How much creatine is optimal?

Creatine dosing is generally scaled to body weight, with about 3–15 grams per day across the ranges discussed. A standard starting amount is 5 grams daily; you don’t need a loading phase, and timing doesn’t appear to matter. 1 2

• Under 185 pounds: About 5 grams daily, or 3 grams for a smaller person, may be sufficient; people substantially lighter may use 1–3 grams. 3 4
• 185–250 pounds: About 10 grams daily is suggested; at the higher end, 10–15 grams may be more appropriate. 3 5
• Larger individuals: The dose can rise with body size—for example, Galpin describes 7–10 grams daily for very large NFL linemen; 5 grams is the general standard starting point. 6
• Stomach tolerance: If creatine causes GI distress, try splitting the dose or increasing it gradually. Huberman says he takes 10 grams, sometimes 15 grams, daily and tolerates it well. 7