Expert Answer
How much creatine should you take per day?
Quick Answer
The expert consensus is 3-5g of creatine monohydrate daily for general health and performance. Attia and Patrick suggest up to 10g/day for enhanced cognitive benefits during high-stress periods. No loading phase is necessary for long-term use.
Universal Consensus
on Creatine overall
What Researchers Say
Consistently recommends 5g/day of creatine monohydrate for both physical performance and cognitive function across 19 videos.
“for somebody who is about 180 pounds, five grams a day should be sufficient or so”
Andrew Huberman, on the record @ 1:45:28
Calls monohydrate 'the gold standard.' Recommends 5g/day, up to 10-20g during high-stress periods for cognitive support.
“people that are taking it are usually just taking 3 to five grams per day”
Peter Attia, on the record @ 12:47
Recommends 5-10g/day with Dr. Darren Candow. Highlights safety for vegans, children, and during pregnancy.
“there's really no downside to doing 10 grams a day. Now in some cases sleep deprivation, like I just got back from China about 5 days ago, I've been like doing 20 grams a day, 15 to 20”
Rhonda Patrick, on the record @ 5:56
Includes 5g/day in his Blueprint longevity stack, adjusted for body weight.
Lists creatine among his 6 essential daily supplements. Recommends it for muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, and cognitive function.
Detailed Answer
Creatine dosing is one of the most agreed-upon topics in longevity supplementation. All five experts recommend creatine monohydrate, and most converge on 3-5g per day as the standard dose.
The standard recommendation of 5g daily comes from decades of sports science research showing this amount fully saturates muscle creatine stores within about 4 weeks. Huberman has discussed this across 19 separate videos, consistently landing on 5g/day. Johnson includes exactly this amount in his Blueprint protocol morning drink.
For cognitive benefits specifically, Attia and Patrick have discussed higher doses. In their joint episode, both suggested 10-20g per day during acute high-stress periods like sleep deprivation or intense cognitive work. This higher dose targets the brain, which consumes 20% of the body's energy and benefits from additional ATP recycling capacity.
Loading phases (20g/day for 5-7 days) are unnecessary for long-term supplementation. While they accelerate muscle saturation, Attia and Norton have explicitly stated that steady 5g/day dosing achieves the same saturation within a month without the GI discomfort that loading doses often cause.
One important nuance: body weight matters. Johnson adjusts his dose based on body weight, and emerging research with Dr. Candow on Patrick's show suggests heavier people may benefit from slightly higher doses. A reasonable guideline is about 0.07g per kg of body weight.
Related Questions
Do you need a loading phase for creatine?
No. Attia and Norton explicitly state that 5g/day achieves full muscle saturation within about 4 weeks without the GI discomfort of loading doses.
Should you cycle creatine?
No. Creatine does not operate on a hormonal feedback loop, so cycling is unnecessary. Attia and Norton recommend continuous daily use.
Does creatine cause water retention?
Creatine pulls water into muscle cells as an osmolyte, which may increase scale weight by 1-3 lbs. This is intracellular water, not bloating, and creates an anabolic environment.
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