Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss?

The internet will tell you that creatine makes your hair fall out. One study from 2009 started the panic, and it’s been echoing through gym locker rooms and Reddit threads ever since. But does creatine cause hair loss, or is this another fitness myth that won’t die?

Short answer: probably not. The current body of evidence strongly suggests that creatine supplementation does not cause hair loss.

A 2025 clinical trial became the first study to directly measure hair follicle health in creatine users, and it found absolutely nothing wrong.

For context, creatine is a naturally occurring compound your body produces in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. You also get small amounts from red meat and fish.

As a supplement, creatine monohydrate (typically 3-5 grams per day) helps your muscles produce ATP, the energy currency that fuels short, intense efforts like sprints and heavy lifts.

It’s one of the most researched supplements in sports nutrition, with a strong safety profile. Not to be confused with creatinine, which is a waste product.

But the story about creatine and hair has more nuance than “myth busted.” Especially if pattern baldness runs in your family. We’ll break down the original study, how DHT actually causes hair loss, and what 16 years of follow-up research have found.

The Study That Started It All

Every worried Google search about creatine and balding leads back to one place: a 2009 study of 20 college-aged rugby players that never looked at anyone’s hair.

Researchers van der Merwe, Brooks, and Myburgh published their findings in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.

The design was a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover with a 6-week washout period. The creatine group loaded with 25 grams per day for 7 days, then dropped to 5 grams per day for 14 more days.

What they found: DHT (dihydrotestosterone) increased by 56% after the loading phase and remained about 40% above baseline during maintenance. The DHT-to-testosterone ratio also rose.

Sounds alarming. Until you look closer.

The creatine group started with DHT levels 23% lower than the placebo group before taking a single gram of creatine. Their baseline was 0.98 nmol/L versus 1.26 nmol/L in the placebo group. After the “56% increase,” their DHT levels were still within the normal clinical range.

The study’s limitations are significant:

• No measurement of hair loss, hair density, or follicle health
• Tiny sample size (n=20)
• Free testosterone was not measured
• Loading dose of 25g/day (five times the standard recommendation)
• Blood DHT was measured, not scalp-level DHT where hair loss actually occurs
• Competitive rugby season introduced uncontrolled training variables
• Never replicated by any research team in 16 years

To put the sample size in perspective, clinical trials testing hair loss treatments like finasteride typically enroll hundreds or thousands of participants. Drawing conclusions about hair loss from 20 subjects who didn’t even have their hair examined is a stretch, to put it mildly.

One study. Twenty people. Zero hair measurements. That’s the entire foundation of this fear.

How DHT and Hair Loss Actually Work

To evaluate whether creatine could affect your hair, you need to understand how hair loss actually happens. It’s not as simple as “more DHT equals less hair.”

Your body converts testosterone into DHT through an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. DHT then binds to androgen receptors in your hair follicles.

In people who are genetically susceptible, this binding triggers a process called follicle miniaturization.

In practice, this means DHT shortens the anagen (growth) phase of your hair cycle. Your hair normally cycles through three phases: anagen (growth, 2-7 years), catagen (transition, 2-3 weeks), and telogen (rest and shedding, 3 months).

‘When DHT attacks susceptible follicles, it shrinks the anagen phase. Each time a hair falls out and regrows, it comes back a little thinner and shorter. Eventually, the follicle miniaturizes so much that the hair can’t even break through the skin.

This is androgenetic alopecia, and it follows predictable patterns (the Hamilton-Norwood scale in men, the Ludwig scale in women).’When DHT attacks susceptible follicles, it shrinks the anagen phase.

Each time a hair falls out and regrows, it comes back a little thinner and shorter. Eventually, the follicle miniaturizes so much that the hair can’t even break through the skin. T

But three things must align for this to happen:

• Elevated local DHT at the scalp (not just in your blood)
• High androgen receptor density in the balding areas of your scalp
• Genetic coding that makes your specific follicles vulnerable to DHT

This is why some men can have high testosterone and a full head of hair, while others with lower testosterone go bald in their twenties. It’s about your follicles’ sensitivity, not just your hormone levels.

The critical gap in the creatine argument: the 2009 study measured DHT in blood, not at the scalp. Serum DHT levels and scalp DHT activity are not the same thing.

About 50% of men over 50 develop androgenetic alopecia regardless of whether they’ve ever touched creatine.

What Does the Full Body of Evidence Say?

One number puts the 2009 study in context: 12 studies have examined creatine’s effect on testosterone and related hormones.

Only 2 found any increase, and both used short-duration loading protocols (6-7 days). The other 10, ranging from 6 days to 12 weeks, found no significant hormonal changes.

A 2021 systematic review by Forbes and colleagues specifically addressed the creatine-DHT question. Their conclusion: the evidence does not support the claim that creatine increases testosterone or DHT levels at standard doses.

Then came the 2025 study that changed the conversation entirely.

Published the first randomized controlled trial to directly measure hair follicle health in creatine users. The study enrolled 45 resistance-trained males (ages 18-40) who took either 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day or a placebo for 12 weeks.

Researchers measured total testosterone, free testosterone, and DHT. They also used Trichogram testing and FotoFinder imaging to track hair density, follicular unit count, and cumulative hair thickness.

The results: no significant differences between the creatine and placebo groups on any hormone or hair parameter. None.

