Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss? What the Research Shows

There's no good evidence that creatine causes hair loss. The worry traces back to a single 2009 study that found a rise in a hormone linked to balding, but it never looked at anyone's hair. When a 2025 trial finally measured hair directly, men taking creatine for 12 weeks lost no more hair than men taking a placebo, and their hormone levels didn't differ either.

That's not quite the same as proof it's impossible, and the reasons are below. But if you've been avoiding creatine because of your hairline, the research doesn't back up the fear.

Where the hair loss worry came from

Male pattern baldness is driven largely by DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a hormone made from testosterone. In people who are genetically prone to it, DHT gradually shrinks hair follicles on the top of the head. That's why the hair-loss drug finasteride works by blocking DHT production.

In 2009, researchers in South Africa gave 20 college rugby players creatine or a placebo for three weeks: a week of loading at a high dose, then two weeks at a lower maintenance dose (van der Merwe et al., 2009). Their DHT rose about 56% after the loading week and stayed about 40% above where it started during maintenance. Testosterone didn't change.

That headline spread quickly. But the study had real limits:

It never measured hair. No scalp photos, hair counts or shedding reports.
The DHT levels stayed within the normal range for young men.
It was small and short: 20 men for three weeks.
It used a heavy loading dose, well above the 3–5 g most people take.
No one repeated it. In the years since, no other study found the same DHT rise.

A single small study that raised a question is a reason to look closer, not a reason to conclude creatine causes baldness.

The 2025 trial that measured hair directly

In 2025, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial finally tested the question properly (JISSN, 2025, summarized here). 45 resistance-trained men aged 18 to 40 took 5 g of creatine monohydrate a day, or a placebo, for 12 weeks.

The researchers measured DHT and testosterone, and assessed hair with clinical scalp imaging: hair count, density, thickness, follicle health and the proportion of hairs in the growth phase.

Measure	Creatine vs placebo after 12 weeks
DHT	No difference
Total and free testosterone	Same small changes in both groups
Hair density and count	No significant change
Hair thickness and follicle health	No significant change
Proportion of hairs in growth phase	No significant change

That's the best evidence we have, and it points one way.

What we still don't know

Being honest about the gaps:

Question	What the evidence says
Does creatine cause hair loss in men?	Not in the one trial that measured hair
What about long-term use?	Not studied beyond 12 weeks for hair
Men with a family history of baldness?	Not specifically studied
Women?	Not studied for hair at all
Does loading make a difference?	The only DHT rise came during a loading phase

So our grade for "creatine causes hair loss" is no evidence it does, with the evidence itself rated Early: one good trial, in men, over three months. See how we grade evidence.

If you're worried about your hair

Hair loss in men is mostly genetic and often starts in the twenties and thirties, which is also when a lot of people start training and taking supplements. It's easy to connect the two even when one didn't cause the other.

If you want to be cautious anyway:

Skip the loading phase. The only study that found a DHT rise used a high loading dose. Taking 3–5 g a day from the start gets your muscles to the same place in three to four weeks. Our creatine calculator works out a plan without loading.
Stick to 3–5 g a day. That's the dose in the 2025 trial, and the dose with the most safety data.
Take photos. Same light, same angle, every couple of months. It's the only way to know whether anything is changing, creatine or not.
See a doctor or dermatologist if you notice thinning. Treatments work best when started early, and they work whether or not you take creatine.

The bottom line

The creatine and hair loss link rests on one small study from 2009 that measured a hormone, not hair. The one trial that measured hair found no effect. If you're deciding whether to take creatine, the evidence on hair shouldn't be what stops you.

For everything else about creatine's safety, from kidneys to cramps, see is creatine safe?. For all the common claims at a glance, see creatine and magnesium myths.

Questions people ask

Does creatine cause hair loss?

There's no good evidence it does. The only trial that measured hair directly found no difference between creatine and placebo after 12 weeks.

Does creatine increase DHT?

One small 2009 study found DHT rose during a high-dose loading phase. A larger 2025 trial at 5 g a day found no difference in DHT from placebo.

Should I avoid creatine if baldness runs in my family?

The research hasn't specifically studied this group. If you're cautious, skip the loading phase, stick to 3 to 5 g a day, and take regular photos of your hairline.

Written by Tom D

Tom has trained in the gym for years and has taken 5 g of creatine every day for about a decade, with magnesium on and off for most of the year. Reading the research behind supplements started as a hobby; this site is where he writes it up. He isn't a doctor or dietitian, so every claim links to the study behind it.

Sources

We link to the original study wherever we can. Read how we grade evidence and choose products.