How many creatine gummies make 5 g? The label math, with sugar included
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Creatine is dosed in grams. Almost everything else in the supplement aisle is dosed in milligrams or micrograms. That difference causes more confusion with creatine gummies than with any other product, because a gummy can only hold so much, and labels describe the amount in different ways.
This article is the arithmetic: how to get from a label to a daily number of gummies, and what else that number brings with it.
The short answer
Most creatine gummies contain about 1 g of creatine monohydrate each, so 5 g takes five gummies and 3 g takes three. Some contain 1.25 g or 1.5 g, and some much less. Find the creatine per gummy by dividing the amount per serving by the number of gummies in a serving, then divide your target by that figure.
The target
The International Society of Sports Nutrition’s position stand gives the standard maintenance dose as 3 g to 5 g of creatine monohydrate a day. Larger athletes may need the higher end. The stores in muscle fill over three to four weeks at that dose and stay full as long as you keep taking it.
Three grams a day is enough for many people and gets there a little more slowly. Five grams is the amount most products and studies use. There is no benefit from going above what fills the stores.
Step one: find creatine per gummy
The Supplement Facts panel states an amount per serving. The serving size, at the top of the panel, may be one gummy or several.
| Label says | Serving size | Creatine per gummy |
|---|---|---|
| Creatine monohydrate 1 g | 1 gummy | 1 g |
| Creatine monohydrate 3 g | 3 gummies | 1 g |
| Creatine monohydrate 5 g | 4 gummies | 1.25 g |
| Creatine monohydrate 5 g | 5 gummies | 1 g |
| Creatine monohydrate 1,500 mg | 2 gummies | 0.75 g |
Watch the units. 1,000 mg is 1 g. A front label that says “5 g” in large type usually means per serving, not per gummy. Our guide to per gummy versus per serving covers this in general.
Step two: divide
| Creatine per gummy | Gummies for 3 g | Gummies for 5 g |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 g | 6 | 10 |
| 0.75 g | 4 | 7 |
| 1 g | 3 | 5 |
| 1.25 g | 3 | 4 |
| 1.5 g | 2 | 4 |
Numbers are rounded up to whole gummies. Do not exceed the maximum daily amount on your label. If the label’s serving gives less than 3 g, the product is not designed to deliver a studied dose, and taking more than directed is not the answer. Choose a different product or use powder.
Step three: count the sugar
| Gummies a day | At 1 g sugar each | At 2 g each | At 3 g each |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 g | 6 g | 9 g |
| 4 | 4 g | 8 g | 12 g |
| 5 | 5 g | 10 g | 15 g |
Creatine is taken every day for months or years, so this is a standing addition to your diet. The American Heart Association suggests no more than about 25 g of added sugar a day for women and 36 g for men. Fifteen grams from creatine gummies is a large share. See added sugar in gummies.
Calories follow. Five gummies at 15 to 20 calories each is 75 to 100 calories a day. Creatine powder has none.
Sugar-free creatine gummies avoid this by using sugar alcohols. Five a day can be enough to cause gas or loose stools in some people. See sweeteners in zero sugar gummies.
Step four: check how long the bottle lasts
| Gummies in the bottle | Days at 3 a day | Days at 5 a day |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 20 | 12 |
| 90 | 30 | 18 |
| 120 | 40 | 24 |
| 150 | 50 | 30 |
A bottle described as a “30 day supply” may be counting a serving that gives less than 5 g. Work it out from the total grams of creatine in the bottle: gummies multiplied by grams per gummy, divided by your daily target.
Is the creatine on the label really there?
The arithmetic assumes the label is accurate. For creatine gummies that is not always safe. Creatine can break down into creatinine in the moist, acidic environment of a gummy, and independent testing has found some products with far less creatine than stated. A product with third-party batch testing that reports creatine content is worth the extra effort to find. See creatine gummies vs powder for the details.
What about a loading phase?
Loading means about 20 g a day, in four doses of 5 g, for five to seven days, followed by 3 g to 5 g a day. It fills muscle stores in a week instead of a month.
With gummies at 1 g each, that is twenty gummies a day and, at 2 g of sugar each, 40 g of sugar. It will also exceed the maximum on most labels. Loading is optional, and the result after a month is the same without it. If you use gummies, skip the loading phase and take the maintenance dose from the start.
All at once or spread out?
Either works. Creatine acts by building up in muscle, so the time of day and whether you take it before or after training make little practical difference. Some research suggests taking it with a meal containing carbohydrate and protein slightly improves uptake.
If five gummies at once upsets your stomach, split them between two meals. Whichever pattern you choose, take them every day, including rest days.
Do you need the same amount if you are smaller?
The 3 g to 5 g range is used for most adults. A dose based on body weight is sometimes given as roughly 0.03 g per kilogram a day for maintenance, which is about 2 g for a 65 kg person and 3 g for a 100 kg person. In practice, 3 g a day covers most people and 5 g covers nearly everyone. Vegetarians and vegans start with lower muscle creatine, because creatine in the diet comes from meat and fish, and may notice a larger change.
A worked example
A label reads: serving size 3 gummies, creatine monohydrate 4 g, total sugars 6 g, 90 gummies per bottle.
- Per gummy: 4 g divided by 3 is about 1.33 g of creatine and 2 g of sugar.
- For 5 g: 5 divided by 1.33 is 3.75, so four gummies, giving 5.3 g and 8 g of sugar.
- For 3 g: three gummies would give 4 g, the label serving, and 6 g of sugar. Two would give 2.7 g.
- Bottle life: 90 gummies at four a day is 22 days. At the label’s three a day it is 30.
So this hypothetical product delivers a studied dose at its label serving, for a month, with 6 g of sugar a day. That is the kind of result you want the arithmetic to show.
Who should check with a doctor first
People with kidney disease or reduced kidney function should not take creatine without medical advice. Creatine raises creatinine on blood tests, so tell your doctor you take it. There is not enough research in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Creatine gummies are for adults, and because they look like candy they should be kept out of the reach of children.
The research is in the creatine ingredient guide, and related products are on the fitness gummies page.
The short version
- The target is 3 g to 5 g of creatine monohydrate a day.
- Most gummies have about 1 g, so three to five gummies.
- Divide the per-serving amount by the gummies per serving to get creatine per gummy.
- Five gummies can add 5 g to 15 g of sugar a day.
- Skip the loading phase with gummies.
- Look for batch testing, because some gummies have tested low.
Common questions
How many creatine gummies equal 5 grams?
Five, if each contains 1 g. Divide 5 by the grams of creatine per gummy on your label.
Is 3 g of creatine a day enough?
For many people, yes. It fills muscle stores over about a month. Larger athletes may prefer 5 g.
Can I take 5 creatine gummies at once?
Yes, if the label allows it. Split them between meals if they upset your stomach.
Should I do a loading phase with gummies?
It is not practical. Loading would take about twenty gummies a day. Take the maintenance dose from the start.
How much sugar is in a day of creatine gummies?
Commonly 5 g to 15 g at five gummies, depending on the product.
Do I take creatine gummies on rest days?
Yes. Creatine works by building up in muscle and needs to be taken daily.
Sources
- Kreider RB, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017.
- Jäger R, et al. Analysis of the efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of novel forms of creatine. Amino Acids. 2011.
- Natural Products Insider. NOW tests creatine gummies, finding almost half to be severely understrength.
- American Heart Association. Added sugars.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products discussed here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This page is not medical advice. It is written for adults 18 and over.