Does creatine cause hair loss, by the evidence
The hair-loss claim rests on one 2009 study that measured DHT, not hair, and has never been replicated in 15+ years. What the trials show, the mechanism, and who is actually at risk.
What people ask us next.
- Does creatine actually cause hair loss?
- There is no direct evidence that it does. No trial has ever measured hair loss as an outcome of creatine. The claim traces to a single 2009 study (Van der Merwe, n=20) that measured a ~56% rise in DHT, a hormone, not hair, with values staying in the normal range. That DHT rise has never been replicated in 15+ years, and a 2025 review found no controlled evidence creatine causes or accelerates hair loss.
- Where did the creatine hair-loss claim come from?
- From one study: Van der Merwe et al. 2009, in 20 college rugby players, who showed a ~56% increase in dihydrotestosterone (DHT) after a 21-day creatine protocol. DHT is involved in male-pattern baldness, so the internet extrapolated 'creatine raises DHT' to 'creatine causes baldness.' But the study measured a hormone, not hair, the DHT stayed within normal limits, and the finding was never reproduced.
- Does creatine raise DHT or testosterone?
- The 2009 study reported a within-range DHT rise in 20 men, but it has not been replicated, and other creatine trials measuring androgens found no significant change in testosterone or DHT (Kreider et al. 2017). A single non-replicated hormonal finding is weak evidence; the weight of the literature does not show that creatine reliably alters androgen levels.
- Should I avoid creatine if I am prone to male-pattern baldness?
- The evidence does not support avoiding it. Androgenetic alopecia is driven by inherited follicle sensitivity to DHT, not by the small, unreplicated, within-range DHT change seen once in 2009, and no trial has measured creatine affecting hair. If you want to be conservative, track shedding after starting rather than skip it, and see a dermatologist for pattern hair loss, which has far more effective treatments than supplement avoidance.
- Is creatine safe to take long term?
- Yes for healthy adults. Across more than 1,000 studies and trials beyond 4 years, creatine monohydrate at 3-5 g/day shows no adverse renal, hepatic, or cardiovascular effects in healthy people (Kreider et al. 2017, ISSN position stand). The one reproducible effect is 1-2 kg of intracellular water in the first weeks. Pre-existing kidney disease warrants medical supervision. See our creatine side effects breakdown for the full profile.
- What is the right dose of creatine if I take it?
- 3-5 g/day of creatine monohydrate, every day, no loading required. Loading (20 g/day for 5-7 days) only speeds saturation and causes more GI upset. Plain monohydrate beats the pricier HCl or buffered forms on cost with no loss of effect; our creatine $/g ranking covers the cheapest tested product.
Every claim, cited.
- [01]Van der Merwe J, Brooks NE, Myburgh KH. 2009. Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clin J Sport Med 19(5):399-404. The sole primary source: ~56% DHT rise in n=20, measured hormone not hair, never replicated.
- [02]Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. 2017. ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14:18. No adverse effects at 3-5 g/day; androgen changes not consistently observed.
- [03]Antonio J, Candow DG, Forbes SC, et al. 2021. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr 18(1):13 (creatine and hair loss section). Reviewed evidence finds no controlled data that creatine causes or accelerates hair loss.
- [04]Branch JD. 2003. Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 13(2):198-226. Performance and lean-mass benefits foregone by avoiding creatine.
The Larderlab Team builds evidence-led frameworks for eating, lifting, and stocking a kitchen. We cite every claim. We publish the spreadsheet when possible. We buy what we review at retail price. When new data lands, we revise with a dated note.
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