Creatine and Hair Loss? The Evidence Reviewed | roots²

Dr Heng Jiacheng
2 days ago
5 min read

Written by Dr Heng Jiacheng, MBBS, Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine (AAAM)Associate Member, ISHRS · Member, AAHRS. Insights from a Singapore-based hair-loss physician

Creatine is one of the most widely used supplements for strength, exercise performance, and muscle development. For years, I was telling patients with hair loss to avoid it. But the evidence has shifted and I've had to update my position.

Here is what the research actually shows, including the first controlled trial to directly measure hair parameters during creatine supplementation, published in 2025.

Full disclosure

I used to tell my patients with hair loss to avoid creatine. Based on the current evidence, I have stopped doing so. What changed my mind was not one study but the arrival of direct hair data, something the earlier research simply did not have.

Why creatine was linked to hair loss in the first place

The connection comes from the relationship between testosterone, DHT, and androgenetic alopecia.

DHT - dihydrotestosterone, is produced when the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts testosterone into a more potent androgen. In genetically susceptible scalp follicles, DHT binds to androgen receptors and gradually shortens the hair-growth phase. Over time, affected follicles produce progressively finer and shorter hairs, a process known as follicular miniaturisation.

Because DHT plays a central role in androgenetic alopecia, any supplement reported to raise DHT levels will naturally generate concern. That is how creatine ended up in this conversation.

What did the 2009 study actually find?

The study that started the concern

Twenty college-aged male rugby players supplemented with 25g of creatine daily for seven days (loading phase), followed by 5g daily for a further 14 days (maintenance phase).

What they found: DHT increased by 56% after the loading phase and remained 40% above baseline after the maintenance phase. The DHT-to-testosterone ratio increased by 36% after loading. Total testosterone did not change significantly.

What they did not measure: Hair density, hair count, hair-shaft thickness, hair shedding, follicular miniaturisation, or any clinical progression of androgenetic alopecia.

The study showed a short-term hormonal change in a small group. It did not demonstrate that creatine caused any hair loss. The original finding was biologically interesting, but it was not sufficient to establish a causal relationship between creatine and baldness.

What did the 2025 study find?

This matters because it was the first controlled study to evaluate actual hair and follicular measurements rather than relying solely on hormone levels as a proxy.

The LATEST study worth knowing about:

Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss? A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial. - Lak et al., 2025

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Thirty-eight resistance-trained males aged 18–40 received either creatine monohydrate at 5g per day or placebo for 12 weeks. Critically, there was no high-dose loading phase.

What they measured:

Total testosterone, free testosterone, DHT, and DHT-to-testosterone ratio
Hair density and follicular unit count
Cumulative hair thickness
Terminal-to-vellus hair ratio
Anagen and telogen hair proportions (via Trichogram and FotoFinder system)

Results: No significant differences between creatine and placebo in DHT, the DHT-to-testosterone ratio, or any measured hair parameter.

Lak M, Forbes SC, Ashtary-Larky D, et al. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2025.

Comparing the two studies

Factor	2009 Study	2025 Study
Sample size	20 participants	38 participants
Study design	Uncontrolled	Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled
Creatine dose	25g loading / 5g maintenance	5g daily, no loading phase
Duration	21 days	12 weeks
DHT measured	Yes — increased	Yes — no significant change
Hair parameters measured	No	Yes — no significant change

Does the 2025 study prove creatine can never affect hair?

No single study can prove that an effect will never occur. The 2025 trial provides reassuring evidence, but it has real limitations worth acknowledging.

Study limitations

12 weeks is a relatively short window for assessing hair loss progression
The sample included only resistance-trained men, findings may not apply to all populations
The sample size remained relatively small
Subtle long-term changes developing over several years may not have been detected

So does creatine increase DHT?

The evidence is inconsistent. The 2009 rugby-player study found an increase in DHT following a high-dose loading phase. The 2025 randomised trial found no significant change at 5g daily over 12 weeks without a loading phase.

Based on current evidence, it would be inaccurate to state that creatine reliably raises DHT in everyone who takes it.

Can creatine accelerate genetic hair loss?

This is the question that matters most for people with androgenetic alopecia. It remains theoretically possible but unproven. People with genetically susceptible follicles are sensitive to DHT - so if creatine did produce a meaningful and sustained rise in DHT, it could theoretically accelerate follicular miniaturisation. However, current studies have not demonstrated that standard-dose creatine produces this effect in practice.

My clinical view, where I've landed on creatine and hair loss

For years I advised patients with hair loss to avoid creatine. I based that on the 2009 study, which, despite its limitations, was the only data we had. That was a reasonable position at the time.

The 2025 randomised trial changed things. Not because it eliminates every possible theoretical risk, but because it is the first study to directly look at what we actually care about: the hair itself. At 5g daily for 12 weeks, creatine did not significantly alter DHT or any of the measured markers of hair growth and follicular health. That is meaningful.

My current position: for most healthy adults using creatine at a standard dose, there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend stopping it solely because of hair loss concerns. If you have a strong family history of early-onset androgenetic alopecia or are already seeing rapid progression, a more cautious approach is reasonable. That is a personal decision, not one I would impose.

That said, my honest view is this: if you are taking creatine primarily to hit protein targets, whole food protein sources achieve the same goal without any of the theoretical concerns and at a fraction of the cost. For most people, that trade-off is worth thinking about.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your medication or treatment plan.