of time and the source. Nothing here is a recommendation for you. People with kidney disease, people on dialysis, people taking medicines that affect the kidneys, and anyone pregnant, breastfeeding or under 18 should talk to a clinician or pharmacist before using any creatine product. Creatine here means creatine monohydrate unless a row says otherwise; other forms are a separate question (see Creatine Forms and Products).Official statements: what we could and could not verify
We looked for official intake or safety figures for creatine from the NHS (UK), EFSA (EU), Health Canada and NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. We could not verify any of them this round:EFSA (EU)
The pages we tried refused plain access
Health Canada
The natural health product monograph pages we tried did not load
NHS (UK)
An NHS site search for creatine returned no results
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Access to the pages we tried was refused
MedlinePlus (US)
The creatine page address we tried now shows a general herbs-and-supplements list
So the table below contains study amounts and a society position stand, not government figures. A US label Daily Value for creatine is not described in the sources we read.
Amounts in studies and in a position stand
The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) is a professional society, not a government. Its 2017 position stand was prepared at the request of the Council for Responsible Nutrition and the society, which is an industry funding link to keep in mind. [1]| Source (year) | Body or type | Population | Amount as stated | Length | What it measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hultman et al. (1996) | Trial in 31 men [2] | Men, 31 in total [2] | 20 g a day, then 2 g a day [2] | 6 days, then 30 more days [2] | Muscle creatine rose about 20% after the 6 days and stayed up on 2 g a day (a tissue measure, not a performance result) [2] |
| Hultman et al. (1996) | Same trial | Same | 3 g a day [2] | 28 days [2] | A similar, more gradual 20% rise in muscle creatine [2] |
| ISSN position stand (2017) | Society position, review of studies | Varies by study; mostly exercise and sport research | 5 g of monohydrate (about 0.3 g per kg of body weight) four times daily [1] | 5 to 7 days [1] | Described as the most effective way to raise muscle stores [1] |
| ISSN position stand (2017) | Same | Same | 3 to 5 g a day to maintain stores once saturated [1] | Ongoing, as described [1] | Muscle stores [1] |
| ISSN position stand (2017) | Same, describing one published protocol | Same | 3 g a day [1] | 28 days [1] | A gradual increase in muscle stores [1] |
| Greenwood study, described by ISSN | Football players versus non-users | College football players | 0.3 g per kg a day, then 0.03 g per kg a day [1] | 5 days, then 4 months [1] | Injury and cramp reports [1] |
| Chilibeck study, described by ISSN | Trial during resistance training | Postmenopausal women | 0.1 g per kg a day [1] | 12 months [1] | Strength and bone density [1] |
| Wallimann and colleagues, quoted by ISSN | Researchers' recommendation | General population, as quoted | 3 g a day "throughout the lifespan" [1] | Lifelong [1] | A published recommendation by researchers, not an official intake figure |
| Pereira et al. (2026) | Trial of gummies | 32 female beach volleyball athletes [3] | 5 g a day [3] | 10 weeks [3] | Jump height and change-of-direction speed. The gummies were donated by a maker [3] |
| Stockler-Ipsiroglu study, described by ISSN | Clinical care | 48 children with a rare creatine-making disorder [1] | 0.3 to 0.8 g per kg a day [1] | Clinical treatment [1] | Medical use, not a consumer amount |
Do not blend these rows. Muscle-store studies, football-season studies, clinical treatment of a rare disorder and a gummy trial answer different questions in different people. The medical-use row especially is not a guide for anyone.
