Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss? What the Studies Show

Creatine does not appear to cause hair loss. One small 2009 study found that DHT, a hormone linked to male pattern baldness, rose in rugby players taking creatine, but that study never measured hair, and a 12-week randomized trial published in 2025 found no change in DHT or in hair density, thickness or follicle counts compared with placebo.

So, does creatine cause hair loss? Based on the only trial that looked at hair directly, no. The worry is real in gyms, though, and it comes from a single lab result. This guide explains where the idea started, what each study measured, what is still unproven and what to do if your hair is thinning while you train.

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied sports supplements. People take it to support strength and muscle during resistance training. The question of hair loss keeps coming back in forums and gym chat, because a hormone result from 2009 was passed around without its context.

Where Did the Creatine and Hair Loss Idea Come From?

The idea comes from one 2009 study by van der Merwe, Brooks and Myburgh in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. It followed 20 college-aged rugby players for three weeks in a double-blind design: a loading phase of one week, then a lower maintenance phase of two weeks. The researchers measured hormones in the blood, not hair.

The results made headlines in training circles:

• DHT rose: about 56% above baseline after the loading week and about 40% above baseline at the end of the three weeks.
• The DHT to testosterone ratio rose: by roughly 36% after loading and 22% after maintenance.
• Testosterone did not change: the total testosterone level stayed the same.
• Hair was not measured: the study reports no hair counts, no photos and no shedding data.

DHT, short for dihydrotestosterone, is the androgen that shrinks susceptible hair follicles in male pattern baldness. Our guide to DHT and hair loss explains that process step by step. Because creatine raised DHT in that study, many people concluded that creatine must cause baldness. That is a leap: a hormone moving in a blood test is not the same as follicles shrinking on the scalp.

What Did the Later Studies Find?

Later work did not support the leap. A 2021 review by Antonio and colleagues in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition went through the common creatine myths, including hair loss. It noted that the 2009 finding had not been replicated, that DHT values stayed within the normal clinical range, and that no human study reports creatine causing hair loss.

The strongest evidence so far is a randomized controlled trial by Lak and colleagues, published in 2025 in the same journal. It was the first study to look at hair follicle health directly after creatine. Here is how the key studies compare:

In the 2025 trial, men were randomly assigned to creatine monohydrate or a placebo (maltodextrin) for 12 weeks and kept their usual diet and training. Blood samples were taken at the start and the end. Hair health was checked with a trichogram, a test that examines hairs pulled from the scalp, and with the FotoFinder system, which measures hair density, follicular unit count and cumulative hair thickness.

The authors found no group-by-time differences for any hormone or hair measure. DHT, the DHT to testosterone ratio and every hair parameter looked the same in the creatine group and the placebo group. Their conclusion was that the study provides strong evidence against the claim that creatine contributes to hair loss.

Why Did DHT Rise in 2009 but Not in 2025?

The studies do not explain why they disagree, and we are not aware of a published answer, so the reason is unknown. What the 2021 review does say is that the hormone values in the 2009 study stayed inside the normal clinical range even where they moved. That is a reason to be careful about reading the 2009 result as a warning sign for your hair.

A change in a blood hormone is only a clue. Hair loss is judged by looking at the hair: density, thickness and the number of follicles. The 2025 trial did that, and found no difference. The 2009 study did not.

What Is Still Not Proven About Creatine and Hair?

Even the best trial leaves gaps, and it is fair to name them. The research does not show that creatine is harmless for every person, and it does not prove it never matters for anyone. These are the open questions:

• Women and older adults: the 2025 trial studied healthy young men aged 18 to 40, so it says nothing direct about women or older people.
• Longer use: the trial lasted 12 weeks. Pattern baldness develops over years, and no study has followed hair for that long on creatine.
• Family history: the trial did not measure whether participants had a family history of hair loss, a factor doctors ask about when assessing male pattern baldness.
• People who already have hair loss: the participants were healthy volunteers, not men who were already thinning.
• Industry ties: some authors disclosed ties to the supplement industry. That does not make the result wrong, but it is worth knowing.

Because of these limits, the honest summary is that the evidence points away from a hair loss effect, while longer studies in people with a family history of baldness do not exist yet.

Does Creatine Affect Hair Loss Medicines Like Finasteride and Minoxidil?

We found no study that tested creatine in people taking finasteride or minoxidil, so the answer is unknown. Nothing in the studies above suggests a clash, but absence of data is not the same as a safety check.

What can be said is how those medicines work. The US prescribing label for Propecia describes finasteride as a 5α-reductase inhibitor for male pattern hair loss in men, and states that it decreases scalp and serum DHT concentrations. It also states that daily use for three months or more is generally needed before any benefit is observed. Our finasteride guide covers benefits and side effects, and our minoxidil guide covers the topical and oral options.

If you take either medicine and want to add creatine, or the other way round, tell your doctor or pharmacist. They know your health history and the rest of your medicines. Do not stop a prescribed treatment because of something you read online.

What Else Could Explain Hair Thinning at the Gym?

If your hair is thinning while you lift, creatine is rarely the first thing to suspect. Three other explanations come up far more often:

• Male pattern baldness: a genetic sensitivity of the follicles to DHT, usually starting at the temples or the crown. It can start in early adulthood, the same years many people start training. See our male pattern baldness guide.
• A shedding episode: hair can shed heavily a few months after a trigger such as illness, a strict diet, rapid weight change or heavy stress. Our telogen effluvium guide explains this type of shedding.
• Coincidence in timing: people often start creatine at an age when pattern baldness can begin anyway, so the two events can look linked when the studies above found no link.

Anabolic steroids and some other performance products are a separate matter. They are androgens or act like them, and none of the creatine studies above covers them. If you use any of these, tell your doctor.

What Should You Do If Your Hair Is Thinning?

Stopping creatine is a reasonable step if it makes you feel better, but it is unlikely to change the course of pattern baldness, because the trial found no link. A short checklist is more useful than guessing:

• Take dated photos: the same light, the same angle, the crown and the hairline, once a month.
• Check your family history: hair loss in your father, mother or grandparents makes a genetic cause more likely.
• Look at recent changes: a strict diet, illness, a new medicine or stress in the last six months can explain sudden shedding.
• See a doctor or dermatologist: ask about blood tests and a scalp exam before starting any treatment.
• Ask about supplements: bring the list of everything you take, so the doctor can review it.

When the pattern is clearly genetic and keeps progressing, a medical review of treatment options, including a transplant, can be the next step. A transplant moves your own hair follicles from the back of the scalp to thinning areas. Turkey Hair Center is a Ministry of Health authorized health-tourism intermediary, and its own team carries out procedures at contracted hospitals in Istanbul. The medical team looks at your photos first and tells you honestly whether you are a candidate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to Know Why Your Hair Is Thinning?

If your hair is thinning and you want a clear answer, send clear photos of your hairline, crown and donor area for a free hair analysis. The medical team will explain what they see, whether the pattern looks like male pattern baldness, and what your options are.

Medical disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Individual results and recovery vary from person to person. Always follow the written aftercare plan from your own medical team.