Honest guide · NZ
Creatine, without the hype.
The most researched supplement in sport, explained plainly: how much, when, whether to load, and which claims on the label to ignore.
The short version
- Take 3–5g of creatine monohydrate daily. That is the whole protocol.
- Timing does not matter. Take it whenever you will actually remember.
- You do not need to load. Daily dosing reaches the same place in 3–4 weeks.
- Monohydrate is the right form. Everything else costs more and does no more.
- You do not need to cycle off. There is no evidence it is necessary.
What creatine actually does
Creatine is a compound your body already produces and which you also get from meat and fish. It is stored in muscle as phosphocreatine, where it serves to rapidly regenerate ATP — the molecule that powers muscular contraction — during short, intense efforts lasting up to roughly ten seconds.
Supplementing raises muscle phosphocreatine stores above what diet alone provides. The practical result is modest but real: you get perhaps one or two extra reps before failure on heavy sets. Creatine does not build muscle directly — it lets you do slightly more work, and that accumulated extra work is what builds muscle over months. It also draws water into muscle cells, which typically shows up as one to two kilograms of scale weight in the first fortnight. That is intracellular water, not fat.
Dose and timing
Three to five grams daily is the standard maintenance dose, with larger and more muscular people at the upper end. Loading — 20g a day split into four doses for five to seven days — saturates muscle stores in under a week rather than three to four, but arrives at exactly the same destination and more often causes bloating or stomach upset. Unless you have a competition in a fortnight, skip it.
Because creatine works through saturation rather than an acute effect, when you take it is close to irrelevant. Post-training may hold a marginal edge in the research, but the difference is small enough to ignore. Attach it to a habit you already have, because the only variable that genuinely matters is whether you take it every day.
Safety, honestly
Creatine monohydrate has been studied for decades and is consistently found safe for healthy adults at standard doses. The persistent claim that it damages kidneys stems from a misreading of creatinine — a waste marker used to assess kidney function. Creatine supplementation raises creatinine slightly without any underlying kidney damage, which can make a routine blood test look alarming when nothing is wrong. Mention that you supplement if you are having bloods done.
If you have existing kidney disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are under 18, speak to your doctor first. This is general information, not medical advice.
What to ignore on the label
Creatine HCl, ethyl ester, buffered (“Kre-Alkalyn”), liquid and “micronised for superior absorption” formulations all command a premium over plain monohydrate, and none has demonstrated superiority in well-controlled research. Monohydrate is already about 99% bioavailable, which leaves very little room for a better version to improve upon. Look for Creapure or a similarly certified monohydrate and pay as little as you can for it.
Amit’s own supplement recommendations link to Premium Nutrition NZ — a referral relationship that is disclosed on every page and never changes what gets recommended.
Creatine sits on top of the fundamentals, never in place of them. If your calories and protein are not yet dialled in, start with the protein calculator and the TDEE calculator.
SOURCE · Kreider RB et al., ISSN Position Stand, JISSN 14:18 · Creatine dosing, loading and safety (2017) · REVIEWED JUL 2026
Common questions
How much creatine should I take per day?
3–5g of creatine monohydrate daily. Larger individuals with more muscle mass sit at the upper end. Consistency matters far more than the exact dose — taking 5g every day beats taking 10g sporadically.
Do I need to load creatine?
No. Loading with 20g daily for 5–7 days saturates muscle stores faster, but taking 3–5g daily reaches the same saturation in about three to four weeks with less risk of stomach upset. The end point is identical.
When is the best time to take creatine?
Timing is largely irrelevant because creatine works by saturating muscle stores over time rather than acting acutely. Take it whenever you will remember it consistently. Slight evidence favours post-training, but the effect is small.
Is creatine safe?
Creatine monohydrate is among the most extensively studied supplements available, with decades of research supporting its safety in healthy adults at standard doses. It does not damage kidneys in people with healthy kidney function. Consult your doctor if you have existing kidney disease.
Which form of creatine is best?
Creatine monohydrate. It is the most researched form, the cheapest, and no alternative form — HCl, ethyl ester, buffered or liquid — has been shown to outperform it in well-controlled research.
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