Study	Year	Subjects	DHT/Testosterone Result	Hair Measured?
van der Merwe et al.	2009	20 rugby players	DHT +56% (within normal range)	No
Forbes et al. (systematic review)	2021	12 studies reviewed	10 of 12 showed no effect	No
Forbes et al. (RCT)	2025	38 completers	No DHT change, no testosterone change	Yes, no effect

We should be fair about the 2025 study’s limitations too. The American Hair Loss Association noted that the study excluded people with diagnosed hair loss disorders, didn’t measure DHT at the scalp level, and that several authors have financial ties to the supplement industry through the ISSN. These are valid critiques.

But the overall picture is clear. One small, unreplicated study found a within-range DHT increase. Everything else, including the only study to actually look at hair, found nothing.

Who Might Actually Be at Risk?

If your dad and grandfather are bald, you’re probably not reassured by “most people are fine.” That’s fair.

If you carry the genes for androgenetic alopecia, your follicles are more sensitive to DHT. Even small hormonal shifts could theoretically accelerate thinning.

The problem is that no study has specifically tested creatine in genetically predisposed individuals. The 2025 RCT excluded people with hair loss disorders, so we genuinely don’t know.

What we do know is that other factors play a much bigger role in hair loss than any supplement:

• Genetics is the primary driver (androgenetic alopecia is hereditary)
• Aging naturally increases hair loss risk
• Stress can trigger telogen effluvium (temporary shedding)
• Poor nutrition, especially protein and iron deficiency
• Medications like blood thinners, antidepressants, and beta-blockers
• Medical conditions including thyroid disorders

There’s also a timing problem with the creatine blame game. Most men start supplementing creatine in their 20s and 30s. This is exactly when androgenetic alopecia typically begins showing up.

About 25% of men with male pattern baldness start losing hair before age 21, and by age 35, roughly 66% show some degree of thinning.

The overlap creates a false connection. You start creatine, you notice hair thinning that was going to happen anyway, and you blame the supplement.

Normal hair shedding is 50-100 strands per day. When you’re primed to watch for hair loss (because you just Googled “does creatine cause hair loss”), you suddenly notice every strand on your pillow. Confirmation bias is powerful.

If you’re genetically predisposed and still want to be cautious, consult a dermatologist before starting.

Consider getting a baseline hair assessment so you have objective data to compare against, rather than relying on what you think you see in the mirror.

Should You Stop Taking Creatine?

Here’s a simple framework based on your risk profile:

No family history of pattern baldness: Take creatine confidently at 3-5 grams per day. The evidence overwhelmingly shows no risk to your hair.

Family history present, no current hair loss: The theoretical risk is unproven but not impossible. The performance benefits of creatine (proven across hundreds of studies) likely outweigh this theoretical concern. Consider monitoring your hairline with photos every few months.

Currently experiencing hair loss: Get a proper diagnosis from a dermatologist first. Your hair loss is almost certainly genetic, not creatine-related. Stopping creatine won’t reverse androgenetic alopecia.

Losing hair, taking creatine, and anxious about it: Stopping creatine for 3 months is a harmless way to test the connection. But manage your expectations. If your hair loss is genetic (which it most likely is), nothing will change.

One practical note: if the DHT concern worries you, skip the loading phase entirely. The only DHT signal ever detected came from a 25g/day loading protocol. Standard 3-5g/day dosing has shown no hormonal effect in any study. You can reach full muscle creatine saturation at 3-5g/day; it just takes 3-4 weeks instead of one.

The benefits of creatine are not theoretical. Improved strength, power output, and recovery are backed by hundreds of studies and endorsed by organizations like the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Creatine and Hair Loss: Evidence at a Glance

Claim	Evidence	Verdict
Creatine increases DHT	1 study (n=20) showed increase within normal range; 12+ studies show no testosterone effect	Weak
DHT increase causes hair loss	Only in genetically predisposed individuals with follicle sensitivity	Conditional
Creatine directly damages hair	The only study measuring hair (2025 RCT, n=38) found zero impact	Not supported
Creatine is safe long-term	Hundreds of studies, 3-5g/day recommended, endorsed by ISSN	Strong

For most people, creatine remains one of the safest and most effective supplements available. The hair loss concern is understandable, but the evidence tells a clear story: no study has ever shown creatine causes hair loss, and the only study that actually checked found nothing.

FAQ

Does creatine cause baldness?

No proven link exists. The only study to directly measure hair follicle health during creatine supplementation (a 2025 RCT with 38 participants) found zero effect on hair density, thickness, or follicular unit count.

One 2009 study found a DHT increase within normal ranges, but it never measured hair. Genetically predisposed individuals haven’t been specifically studied.

Does creatine increase DHT?

One study showed a temporary increase during a high-dose loading phase (25g/day for 7 days). Twelve subsequent studies examining creatine and testosterone found no significant hormonal changes at standard doses of 3-5g/day.

The 2025 RCT found no difference in DHT between creatine and placebo groups over 12 weeks.

Is creatine safe to take every day?

Yes, at 3-5 grams per day. Creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied sports supplements, with no proven long-term adverse effects in healthy individuals.

Use third-party tested brands (NSF or Informed Choice certified). Avoid creatine if you have chronic kidney disease.

Will my hair grow back if I stop creatine?

If your hair loss is caused by androgenetic alopecia (genetic pattern baldness), stopping creatine will not reverse it.

That type of hair loss is driven by genetics and DHT sensitivity at the follicle level, not by a supplement. If creatine were somehow contributing (which remains unproven), any effects would theoretically resolve after stopping.

Should I skip the creatine loading phase?

If hair loss concerns you, yes. The only DHT signal ever detected came from a 25g/day loading protocol in the 2009 study.

You can reach full muscle creatine saturation with a standard dose of 3-5g/day. It takes about 3-4 weeks instead of one week, but the end result is the same.