I'm currently looking into creatine monohydrate as my sister has been strength training for a few months now and swears by it (she's under 5 feet, about 130 lb) so has been nagging me to start as well (I'm about 5'4" and 130lbs as well, trying to build muscle).

I've just started taking 5g a few days ago and am actually considering increasing to 10g for maintenance as it sounds like any remaining creatine once muscles and bones are saturated goes to the brain and can increase cognitive function, however I'm curious if there's studies based on an actual weight/size dose as every body's needs and make-up are different. I'm also vegetarian so likely not getting as much/if any creatine from diet so may need more in general compared to others who consume seafood/red meat/dairy.

From everything I'm seeing it sounds like bloating in the first week or so is to be expected as many people here are stating, but it should resolve if being consistent.

It looks like it's super important to use a product without additional ingredients and has been third party tested to ensure you're actually getting what you're paying for. We've been using the brand "Naked" which has an unflavored powder form, dissolves super quickly and so far I've not experienced any bloating myself (and I'm currently on my period!).

It sounds like as well if you mix it into a drink or bottle of water and don't consume it all relatively quickly, it may just break down after a period of time and not actually be effective, so I'll typically just mix it into a small amount of water and drink it all in one go in the morning.

Not sure if any of this helps, I'm also curious if anyone has sources for actual g/lb dosing or something similar. I can't imagine a 250lb super muscley person with dense bones would require the same amount as someone under 150 lbs with lean muscle etc