No, you do not need to load creatine. A loading phase of about 20 g a day for 5 to 7 days fills your muscles in about a week, while 3 to 5 g a day without loading gets you to the same level in about three to four weeks. After a month, both approaches end up in the same place. Load if you want the benefit sooner, for example before a competition. Skip it if you are not in a hurry, or if big doses upset your stomach.
Creatine loading vs 5 g a day at a glance
| Loading | No loading | |
|---|---|---|
| How much | About 20 g a day, as four 5 g doses, for 5 to 7 days, then 3 to 5 g a day | 3 to 5 g a day from day one |
| Time to fill your muscles | About 1 week | About 3 to 4 weeks |
| Stomach upset | More likely with big doses | Uncommon |
| Water weight | Shows up within the first week | Same gain, just more gradual |
| Creatine used in the first 30 days | About 225 g (5-day load, then 5 g a day) | About 150 g (5 g a day) |
| Result after a month | Muscles full | Muscles full |
The 30-day figures assume a 5-day load at 20 g a day. A 7-day load or a 3 g daily dose changes the numbers a little.
What the research shows
The key study is from 1996. Hultman and colleagues gave men 20 g of creatine a day for six days, which raised muscle creatine by about 20%. A small daily dose of 2 g was then enough to keep it there. Another group skipped loading and took 3 g a day, and they reached the same muscle creatine level after about 28 days.
The ISSN position stand on creatine describes both options. The fastest way to fill your muscles is about 0.3 g per kg of body weight a day for 5 to 7 days (about 20 to 25 g for most adults), then 3 to 5 g a day. Taking a smaller daily dose from the start works too, it just takes three to four weeks. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements describes the same loading plan of 20 g a day in four 5 g doses for 5 to 7 days, followed by 3 to 5 g a day.
The benefit, once your muscles are full, is the same either way. Creatine helps with short, hard efforts like lifting and sprints, which is why the AIS puts it in Group A of its Sports Supplement Framework.
When loading makes sense
- You have an event or test coming up soon. If a competition, trial or strength test is two to three weeks away, loading gets you there in time.
- You are starting a new training block. Some lifters like to load so the first weeks of a program count.
- You have stopped for a while. After a break of a month or more, a short load gets you back to full faster.
When to skip loading
- Big doses upset your stomach. In a 2008 study of 59 soccer players, diarrhoea was more common after a single 10 g dose than after two 5 g doses. Keeping each dose to about 5 g helps.
- You have a weigh-in soon. The NIH notes creatine can add 1 to 2 kg of body weight in a month, mostly water held in muscle. Loading brings that forward, which matters for weight-class athletes.
- You are not in a rush. If you train for general fitness, 3 to 5 g a day is simpler and uses less powder.
- You have kidney disease or take regular medication. Talk to your GP before taking creatine at all.
How to load creatine
- Take 5 g of creatine monohydrate four times a day (20 g in total) for 5 to 7 days.
- Spread the doses across the day and take them with meals or a shake.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Then drop to 3 to 5 g a day and keep taking it every day, including rest days.
Rule 1 gives an optional loading phase on its R1 Creatine 500 g label: 20 g a day for 5 days, then 3 to 5 g a day. Always follow the directions on your product.
How long a tub lasts
| Creatine | Price | 5 g a day only | 5-day load, then 5 g a day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beast Labs Creatine 250 g | $19.95 | 50 days | About 35 days |
| ATP Science Creapure Creatine 250 g | $49.95 | 50 days | About 35 days |
| Legit Creatine Monohydrate 500 g | $49.95 | 100 days | About 85 days |
| R1 Creatine 500 g | $69.95 | 100 days | About 85 days |
| Legit Creatine Monohydrate 1 kg | $79.95 | 200 days | About 185 days |
A 5-day load uses about 100 g, so a 250 g tub will be close to empty after about five weeks. If you plan to load, a 500 g or 1 kg size makes more sense. At the time of writing, the Legit 1 kg bag works out to about $0.40 per 5 g serve.
