Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss? What the Research Actually Shows

By Roy Anderson, Founder of GUMO · Reviewed by Koji Wang, Physiotherapist · Last updated 23 October 2026

No, there's no good evidence that creatine causes hair loss. The worry traces back to a single small study from 2009 that measured a hormone linked to balding, but never measured anyone's hair. In 2025, a randomised controlled trial finally tested hair directly and found creatine had no effect on hair density, thickness or the hormones involved.

It's one of the most persistent creatine myths, and I understand why it sticks. Hair loss is a real fear, and "might make you go bald" spreads faster than "a follow-up study found nothing". So here's exactly where the myth came from, what the newer research shows, and what actually causes hair loss.

Does creatine cause hair loss?

The best current evidence says no. A 2021 review of creatine myths by 11 leading researchers concluded that the research doesn't show creatine increasing testosterone or DHT, or causing hair loss. A 2025 trial then tested hair directly for the first time and found no effect.

For what it's worth, I've taken creatine every day for over three years and haven't noticed any hair loss or thinning. One person's experience isn't evidence, but it lines up with what the research shows.

Where did the creatine hair loss myth come from?

It started with a 2009 study by van der Merwe and colleagues in college-aged rugby players in South Africa. The players took 25g of creatine a day for a week (a loading phase), then 5g a day for two weeks.

After the loading week, levels of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) in the creatine group were 56% higher than at the start, and they were still 40% higher after the two lower-dose weeks. Because DHT is linked to male pattern baldness, the internet made a leap: creatine raises DHT, so creatine must cause hair loss.

But the study had real limits:

• It was small, with just 20 participants.
• It only lasted three weeks.
• It started with a 25g-a-day loading week, five times the 3 to 5g most people take.
• It measured hormone levels, not hair. No one's hair was counted, measured or photographed.
• No study since has repeated the result.

What does the latest research show?

The newer evidence points firmly away from hair loss. In 2025, researchers led by Lak published a 12-week randomised controlled trial designed specifically to answer this question. Resistance-trained men aged 18 to 40 took either 5g of creatine monohydrate a day or a placebo, and 38 of them finished the trial.

The trial found no significant changes in DHT, total or free testosterone, or any hair growth measure, including hair density, follicle count and hair thickness. The authors called it "strong evidence against the claim that creatine contributes to hair loss". It was a small trial in men only, and the researchers didn't record family history of baldness, so it isn't the final word. But it's the first direct evidence that creatine doesn't harm hair growth.

The hormone research backs this up. Examine counts 12 trials that tested creatine's effect on testosterone, the hormone DHT is made from. Ten found no effect. The two that did were very short, lasting just six and seven days. And the five that measured free testosterone, the form that actually gets converted into DHT, found no significant increase.

"In my experience, very few patients ask whether creatine causes hair loss. Most people I see already understand it's a myth."

Koji Wang, Physiotherapist, Balwyn Physio

What is DHT, and how does it affect hair?

DHT is a hormone your body makes from testosterone. In people who are genetically sensitive to it, DHT binds to hair follicles on the scalp and gradually shrinks them, so the hair they produce gets finer and shorter until it stops growing. That's the process behind male and female pattern hair loss.

The key words are "genetically sensitive". Plenty of people have normal or high DHT levels and keep a full head of hair, because their follicles aren't sensitive to it. So even if something nudged DHT up slightly, it wouldn't automatically cause hair loss. And in the best research we have, creatine doesn't nudge it up at all.

It also helps to know how common hair loss is anyway. According to DermNet, up to half of Caucasian men have some hair loss by 50, and as many as 80% by 70. Creatine is one of the most popular supplements there is, so plenty of people who take it were always going to thin out. When they do, creatine gets blamed for what their genes were going to do regardless.

What actually causes hair loss?

Most hair loss comes down to things that have nothing to do with creatine. By far the most common is pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia), which runs in families. After that, DermNet lists the usual triggers for temporary shedding:

• a bout of illness, especially with a fever, or an operation
• psychological stress
• weight loss or an unusual diet
• low iron and other nutrient deficiencies
• thyroid problems, having a baby, or coming off the pill

Timing explains a lot of the blame. With this kind of shedding (called telogen effluvium), hair fall usually picks up two to four months after the trigger, according to DermNet. People often start creatine at the same time as a new diet, a tough training block or a weight-loss push. If their hair sheds a few months later, it's easy to blame the creatine, when the real trigger was the diet or the stress.

