Creatine is a substance your body produces in small amounts and which also occurs naturally in meat and fish. The answer to the dosing question is simpler than many people think: 3 grams a day, every day, without a loading phase. This is the amount required for the authorised performance claim; research also uses other doses. The rest of this article explains why it works this way and how to establish the routine.
How creatine works in your muscles
During short-term, high-intensity activity, your stored ATP lasts only a few seconds. When levels fall, your body breaks down phosphocreatine to regenerate ATP quickly.
When your muscles have ample creatine stores, they can manage more explosive repetitions before fatigue takes over. The effect is not dramatic from one session to the next, but it becomes measurable over weeks, provided exercise, supplements and sleep are all working together. This is also how the authorised claim is worded: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise, with a daily intake of 3 grams. The condition in that sentence is worth noticing. It specifies a daily intake of 3 grams, rather than a range or a period of high doses.
Three grams a day is enough
Our creatine monohydrate is dosed at 3 grams, measured with a suitable scale or the product's dosing measure, mixed into water, juice or a protein shake. A 300-gram tub provides 100 servings, or just over three months of daily use.
No loading phase is necessary. Your stores replenish anyway; it simply takes a few weeks instead of a few days, and the eventual result is the same. The difference is that you avoid large single doses and the digestive discomfort that sometimes accompanies them.
The powder dissolves most easily in lukewarm liquid. Micronised monohydrate mixes without lumps, which can make a practical difference to whether you maintain the routine over time.
The form matters
Creatine monohydrate is the form used in almost all research. It is well documented, stable in dry form and good value compared with more heavily marketed alternatives. Mix the solution shortly before use. Purity is worth checking. Our monohydrate has a purity of 99.98 percent, with no additives or fillers, so you get what you pay for and nothing else. Searching for newer forms rarely offers anything monohydrate does not already provide.
Consistency matters, rather than the time on the clock. Some mix creatine into their breakfast porridge; others add it to their post-workout shake. Choose an occasion you already repeat each day and keep it on rest days too, because cumulative intake over time builds your stores. There is also no need to cycle on and off. A consistent daily dose works for as long as you find the supplement useful.
Track your own response
Set a start date and record your starting point. Strength in your main lifts, repetitions at a given weight, and how recovery between sets feels are three concrete measures you can compare later.
Then give it a few weeks. Creatine builds up gradually, and the first few days tell you very little. Make adjustments only once you have enough data, and change one thing at a time so you know what caused what.