Does creatine cause hair loss?

Where does the creatine hair-loss claim come from?

From one small study. In 2009, van der Merwe and colleagues, publishing in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, gave 20 South African college rugby players creatine: a 7-day load followed by 5 g a day. Their dihydrotestosterone (DHT) rose 56% after the loading week and stayed about 40% above baseline after 14 days of maintenance. DHT is the androgen involved in male-pattern hair loss in genetically susceptible people.

The study did not measure hair, hair density or hair loss, and its DHT finding has not been replicated since.

What does newer research show?

Lak and colleagues (2025) ran a 12-week randomised controlled trial in resistance-trained men taking 5 g of creatine a day. Compared with placebo there were no differences in DHT, the DHT-to-testosterone ratio, hair density or the anagen-to-telogen ratio (the proportion of hairs growing versus resting). That is a direct test of the hair question, using hair outcomes, and it found nothing.

What is the fair conclusion?

Evidence level: weak and inconclusive for harm; reassuring on balance. There is a theoretical pathway (a DHT change) from one small study, and a better-designed trial that found no hair effect. That is not proof of absence for every person, but there is no solid basis to say creatine causes hair loss. Sports-nutrition reviews of creatine myths, including the ISSN position stand, treat the claim as unproven.

Should you avoid creatine if baldness runs in your family?

You do not need to. Male-pattern hair loss is mostly genetic and age-related, and it often becomes visible in the same age range that people start gym supplements, which makes the two easy to confuse. If you notice faster thinning after starting any supplement:

• Stop for a month and see whether anything changes.
• Check for other causes: low iron or ferritin, thyroid problems, crash dieting, stress, or other supplements (some "testosterone" or "prohormone" products are the real concern).
• See a GP or dermatologist for diagnosis rather than guessing.

Is creatine a banned or hormonal substance?

No. Creatine is an amino-acid-derived compound found in meat and fish and made by your body. It is not a steroid or hormone and it is not on the WADA Prohibited List. For drug-tested athletes the real hazard is contamination, so choose a batch-tested product; see what third-party tested means.

What dose is safe to use?

The ISSN maintenance dose is 3-5 g a day, with no evidence of harm in healthy people up to 30 g a day for up to five years. See how much creatine per day and the best creatine in South Africa. For other fears, read creatine and kidneys.

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