Creatine is one of the most researched and widely used sports supplements in the world. From professional athletes to everyday gym-goers, millions of people use creatine supplements to improve strength, power, and muscle recovery.
Yet one persistent question refuses to disappear:
Does creatine cause hair loss?
Or more specifically:
Does creatine increase DHT and accelerate baldness?
In this in-depth article, we separate science from myth, explain where the fear comes from, analyze the famous 2009 study, and clarify what creatine really does (and does not do) to your hair and hair follicles.
The idea that creatine might cause hair loss didn’t come from nowhere. It originated from a small number of observations that were later amplified online.
The concern usually follows this logic:
Creatine may increase DHT
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is linked to male pattern baldness
Therefore, creatine must cause hair loss
At first glance, this sounds reasonable—but biology is rarely that simple.
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in:
Red meat
Fish
The human body (produced by the liver, kidneys, and pancreas)
Its role is to:
Recycle ATP (cellular energy)
Improve short-burst strength
Support muscle recovery
Creatine does not directly act on hair, hormones, or the scalp. Any potential link to hair loss would have to be indirect.
To understand the debate, we must first understand dihydrotestosterone DHT.
DHT is:
A byproduct of testosterone
Created by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase
The main hormonal driver of male pattern baldness
In genetically susceptible individuals:
DHT binds to receptors in hair follicles
Follicles gradually shrink (miniaturization)
Hair becomes thinner, shorter, and eventually stops growing
So the real question becomes:
Does creatine meaningfully raise DHT levels in a way that affects hair follicles?
Nearly all claims about creatine and hair loss trace back to one single study: the 2009 study conducted on rugby players.
What the Study Found
Participants: Male rugby players
Duration: 3 weeks
Result: DHT levels increased by ~40–56% after creatine loading
Testosterone levels did not increase significantly
This finding sparked global concern.
But here’s what is often ignored.
The 2009 study has several major limitations:
Very small sample size
Short duration (only weeks, not long term)
No measurement of actual hair loss
No scalp or follicle analysis
No follow-up
In short:
The study measured hormones
It did not measure hair loss
This distinction is crucial.
No.
Since 2009:
Multiple studies on the effects of creatine
Long-term safety analyses
Meta-analyses involving athletes and non-athletes
👉 None have confirmed a consistent increase in DHT, and none have shown a direct link between creatine use and hair loss.
If creatine truly caused baldness, it would be one of the most obvious side effects in sports medicine—and it simply isn’t.
Here is the most accurate answer science can give today:
Creatine may cause a temporary hormonal fluctuation in some individuals
This fluctuation is not consistently reproducible
It is not proven to be long term
It does not automatically translate to hair loss
Hormones naturally fluctuate due to:
Training intensity
Sleep
Diet
Stress
Creatine is just one variable among many.
This point cannot be overstated.
Hair loss depends on:
Genetic sensitivity of hair follicles
Presence of DHT receptors
Individual enzyme activity
If creatine alone caused hair loss:
Everyone taking it would lose hair
This simply does not happen
Millions of users take creatine without experiencing any change in hair density.
The phrase “creatine cause hair” spreads online because:
Hair loss is emotional
People look for a single cause
Supplements are easy to blame
But correlation is not causation.
Many people start creatine:
At the same age hair loss naturally begins
During periods of intense training and stress
This timing creates a false association.
Let’s compare creatine with real, proven hair loss triggers:
|
Factor |
Proven to Cause Hair Loss? |
|---|---|
|
Genetics |
Yes |
|
DHT sensitivity |
Yes |
|
Age |
Yes |
|
Chronic stress |
Yes |
|
Nutrient deficiencies |
Yes |
|
Creatine supplements |
❌ Not proven |
Creatine simply does not belong in the same category.
Another common fear is long term use.
What we know:
Long-term creatine use has been studied for decades
No clinical evidence links it to progressive hair loss
No increase in baldness prevalence among athletes
If creatine caused cumulative damage to hair follicles, it would be obvious by now.
Athletes are often cited as “proof” that creatine causes baldness.
But consider:
Athletes often have family histories of baldness
High training stress elevates cortisol
Some use anabolic substances (which do affect hair)
Blaming creatine ignores these much stronger variables.
For most people, yes—it’s still a good idea if:
You tolerate it well
You have no underlying scalp conditions
You monitor your health responsibly
If you are genetically prone to hair loss:
Creatine will not override your genetics
Avoiding creatine will not “save” your hair
Hair loss progression will follow its genetic course regardless.
Current evidence says:
❌ No proven acceleration
❌ No proven follicle damage
❌ No proven irreversible effect
At most, some individuals may experience temporary shedding due to unrelated factors (training stress, diet changes), which is often mistaken for permanent hair loss.
One overlooked fact:
Hair follicles operate on months-long cycles
A supplement taken for weeks cannot suddenly kill follicles
Real androgenetic hair loss takes years—not days or weeks.
If hair loss progresses (with or without creatine), modern solutions exist:
Medical management
Lifestyle optimization
Surgical options
Many patients eventually explore solutions like Hair Transplant Antalya, where advanced techniques focus on natural, permanent restoration rather than chasing myths.
A professional evaluation at a Hair Transplant Center in Antalya often reveals that supplements were never the real cause.
If you’re concerned:
Take baseline photos of your hairline
Monitor changes over 6–12 months
Focus on sleep, nutrition, and stress control
Don’t stop effective training supplements based on fear alone
Hair loss anxiety often causes more stress than creatine ever could.
Let’s be absolutely clear:
Creatine supplements are not proven to cause hair loss
The 2009 study does not demonstrate real-world baldness
DHT fluctuations ≠ follicle destruction
Genetics remain the dominant factor
Millions use creatine without hair issues
The Bottom Line
Creatine does not cause hair loss.
If hair loss occurs, it was already genetically programmed.
DHT causes hair loss—not creatine
Creatine may slightly affect hormones short-term in some people
No evidence supports long-term hair damage
Avoiding creatine will not prevent genetic baldness
Science strongly outweighs internet myths
Creatine is one of the safest and most studied supplements available. Fear-based claims about hair loss persist because hair loss is emotional—not because the science supports them.
If you value performance, health, and evidence-based decisions, creatine remains a safe choice for the vast majority of people.