Can creatine cause hair loss in women?

There's no evidence that it does. Women produce DHT too, and it plays a role in female pattern hair loss, but no study has linked creatine to hair loss in women. A 2021 review of creatine research in women judged it low risk and didn't raise hair loss as a concern. If you're a woman noticing thinning, the usual suspects are genetics, iron levels, thyroid changes, stress and hormonal shifts after pregnancy or around menopause. See creatine for women for more.

If hair loss runs in your family, should you take creatine?

Based on current evidence, there's no reason to avoid it. The Lak trial found no effect on DHT or hair, and the one study that raised the concern didn't measure hair at all.

This one's personal for me. My dad was bald by around 40, so if anyone should be nervous, it's me. I still take creatine every day, and I haven't had a single hair issue from it.

If you're genetically prone and want peace of mind, take the standard 3 to 5g a day rather than doing a high-dose loading phase. The 2009 DHT rise started with a 25g-a-day loading week, while the 12-week trial that found nothing used 5g a day from day one. 5g a day is simpler anyway.

Taking photos of your hairline every few months is an easy way to keep track. If you do notice thinning, see your GP or a dermatologist. Hair loss is easier to manage when it's caught early, whatever the cause.

If you do take creatine, stick with creatine monohydrate, the form used in the hair trial and almost all other research. Four GUMO creatine gummies give you 5g, the same daily amount the trial tested.

A note on bias: GUMO makes creatine gummies, so we have an interest here. That's why every claim in this guide links to its source.

Can stopping creatine reverse hair loss?

Since the research doesn't show creatine causing hair loss, stopping it is unlikely to make a difference. If you're losing hair while taking creatine, the cause is probably something else, like genetics, stress, diet or a health issue. That's worth checking with your GP rather than assuming creatine is to blame.

Is creatine good for your hair?

There's no good evidence that creatine improves hair either. You may see claims online that creatine strengthens hair follicles or makes hair thicker, but these aren't backed by human studies. In the Lak trial, hair measures didn't move in either direction. If you want thicker hair, creatine isn't the tool for it.

Frequently asked questions

Does creatine increase testosterone?

Not in most studies. Of 12 trials that tested it, 10 found no effect on testosterone, and the two that did were only six or seven days long. Trials measuring free testosterone found no significant increase.

Does creatine cause baldness?

No. Baldness is mostly genetic. The only study linking creatine to a hair loss hormone didn't measure hair, and a 2025 trial that did measure hair found creatine had no effect.

Will creatine make my hair thinner?

The evidence says no. In a 12-week trial, men taking 5g of creatine a day saw no change in hair thickness, density or follicle count compared with placebo.

Is one type of creatine safer for hair than another?

There's no evidence that any form of creatine affects hair, so there's no reason to switch forms for hair reasons. Creatine monohydrate is the most researched form. More in creatine HCl vs monohydrate.

Can you take creatine with finasteride or minoxidil?

No study has tested creatine alongside finasteride or minoxidil, so there's no direct data either way. Creatine didn't change DHT in the only trial that measured hair, so there's no obvious reason for it to clash with hair loss treatment, but check with the doctor who prescribed yours.

Why do so many people think creatine causes hair loss?

Because one small 2009 study found a rise in DHT, and the idea spread online before newer research could catch up. Timing also plays a part: people often start creatine alongside a new diet or training plan, which can trigger temporary shedding a few months later.

Is creatine safe overall?

For healthy adults, yes. The most common side effects are mild water weight and an upset stomach at high doses. See creatine side effects for the full picture, and what is creatine for how it works.

Sources

• Lak M. et al. (2025). Does creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 22(sup1), 2495229
• van der Merwe J. et al. (2009). Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 19(5), 399 to 404
• Antonio J. et al. (2021). Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 13
• Smith-Ryan A.E. et al. (2021). Creatine supplementation in women's health: a lifespan perspective. Nutrients, 13(3), 877
• Examine: Does creatine cause hair loss?
• DermNet: Telogen effluvium
• DermNet: Male pattern hair loss

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About the author
Roy Anderson is the founder of GUMO and has taken creatine daily for over three years. He started GUMO after seeing brand after brand sell creatine gummies with little or no creatine inside. Every batch of GUMO Creatine Gummies is third party lab tested in Australia, with the results published. Read more about Roy →