Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss?

Last updated: August 2026 · Reviewed by the FactoWiki Editorial Team for clarity and source accuracy

There is no direct evidence that it does. The concern traces to a single small 2009 study of 20 rugby players that measured DHT — a hormone associated with hair loss — and did not measure hair loss at all. Attempts to replicate the DHT finding have largely failed.

What the original study actually found

A 2009 trial in 20 male rugby players found a rise in DHT after three weeks of creatine — a 56% increase during loading, settling to 40% above baseline. DHT is implicated in androgenetic alopecia, so the inference followed. But the study measured a hormone, in 20 people, over three weeks, and never looked at hair at all. The values also remained within the normal reference range.

What replication showed

Subsequent studies attempting to reproduce the DHT finding have largely not done so. A 2024 systematic review examining creatine's effects on testosterone and its metabolites found no consistent effect across the literature. One unreplicated result in 20 people is a weak foundation for a widespread belief.

What this does and does not tell you

The honest position: no study has ever measured hair loss with creatine, so nobody can say it definitely does not happen. What can be said is that the evidence for it is a single surrogate marker in a small trial that has not replicated. If you already have androgenetic alopecia and are anxious about it, stopping to see is reasonable — but the evidence does not require it.

Key ingredients to understand

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Frequently asked questions

Should I stop taking creatine?

Not on the strength of the current evidence. If you are personally worried and would rather not risk it, stopping costs you little — that is a preference, not a medical recommendation.

Would DHT even matter?

Only in people genetically susceptible to androgenetic alopecia. DHT does not cause hair loss in people without that follicular sensitivity.

Is there any way to know?

Not really. Nobody has run the trial that would answer it, which is the honest state of the question.

This article is general information, not medical advice. FactoWiki may earn a commission from links on product review pages (never on comparisons). Always check with a qualified healthcare professional about your own situation.