Evidence explainerCreatine monohydrate
Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss? The One Study Behind the Fear, and the Trial That Finally Checked Hair
A 2009 study of 20 rugby players launched a thousand forum threads. It never measured a single hair. A 2025 trial did.
Key takeaways
- The worry traces back to one 2009 crossover study of 20 college rugby players: DHT rose 56% after a week of creatine loading, but hair was never measured [1].
- In that study testosterone did not change, and DHT stayed 40% above baseline after two weeks at 5 g/day [1].
- A 2025 randomized trial gave 5 g/day for 12 weeks to resistance-trained men and measured hair directly: no differences in DHT, the DHT-to-testosterone ratio, hair density, follicle counts or hair thickness versus placebo [2].
- Both studies were small, short and in young men, so the honest answer is "no evidence of hair loss so far," not "proven safe for every scalp" [1][2].
Safety at a glance
From our Creatine monohydrate monograph. Published interactions and cautions only, each with its source.
Who should be careful
- Medicines. Our sources (NIH ODS) document no drug interactions for creatine. That means none are published in these sources, not that creatine is safe with every medicine.[1]
- Kidney. A 2025 meta-analysis found a small rise in serum creatinine (significant at follow-ups under 1 week and over 12 weeks, not at 1–12 weeks) with no significant change in glomerular filtration rate. Because creatinine is a routine kidney test, this can complicate lab results. Trials mostly enrolled healthy people, so anyone with kidney disease or reduced kidney function should discuss creatine with their clinician first.[12]
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Insufficient human safety data in our sources.[1]
- Liver. No liver-specific human safety data in our sources.[1]
The evidence, graded
Pulled from our monograph evidence tables. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
- Grade AImprovedMuscle strength with resistance trainingVersus placebo, upper-body strength +4.43 kg and lower-body strength +11.35 kg. Gains were significant in men; women showed no significant gains, but only 2 trials (40 women) were female-only.
- Grade AImprovedLean body massOverall +0.68 kg lean mass vs placebo; +1.10 kg when combined with resistance training (any age). No significant effect without exercise (+0.03 kg) or with mixed exercise. Men +1.46 kg; women +0.29 kg (not significant).
Where the hair-loss idea came from
In 2009, researchers in South Africa gave 20 college-aged rugby players creatine or placebo in a double-blind crossover design [1]. The creatine phase was a loading week at 25 g/day followed by 14 days at 5 g/day, each mixed with glucose [1].
Testosterone did not change. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the more potent androgen linked to male-pattern hair loss, rose 56% after the loading week and was still 40% above baseline after the maintenance phase [1]. The DHT-to-testosterone ratio rose 36% and then sat 22% higher [1].
Because DHT drives male-pattern baldness in people who are genetically prone to it, the leap to "creatine makes you bald" was quick. But the study measured blood hormones only. It did not look at hair, it was not replicated for years, and the authors themselves called for further investigation [1].
The 2025 trial that actually measured hair
A 2025 randomized controlled trial set out to test the question directly [2]. Forty-five resistance-trained men aged 18 to 40 took 5 g/day of creatine monohydrate or a maltodextrin placebo for 12 weeks; 38 finished [2].
Researchers measured total and free testosterone and DHT in blood, and assessed hair with a trichogram and the FotoFinder imaging system: hair density, follicular unit count and cumulative hair thickness [2]. There were no significant differences between the creatine and placebo groups for DHT, the DHT-to-testosterone ratio or any hair measure [2].
What neither study can tell you
Both trials were small and short, and both enrolled young men [1][2]. Neither tested women, people already losing hair, or people using creatine for years. The 2025 trial used a steady 5 g/day without a loading phase, while the 2009 DHT rise was measured right after a 25 g/day loading week, so the two designs are not a perfect match [1][2].
Our read: the hormone signal from 2009 has not been confirmed [1], and the only trial that measured hair found nothing [2]. If you are already concerned about hair loss, a dermatologist is the right person to ask, and you can weigh it against what creatine reliably does, summarized in our creatine monograph.
What creatine does reliably do
The strongest creatine evidence is for strength and lean mass alongside resistance training: in adults under 50, pooled trials found +4.43 kg upper-body and +11.35 kg lower-body strength gains versus placebo [3]. For midlife readers, see creatine after 50.
Quick answers
Should I skip the loading phase to protect my hair?
There is no hair data comparing loading with no loading. The DHT rise in 2009 was measured after a 25 g/day loading week [1]; the 2025 trial that found no hair changes used 5 g/day throughout [2]. Loading is optional either way; see the loading-phase explainer.
Keep reading
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References
- [1]Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players, 2009.
- [2]Does creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trial, 2025.
- [3]Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Muscle Strength Gains in Adults <50 Years of Age: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 2024.