Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss ?

There isn’t much to indicate that creatine supplementation actually causes hair loss. In fact, much of the evidence for the link is anecdotal. This means that it comes from people’s personal testimony or experiences.

However, a small 2009 studyTrusted Source in college-age rugby players found increased levels of a hormone associated with hair loss following 3 weeks of a creatine supplementation regimen. This hormone is called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

How does creatine relate to hair loss?

The 2009 study in rugby players used a creatine supplement regimen involving 7 days of creatine loading, during which a higher level of the supplement was given. This was followed by a maintenance period of lower levels of creatine.

The researchers found that levels of DHT increased over 50 percentTrusted Source during the loading period and stayed 40 percentTrusted Source over baseline during the maintenance period. Levels of testosterone didn’t change.

It’s important to note here that the researchers didn’t observe hair loss in the study participants. Therefore, it’s unlikely that creatine supplementation itself causes hair loss.