Creatine monohydrate is the most researched sports supplement on the shelf. It is also one of the most over-complicated. Walk into any gym and you will hear five different opinions on how much to take, when to take it, and whether you have to "load" first.

The good news is that the research is clear on most of it. This guide covers what creatine does, how much to take, when to take it, and whether a loading phase is worth the trouble. Everything here comes from published research, mainly the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, with links so you can read it yourself.

What creatine actually does

Your muscles store creatine mostly as phosphocreatine. During short, hard efforts like a heavy set or a sprint, phosphocreatine helps your muscles quickly regenerate ATP, the molecule cells use for energy.

Your body makes some creatine, and you get more from meat and fish. But according to the ISSN position stand on creatine (Kreider et al., 2017), a typical diet leaves muscle creatine stores only about 60–80% full. Supplementing tops those stores up, which the position stand says raises muscle creatine and phosphocreatine by roughly 20–40%.

Fuller stores mean a bit more fuel for repeated high-intensity work. Over weeks of training, that can support more reps, more total volume, and better gains in strength and lean mass.* The ISSN calls creatine monohydrate "the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes" for high-intensity exercise capacity and lean mass during training.

How much creatine per day?

For most people, 3–5 grams per day is the standard maintenance dose. That range is backed by both the ISSN position stand and the 2021 ISSN-affiliated review of common creatine questions and misconceptions (Antonio et al., 2021). The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements describes the same 3–5 g/day maintenance range.

Some quick notes:

• 5 grams is a simple default. It is the dose used in a large share of studies, and it is one level scoop of Samson Summit.
• Bigger athletes may need more. The ISSN position stand notes that some larger athletes in heavy training may need 5–10 g a day to keep stores full.
• More is not better beyond full stores. Once your muscles are saturated, extra creatine is simply excreted.

Do you need a loading phase?

No. Loading is optional. It just gets you to full stores faster.

A classic loading protocol is about 20 grams a day, split into four 5-gram doses, for 5–7 days, then 3–5 grams a day after that. The ISSN position stand describes this as the quickest way to saturate muscle creatine.

But the slow route ends up in the same place. In a well-known study by Hultman and colleagues (1996), men who took 3 grams a day for 28 days reached about the same muscle creatine levels as men who took 20 grams a day for 6 days. The 2021 ISSN review sums it up: taking about 3–5 g a day for at least four weeks gets you to similar saturation as loading.

Load if: you want the effects as soon as possible, such as a meet or testing block within the next month.

Skip loading if: you have time and want to keep it simple. One scoop a day, every day, is enough. Some people also find that large loading doses upset their stomach, which is another reason many lifters skip it.

When to take creatine: before or after a workout?

Timing matters much less than consistency. Creatine works by building up in your muscles over days and weeks, not by giving you a jolt in the hour after you take it.

The ISSN position stand on nutrient timing (Kerksick et al., 2017) notes that some studies suggest small benefits to taking creatine close to training, but the overall evidence for a "best" time is limited. Practical guidance:

• Take it at a time you will remember, every day.
• Taking it with a meal containing carbs and protein is a sensible habit. The ISSN position stand notes that carbohydrate or carbohydrate-plus-protein can help creatine uptake into muscle.
• Take it on rest days too. The goal is to keep stores full, so skipping days works against you.

Because Samson Summit is unflavored, it is easy to stack into whatever you already drink: water, juice, coffee, a protein shake, or your pre-workout.

Is creatine safe?

For healthy adults, creatine monohydrate has a long safety record. The ISSN position stand concludes that short- and long-term creatine supplementation is safe and well tolerated in healthy people at recommended doses. It reports no compelling evidence of harm from up to 30 g a day for up to five years in healthy individuals.

A few of the common worries, addressed in the 2021 ISSN review:

• Kidneys: Studies in healthy people at recommended doses have not shown kidney harm. Creatine can raise blood creatinine, a lab marker doctors use to check kidney function, so tell your doctor you take it before bloodwork. If you have kidney disease, talk to your doctor before using creatine.
• Water weight: Creatine draws water into muscle cells. Early weight gain is mostly water stored in muscle, not fat, and it tends to be more noticeable during a loading phase.
• Hair loss: This worry traces back to a single 2009 study in rugby players that measured a hormone (DHT) but not hair loss. The 2021 review notes the finding has not been repeated and that no study has shown creatine causes hair loss.
• Cramping and dehydration: The review found no evidence that creatine increases cramping or dehydration.

As with any supplement, talk to your doctor before starting if you have a medical condition or take medication.

Why monohydrate (and why "nothing else in it" matters)

You will see creatine sold as HCl, buffered, ethyl ester, and other forms, usually at a higher price. The ISSN position stand concludes that creatine monohydrate is the most studied form and that other forms have not been shown to work better. Monohydrate is the form behind nearly all of the research above.

That is why we built Samson Summit as simply as possible:

• Creatine monohydrate, 5 g per serving. That is the whole ingredient list.
• 300 g tub, 60 servings. One scoop a day lasts about two months.
• Unflavored and micronized. No sweeteners, no dyes, no fillers, so it mixes into almost anything without changing the taste.
• Made in the USA.

If you want to take a loading phase, four scoops a day spread across meals for 5–7 days is the standard protocol, then drop to one scoop a day. Just know one tub will go faster that way.

A simple creatine plan

1. Weeks 1–4 (no loading): one 5 g scoop of Samson Summit every day, with a meal or in your shake.
2. Or a 1-week load: four 5 g scoops a day, spread out, for 5–7 days, then one scoop a day.
3. Keep going. Neither ISSN paper calls for cycling off, and daily use at recommended doses has been studied for years in healthy adults.
4. Train hard and eat enough protein. Creatine supports your training; it does not replace it. Our post on how protein builds bigger and better muscles covers the protein side.

For more on how creatine fits with the rest of your supplement lineup, see our guide to weightlifting supplements.

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.
• 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.
• Hultman E, et al. Muscle creatine loading in men. J Appl Physiol. 1996;81(1):232-237.
• Kerksick CM, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33.
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance.

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your physician before using any dietary supplement, especially if you take medication or have a medical condition. Not intended for anyone under 18.