Does creatine cause hair loss?

Where did the hair-loss concern come from?

The frequently cited 2009 study examined a hormone called DHT in male rugby players. It did not measure hair loss. The later review explained that distinction: a change in a proposed biological marker does not, by itself, demonstrate a visible hair outcome in people taking creatine. [2]

What did the newer trial measure?

Researchers compared 5 g of creatine daily with placebo for 12 weeks in resistance-trained men. They measured hormones and several hair characteristics. The trial found no significant between-group differences in those outcomes, while its short duration and small sample leave important questions about longer use unanswered. [1]

Can that result be applied directly to women?

The 2025 hair study did not include women. It therefore cannot establish an equivalent result in women or rule out every individual experience. The appropriate conclusion is narrower: that trial did not detect a difference in its male participants during the 12 weeks it followed them. [1]

Look a little closer

What are the limits of this evidence?

Each card separates the finding from the limits. The participants, formulation and duration are part of the answer.