Creatine Calculator
This all-in-one creatine calculator covers everything you need: daily dosage for creatine monohydrate and HCl based on your body weight, loading and maintenance phases, how much water to drink on creatine, and a creatinine clearance estimator to check kidney function. Designed for Australian users with metric units.
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How It Works
The Dosage calculator uses your body weight in kilograms to determine personalised loading and maintenance doses. Creatine monohydrate uses 0.3g/kg/day for loading (split into 4 serves over 5-7 days) and 0.03g/kg/day for maintenance (3-5g). Creatine HCl uses a lower dose of 0.025g/kg/day (1.5-3g) with no loading phase due to higher absorption. The Hydration calculator adds your creatine water needs (500mL per 5g) to your baseline hydration (35mL/kg) adjusted for activity and climate. The Clearance calculator uses the Cockcroft-Gault equation to estimate creatinine clearance from your age, weight, sex, and serum creatinine level.
Quick Reference
| Weight (kg) | Mono Loading (g/day) | Mono Maint. (g/day) | HCl Dose (g/day) | Extra Water (mL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 15 | 3 | 1.5 | 300 |
| 60 | 18 | 3 | 1.5 | 300 |
| 70 | 21 | 3 | 1.8 | 350 |
| 80 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 400 |
| 90 | 27 | 4.5 | 2.3 | 450 |
| 100 | 30 | 5 | 2.5 | 500 |
| 110 | 33 | 5 | 2.8 | 500 |
| 120 | 36 | 5 | 3 | 500 |
Monohydrate loading: 0.3g/kg/day for 5-7 days in 4 doses. Maintenance: 0.03g/kg (3-5g). HCl: 0.025g/kg (1.5-3g). Extra water: 500mL per 5g.
Creatine Dosing Formulas
- 0.3g/kg
- = monohydrate loading dose per kg per day
- 0.03g/kg
- = monohydrate maintenance dose per kg per day
- 0.025g/kg
- = HCl daily dose per kg (no loading needed)
- 4 serves
- = loading dose is split into 4 equal serves
- 500mL/5g
- = additional water per 5g creatine
HCl is more soluble than monohydrate and requires lower doses. Monohydrate is the most studied form. Both are effective for increasing muscle creatine stores.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much creatine should I take per day?
- For creatine monohydrate, the recommended maintenance dose is 3-5g per day (0.03g per kg of body weight). If you weigh 80kg, that is about 4g per day. Creatine HCl requires a lower dose of 1.5-3g per day due to higher absorption. Consistency matters more than exact timing.
- Do I need a creatine loading phase?
- A loading phase is optional. It saturates muscle creatine stores in 5-7 days instead of 3-4 weeks. During loading, take 0.3g per kg per day split into 4 doses. If you skip loading and take only the maintenance dose, you will reach the same saturation level, it just takes longer. Creatine HCl does not require a loading phase.
- How much water should I drink on creatine?
- A good guideline is an extra 500mL of water for every 5g of creatine you take. On a 5g daily dose, that means one extra large glass of water on top of your normal intake. During the loading phase at higher doses, increase water proportionally. Proper hydration supports kidney function and creatine uptake into muscles.
- Is creatine safe for women?
- Yes. Creatine is equally safe and effective for women. Research shows benefits for strength, lean muscle, bone density, and even cognitive function. The dosing is the same, calculated by body weight. Creatine does not cause bulking in women. It may cause 0.5-1kg of water retention in muscles, which is not fat.
- What is the difference between creatine monohydrate and HCl?
- Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and cost-effective form. Creatine HCl (hydrochloride) is more water-soluble and may cause less bloating, but requires smaller doses. Both effectively increase muscle creatine stores. Monohydrate has far more research backing it, while HCl is a newer alternative preferred by some for its mixability.
- What is creatinine clearance?
- Creatinine clearance (CrCl) is a measure of how well your kidneys filter waste from your blood. It is estimated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation based on your age, weight, sex, and serum creatinine level from a blood test. Normal CrCl is 90 mL/min or above. This calculator helps you check kidney function before or during creatine supplementation.
- Does creatine cause weight gain?
- Creatine causes an initial weight gain of 1-2kg due to increased water retention in muscles. This is not fat gain. Over time, creatine supports greater muscle growth and strength, which can increase lean body mass. If your goal is fat loss, creatine is still beneficial as it helps maintain muscle during a calorie deficit.
- When should I take creatine?
- Timing is less important than consistency. Take creatine at any time of day, with or without food. Some research suggests post-workout may be slightly more effective for muscle uptake, but the difference is small. The key is taking it every day, including rest days.
- Is creatine safe for kidneys?
- For healthy adults with normal kidney function, creatine monohydrate at recommended doses (3-5g/day) has been shown to be safe in hundreds of studies. It does not damage healthy kidneys. However, if you have pre-existing kidney disease or concerns, consult your doctor first. You can use the Clearance tab to estimate your kidney function.
- How much creatine per kg of body weight?
- For monohydrate maintenance: 0.03g per kg per day (e.g. 2.4g for 80kg). For monohydrate loading: 0.3g per kg per day for 5-7 days. For HCl: approximately 0.025g per kg per day. These are evidence-based dosing guidelines from the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
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