Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss? What the Evidence Says About DHT

What Research Says About Creatine, DHT and Hair Loss

There is no direct evidence that creatine causes hair loss. The concern comes from one small study that measured a hormone, not hair, and the most direct test to date found no effect on either hormones or hair health. Here is the full picture so you can judge it for yourself.

Where the hair loss claim started

The entire idea traces back to a single 2009 study in 20 college rugby players. After a week of high-dose creatine loading, the players showed a rise in dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, a hormone involved in male pattern baldness. DHT rose by about 56 percent after loading and stayed elevated during maintenance, while total testosterone did not change.¹

That finding is the source of almost every "creatine causes baldness" headline. But two facts are usually left out. First, the study measured a hormone in the blood, not hair. No hair count, hair density or follicle health was ever assessed.¹ Second, in more than 15 years since, no study has reproduced that DHT increase.

Why DHT matters in theory

The concern is not baseless in principle. DHT is made from testosterone by an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase, and it is the main hormonal driver of androgenetic alopecia, the genetic form of hair loss. In people who are genetically prone, DHT contributes to the gradual shrinking of hair follicles. So if creatine reliably raised DHT, there would be a plausible pathway to worry about. The problem is that the DHT rise itself has never been confirmed beyond that one study, and no research has ever shown creatine causing actual hair loss.

The 2025 study that measured hair directly

In 2025, researchers ran the test that had been missing. It was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in resistance-trained men who took 5 grams of creatine or a placebo every day for 12 weeks. Crucially, it measured both the hormones, testosterone and DHT, and actual hair outcomes, using hair density and follicle assessments.²

The result was clear. Creatine had no effect on DHT, no effect on the DHT to testosterone ratio, and no effect on any hair measure. The authors concluded that the data provide strong evidence against the claim that creatine contributes to hair loss.²

In the interest of honesty, that trial has limits worth knowing. It measured DHT in the blood rather than at the scalp, it ran for 12 weeks while pattern hair loss develops over years, and the participants were not screened for a genetic tendency to baldness.³ So the fair conclusion is that current evidence does not support the hair loss claim, rather than an absolute guarantee for every individual.

What about the wider hormone research?

Beyond DHT specifically, multiple studies have found that creatine does not meaningfully raise testosterone.⁴ That fits the overall pattern: creatine works by supporting energy in muscle cells, not by acting as a hormone.

The bottom line

The hair loss worry rests on one 20-person study that never looked at hair, reported a DHT change that has never been replicated, and has now been directly contradicted by a trial that measured hair and found nothing. If you are genetically prone to hair loss, no supplement is risk-free, and it is reasonable to watch how you respond. But for the large majority of people, creatine is not a cause of baldness on the current evidence. Our Pure Micronised Creatine Sachets keep the formula simple, just pure micronised creatine. For the full safety picture, see our guide to creatine side effects and safety.

Related reading

• Creatine side effects and safety (full guide)
• Does creatine make you gain weight?
• Does creatine make you bloated?

Frequently asked questions

Does creatine cause hair loss?

No direct evidence shows creatine causes hair loss. The concern comes from a single 2009 DHT study that never measured hair, and a 2025 trial that did measure hair found no effect.^1,2

Does creatine increase DHT?

Only one small study reported a DHT rise, and it has never been replicated. A 2025 randomised trial found no effect of creatine on DHT.^1,2

Should I avoid creatine if baldness runs in my family?

There is no evidence creatine causes hair loss, but if you are genetically predisposed and concerned, you can monitor your response or speak to a dermatologist.^2,3

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have a health condition or take medication, speak to your doctor before starting any supplement.

References

1. van der Merwe, J., Brooks, N. E. & Myburgh, K. H. Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 19, 399-404 (2009). National Library of Medicine
2. Lak, M. et al. Does creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 22 (2025). JISSN
3. American Hair Loss Association. Creatine and Hair Loss: What the Latest Study Got Right and What It Missed. American Hair Loss Association
4. Examine. Can creatine increase your testosterone levels? Examine