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Instalab ResearchThe entire "creatine causes baldness" concern traces back to a single study. In 2009, researchers gave male rugby players a high-dose creatine protocol (25 g/day for a loading phase, then 5 g/day) and measured their hormones after three weeks. The study reported an increase in dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, a hormone linked to male-pattern hair loss.
That finding spread fast. But when experts took a closer look, the details told a different story. The creatine group started with lower baseline DHT levels than the control group, which made the statistical "increase" look more dramatic than it actually was. Total testosterone didn't go up. Free testosterone wasn't even measured. And critically, DHT values stayed within normal clinical ranges throughout the study. No participants reported any hair loss.
Perhaps most importantly, no other study has replicated these results.
Yes, and this is where the evidence gets much stronger. A 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 45 resistance-trained men and gave them either 5 g/day of creatine or a placebo. Unlike the 2009 study, this one didn't just look at hormones. Researchers directly measured hair density, follicular units, and hair thickness.
The results? No changes in any hair metric compared to placebo. No changes in DHT levels. No changes in the DHT-to-testosterone ratio. This is the first trial to look specifically at hair follicles in people taking creatine, and it found nothing to support the hair loss claim.
An expert review of over 500 creatine studies concluded that current evidence does not indicate creatine raises total testosterone, free testosterone, or DHT, and does not support the idea that it causes hair loss or baldness. The review specifically categorizes the hair loss concern among common misconceptions about creatine safety.
Multiple studies using a wide range of doses (3 to 25 g/day) over periods from 6 days to 12 weeks have generally shown no meaningful increase in testosterone or its conversion to DHT.
A separate meta-analysis of 685 clinical trials found no higher rate of side effects in people taking creatine compared to those taking a placebo. The most commonly reported issues were mild gastrointestinal discomfort and cramping, which were often related to dose and timing.
It's worth being honest about the gaps. Most of the research on creatine and hair has been conducted in healthy young men over periods of weeks to months. We don't have long-term studies (multiple years) tracking hair outcomes specifically. And the dedicated hair-follicle trial, while well-designed, had a relatively small sample of 45 people.
The research also hasn't deeply explored what happens in people who are already genetically predisposed to androgenetic alopecia (the medical term for common male-pattern or female-pattern hair loss). While there's no direct evidence that creatine accelerates hair loss in this group, the question hasn't been studied with the same rigor.
If you're taking creatine or thinking about starting, the evidence as it stands today should be reassuring. The myth originated from a single, unreplicated finding with significant methodological limitations, and the best available research, including a trial that directly measured hair, found no connection.
For practical use, expert consensus supports creatine monohydrate at 3 to 5 g per day as a safe and effective dose. Loading phases (around 20 g/day for 5 to 7 days) are optional and only speed up how quickly your muscles reach saturation. They don't change the end result. Taking your dose with a meal or shake, once daily, at any time of day, is the simplest approach.
If you're someone who is already experiencing thinning hair or has a strong family history of hair loss, there's still no evidence that creatine will make it worse. That said, it's reasonable to monitor your hair and bring up the topic with your doctor if you have concerns. The research supports creatine's safety profile, but paying attention to your own body is always smart.