Does creatine cause hair loss?

Creatine does not raise DHT. A randomised study with 38 participants, taking 5 grams per day for 12 weeks, found no difference whatsoever in DHT levels or the DHT/testosterone ratio between the creatine and placebo groups. DHT is the hormonal form that suppresses hair growth in hereditary baldness, making it the most relevant measurement for the question about hair loss.

Direct measurements of the hair follicle also showed nothing. Hair density, the number of follicular units and total hair thickness were all unchanged, regardless of whether participants took creatine or a placebo. Testosterone rose slightly in both groups, but this was time-dependent and not related to creatine.

The idea that creatine causes hair loss originates from one old, small-scale study that reported a temporary rise in DHT in rugby players. That study has never been properly replicated. An international expert panel that assessed the entire body of creatine research concluded that there is no convincing scientific evidence for hair loss as a side effect at the recommended dose of 3 to 5 grams per day.

How certain is this? There is now one direct RCT that measures both DHT and hair follicle health, supported by two broad expert reviews. That is not a large body of evidence, but it points consistently in the same direction: no effect. For people with a hereditary predisposition to baldness who are still concerned, it is reassuring to know that there is no indication of risk at a normal dose.