How much creatine a day? Why 4 g in two gummies

Research most often uses 3–5 g of creatine monohydrate a day to maintain the body's creatine stores, with or without a short "loading" phase first. Two Jolie Creatine gummies give 4 g, in the middle of that range. Here's where those numbers come from, what loading means, and what the numbers don't tell you.

Where creatine comes from

Creatine is a compound your body makes and also gets from food. According to the position stand from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), about half of the daily need comes from the diet, mainly red meat and seafood. The rest is made by the body, mostly in the liver and kidneys.

That's why people who eat little or no meat or fish often ask about creatine. The same position stand notes that vegetarians have been reported to have lower creatine stores in muscle.

The maintenance range: 3–5 g a day

The ISSN position stand says creatine stores can generally be maintained by taking 3–5 g a day. It's the figure you'll see quoted most, and the range most daily creatine products are built around.

Jolie uses 4 g per serving: two gummies, once a day. It sits comfortably inside the range, and two gummies is an amount that's easy to keep up without thinking about it.

What about loading?

Loading means taking a larger amount for a few days to fill creatine stores faster. The ISSN describes the classic method as 5 g four times a day (or about 0.3 g per kilogram of body weight a day) for 5–7 days, followed by 3–5 g a day.

Loading is optional. The same position stand notes that 3 g a day for 28 days raises muscle creatine more gradually, and that smaller daily amounts increase stores over three to four weeks. A 2021 review of common creatine questions concluded that a loading phase is not required.

We don't suggest loading with gummies. Reaching a loading dose would take a lot of them, and our label says two a day. The steady route simply takes a little longer.

Does timing matter?

Our label says to take two gummies daily, after your workout. On days you don't train, the label still says daily, so take them at a regular time you'll remember, such as with a meal.

The ISSN notes that adding carbohydrate, or carbohydrate and protein, to creatine appears to increase how much the muscles take up. That's one reason many people take creatine with a meal after training.

What about the scale?

Some people see their body weight rise slightly when they start creatine. The ISSN reports that early studies found loading caused short-term fluid retention of around 0.5–1.0 litres. The 2021 review adds that creatine does not always lead to water retention.

Is more better?

There's no need to go beyond the amount on your label. Two gummies a day is the serving, and that's what we recommend.

The 2021 review concluded that creatine at recommended doses does not cause kidney damage in healthy people. The key words are healthy and recommended. If you have a kidney condition or any long-term medical condition, are pregnant or nursing, or take medication, speak to your doctor before you start.

Reading the dose on a label

• Look for creatine monohydrate in grams per serving, not per gummy.
• Check how many gummies make a serving. Ours: two.
• If creatine sits inside a "blend" with no separate figure, you can't tell the dose.
• Check the sugar lines too. Ours show 0 g total sugars and 0 g added sugars.

For the cost side of the same question, see creatine price per serving in the UAE. For women weighing up creatine, our guide to creatine for women covers the common myths.