When taken by mouth: Creatine is likely safe for most people. Doses up to 25 grams daily for up to 14 days have been safely used. Lower doses up to 4-5 grams daily for up to 18 months have also been safely used. Creatine is possibly safe when taken long-term.

Is creatine bad for you long-term?

The International Society of Sports Nutrition recently found no scientific evidence that short- or long-term use of creatine monohydrate causes any harmful effects on otherwise healthy individuals. Nevertheless, always contact your healthcare provider before taking creatine or any supplements.

How often should you take creatine?

The ISSN suggests that 5 grams of creatine monohydrate four times daily for 5–7 days is the most effective way to increase your muscle creatine levels, though amounts may vary depending on your weight ( 2 ). You can determine your daily dose for the loading phase by multiplying your weight in kilograms by 0.3 ( 2 ).

Should you take creatine everyday or just workout days?

On workout days, research shows that it may be better to take creatine shortly before or after you exercise, rather than long before or after. On rest days, it may be beneficial to take it with food, but the timing is probably not as important as on exercise days.

Why creatine is bad?

Depending on who you ask, the suggested side effects of creatine may include: Kidney damage. Liver damage. Kidney stones.

When should I stop taking creatine?

This means in total you have been supplementing with creatine for a total of 8 weeks. Then it is important to stop taking creatine. You should pause your creatine supplementation for anywhere between 7 to 14 days (preferably 2 weeks), before beginning again to take creatine.

What are side effects of creatine?

Depending on who you ask, the suggested side effects of creatine may include:

• Kidney damage.
• Liver damage.
• Kidney stones.
• Weight gain.
• Bloating.
• Dehydration.
• Muscle cramps.
• Digestive problems.

Should I stop taking creatine?

Should you stop taking creatine? So long as you are sticking to the recommended dose of 5 grams of creatine per day, there is really no reason to stop taking creatine. The only reason that you would stop taking a supplement is that it suppresses the body's natural release of that substance.