Putting food in context
The ISSN says creatine is found primarily in red meat and seafood, that a pound of uncooked beef and salmon provides about 1 to 2 g, and that about half of the daily need comes from the diet. [1] The rest is made in the liver and kidneys. [1] For where creatine comes from in the body and in food, see Creatine.Kidneys and blood tests
Creatinine is a waste product that doctors measure in blood to judge kidney function. A meta-analysis of 26 trials with 1,036 people found creatine was linked to a higher serum creatinine (about 0.14 mg/dL) and a lower creatinine-based estimate of kidney filtration, but no difference when filtration was measured a different way (Cr-EDTA). The authors read this as altered creatinine handling rather than kidney injury. [4] MedlinePlus notes meat can also raise creatinine temporarily and that supplements can affect test results, and says not to stop any medicine unless your provider tells you to. [5]A 2026 review in a kidney journal says concerns persist about creatine and kidney safety, especially when kidney function is already reduced. [6] The ISSN notes some suggest people with existing kidney disease consult a physician first. [1] See Creatine, Kidney Questions and Creatinine Testing and Creatinine, eGFR and Cystatin C. Anyone with kidney disease should ask their clinician before using creatine.
Quality, medicines and surgery
One lab study of 149 creatine samples found 32 adulterated. [8] See also A Collagen and Creatine Label Checklist. See Quality Testing and Certifications. For medicines, see Medication Interactions. Talk to a clinician or pharmacist, including before surgery.Frequently asked questions
What is the official recommended amount of creatine?
We could not verify an official figure from EFSA, Health Canada, the NHS or NIH. We do not quote one from memory. The table above shows study amounts and a society position stand only.
Is "loading" required?
The sources we read describe a fast route and a slower one. A 1996 trial raised muscle creatine about 20% with 20 g a day for 6 days, and 3 g a day over 28 days gave a similar, slower rise. [2] The ISSN says smaller daily amounts raise muscle stores over about 3 to 4 weeks. [1] See Creatine Loading and the "Loading Is Required" Myth. Those are muscle measurements, not advice for anyone.
Why does the amount depend on body weight in some rows?
Some studies gave amounts per kilogram of body weight, such as 0.3 g per kg. [1] That is how those researchers described the protocol, not a rule for individuals.
Do creatine gummies contain the same amount as the trials?
Proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed for creatine gummy trials and found one trial that used 5 g a day of gummies for 10 weeks, with product donated by a maker. [3] We found no independent label-accuracy test of gummies in the abstracts we read.
Will creatine harm my kidneys?
A 2026 meta-analysis found raised serum creatinine but concluded it likely reflects creatinine handling rather than kidney injury. [4] If you have kidney disease or take medicines that affect the kidneys, ask your clinician first and do not stop prescribed medicine on your own. [5]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Older adults, children and pregnancy
- Older adults. A meta-analysis of 22 trials (721 people, resistance training for 7 to 52 weeks) found creatine gave a mean 1.37 kg greater gain in lean tissue than placebo; it did not report one standard amount in the abstract. [7]
- Children and teens. Some product labels say under-18s should not take creatine. The ISSN calls this a legal precaution and says it found no scientific evidence that children or adolescents should not take it. [1] That is a society's view; ask a pediatrician.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. The ISSN describes pregnancy research mainly in animals. [1] Proper evidence not found in the sources we read for human safety amounts in pregnancy or breastfeeding. See Creatine in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding and Creatine for Teens and Young Athletes.
References
- 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 (full text read via PubMed Central). Read 2026-10-23.
- Hultman E, et al. Muscle creatine loading in men. J Appl Physiol. 1996 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.
- Pereira F, et al. Effects of creatine monohydrate gummies on performance and body composition in female beach volleyball athletes. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2026 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.
- de Souza Almeida A, et al. Impact of creatine supplementation on kidney health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Urol Nephrol. 2026 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.
- MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine). Creatinine Test. Read 2026-10-23.
- Pereira JP, et al. Creatine supplementation in patients with kidney disease: harm or benefit? Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2026 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.
- Chilibeck PD, et al. Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Open Access J Sports Med. 2017 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.
- Oliveira TF, et al. Assessing the authenticity of the sport supplement creatine using spectroscopic techniques and multivariate analysis. Food Chem. 2025 (abstract). Read 2026-10-23.