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Creatine · Answer
Take 3-5 g of creatine monohydrate a day in South Africa, about one level teaspoon, every day including rest days. The ISSN position stand says this raises muscle stores fully in roughly four weeks. A loading phase of about 0.3 g per kg of body weight for 5-7 days is optional. Larger athletes may use up to about 0.1 g/kg a day.
The ISSN position stand sets the maintenance dose at 3-5 g of creatine monohydrate a day. Most adults use 5 g; smaller people (under about 60 kg) do well on 3 g. Larger athletes may use up to roughly 0.1 g per kg of body weight, so a 100 kg rugby forward might use up to 10 g. Cycling off is not necessary.
Weigh your first scoop on kitchen scales to find out what your tub's scoop holds. For many South African products 5 g is about one level teaspoon: USN's Pure Creatine is dosed in 1-teaspoon servings, Natroceutics states 5 g per level teaspoon, and Sport RX describes a heaped teaspoon as roughly 5-7 g. ATP Fitness does not publish a serving size in the sources we checked, so weigh it once.
| Body weight | Typical daily dose | Loading dose (0.3 g/kg) for 5-7 days |
|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 3 g | about 16 g, in 4 doses |
| 75 kg | 5 g | about 22 g, in 4 doses |
| 100 kg | 5-10 g | about 30 g, in 4 doses |
Loading is optional. Without it, 3-5 g a day reaches the same muscle saturation in about 3-4 weeks; see do you need to load creatine.
Only slightly. Taking creatine with a meal that contains carbohydrate and protein may modestly improve uptake, but daily consistency matters far more than the clock. Mixing it into a post-training shake is a handy habit; see when to take creatine.
The same 3-5 g. Women start with lower stores, vegetarians and vegans start lower still, and adults over 50 gain most when combining 3-5 g with resistance training. Under-18s should talk to a sports doctor or dietitian first; see creatine and teenagers.
As of October 2026, plain monohydrate costs about R2.22 to R5.55 per 5 g, depending on brand and tub size. ATP Fitness Micronised 600 g is R500 (R4.17 per 5 g), Biogen 500 g is R444.99 (R4.45) and USN 300 g is about R4.98. See the best creatine in South Africa.
Not for muscle once stores are full. The ISSN found no compelling evidence of harm in healthy people at up to 30 g a day for up to five years, but extra creatine is simply excreted. Higher doses are being researched for brain function, but that evidence is still emerging.
If you have kidney disease, take nephrotoxic medicines such as high-dose NSAIDs, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to your doctor before starting. Creatine raises serum creatinine, which can look like reduced kidney function on a blood test, so tell your doctor you take it.
| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per 5 g | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATP Fitness Micronised Creatine Monohydrate | 600 g | R500 (ATP Fitness shop, 2026-10) | — | R4.17 | None |
| Biogen Creatine Monohydrate Unflavoured 500 g | 500 g | R445 (Dis-Chem (listing via PriceCheck), 2026-10) | 100 | R4.45 | None (unflavoured) |
| USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate 300 g | 300 g | R279-R299 (USN online shop, 2026-10) | — | R4.98 | not stated |
Educational information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease. Prices were observed in October 2026 and are not offers.