Our verdict
Loading is optional. It is a shortcut, not a requirement, and after a month you end up in the same place either way. For most people, 3 to 5 g of creatine monohydrate a day, every day, is the simplest plan. Load only if you want the benefit within a week and your stomach handles it.
Our pick is Legit Creatine Monohydrate 500 g, one of our best sellers in the last six months, at about $0.50 a serve. Compare more options in our best creatine in Australia guide or browse all creatine. For more on dosing, read how much creatine to take, and if the scales worry you, see creatine and water retention.
How our price compares
Here is what the same products cost at other Australian supplement stores, so you can check the difference yourself.
| Product | Supps247 | Nutrition Warehouse | ASN | Elite Supps | Supplement Mart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legit Creatine Monohydrate 500 g | $49.95 | $59.95 | $49.95 | Not listed | $64.95 |
| Legit Creatine Monohydrate 1 kg | $79.95 | $79.95 | Other sizes only | Not listed | $89.95 |
| R1 Creatine 500 g (100 serves) | $69.95 | $42.46 (sale) | Not listed | Other sizes only | Other sizes only |
| ATP Science Creapure Creatine 250 g | $49.95 | $49.95 | $49.95 | Not confirmed | $49.95 |
Supps247 prices come from our website. Other prices were checked on the websites of Nutrition Warehouse, Australian Sports Nutrition (ASN), Elite Supps and Supplement Mart on 29 October 2026 (same product and size, price for one unit) and can change at any time. Sale means it was on sale that day. Not listed means we could not find that exact product on their site. Other sizes only means they sell it in a different size. Not confirmed means we could not confirm the same product and size. Supps247 members can use our Price Match Guarantee against Nutrition Warehouse, ASN, Elite Supps and Supplement Mart: we beat their full price by 5% or match their sale price (conditions apply).
Shop the products in this guide
Legit Creatine Monohydrate 500 g$49.95Legit Creatine Monohydrate 1 kg$79.95
R1 Creatine 500 g$69.95
Beast Labs Creatine 250 g$19.95
Browse all creatine.
FAQs
Is creatine loading necessary?
No. Loading at about 20 g a day for 5 to 7 days fills your muscles in about a week, and 3 to 5 g a day gets you to the same level in about three to four weeks. The end result is the same, so loading only matters if you want the benefit sooner, such as before a competition or a strength test.
How do I load creatine?
Take about 20 g a day, split into four 5 g doses, for 5 to 7 days. Spread the doses across the day and take them with meals or a shake. Then drop to 3 to 5 g a day and keep taking it every day, including rest days. Always follow the directions on your product's label.
Does loading creatine cause bloating?
It can for some people. Big single doses are more likely to upset the stomach, and in one study diarrhoea was more common after a single 10 g dose than after two 5 g doses. Creatine also pulls water into muscle, which can add 1 to 2 kg over a month. Splitting doses and taking them with food usually helps.
Do I need to cycle creatine?
No. A 2021 review of common creatine questions found no good evidence that you need to cycle it. Taking 3 to 5 g a day every day keeps your muscle creatine topped up. If you stop, levels drift back to normal over several weeks, and you can load again or simply restart at 3 to 5 g a day.
Does it matter what time of day I take creatine?
Not much. Taking it every day matters far more than the timing. Many people take it with a meal or after training with a protein shake because it is easy to remember. If you are loading, spread the four doses across the day so each one is about 5 g.
Sources: Hultman and colleagues (1996), muscle creatine loading in men; ISSN creatine position stand (2017); NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: exercise and athletic performance; Ostojic and Ahmetovic (2008), creatine dose and stomach upset; Antonio and colleagues (2021), common questions and misconceptions about creatine; AIS Sports Supplement Framework; product labels and brand nutrition panels, checked October 2026.
Order online with Australia-wide delivery, free on orders of $99.99 or more, with Afterpay available at checkout. You can also use click and collect at a store that offers it, or visit a Supps247 store in Melbourne, regional Victoria or Brisbane to compare products in person. Members can use our member price match on full-priced items.
Prices and stock were checked on 29 October 2026 and can change at any time. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your doctor first.
