You may be interested in getting stronger and still decide that a supplement is not worth worrying about your hair. That is a reasonable concern to investigate. The useful question is what researchers have actually measured, rather than how often a warning has been repeated.
The most direct trial available for this article found no evidence that creatine worsened the measured hair outcomes over 12 weeks. That is reassuring evidence within a specific setting. It is not a lifetime guarantee for every person, and it does not diagnose hair loss you are already experiencing. [1]
Why the concern started
A small 2009 study in male rugby players reported changes in circulating dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, after a creatine loading phase followed by maintenance. It measured hormones, not hair loss. The distinction matters: a change in a blood measurement cannot by itself demonstrate that a person's hair thinned or fell out. [2]
This older study is relevant to the history of the question. It is much less direct evidence for the outcome people actually fear. If a headline says “creatine causes baldness” and its supporting paper never assessed hair, the headline has gone beyond that paper.
What the newer trial measured
The 2025 trial compared 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily with a placebo for 12 weeks in resistance-trained men aged 18–40. Thirty-eight participants completed the study; hair follow-up data were available for 37. Researchers measured hormones and hair characteristics, including density and thickness. They found no significant difference between groups in the changes in these outcomes. [1]
That makes it a more relevant test of the hair question than a hormone-only study. It also used a maintenance dose without a loading phase. A fair conclusion is: this trial did not find worsening hair outcomes under the conditions it tested.
| Study | What it can contribute | What it cannot establish |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 rugby-player study | A short-term observation about hormone responses during a loading-and-maintenance protocol. | Whether participants lost hair; hair was not the outcome. |
| 2025 direct hair trial | A comparison of measured hair characteristics during 12 weeks of daily creatine or placebo. | Lifetime effects, effects in every population, or the cause of an individual's current hair loss. |
How reassuring is that?
Reassuring enough to challenge a confident claim that this ordinary creatine protocol inevitably causes hair loss. Not broad enough to turn “no difference detected here” into “impossible under any circumstances.” This was a small, relatively short trial in men. Family history of hair loss was not determined, and longer use and different groups remain outside its direct answer. Several authors also disclosed supplement-industry relationships. Those limitations belong beside the result, not hidden from it. [1]
You can accept the result without treating the paper as the final word. Evidence can improve a decision while leaving questions open. Equally, repeating an older fear does not make it stronger evidence than a study that measured the relevant outcome.
If you are already noticing a change
Do not let an internet argument decide the cause. The American Academy of Dermatology describes many possible reasons for hair loss or shedding, including hereditary patterns, illness-related shedding, scalp problems and some medicines. The timing can be complicated; noticing a change after starting something does not establish that it caused the change. [3]
A useful next step is to record what you have noticed and seek an assessment if hair loss concerns you. A dermatologist may ask when it started, examine the scalp and consider additional tests when the findings justify them. There is no single test or treatment that everyone automatically needs. [4]
For that conversation, make a short note:
- When you first noticed shedding, thinning or a patch.
- Whether the change seemed sudden or gradual.
- Recent illnesses and changes in medicines, supplements or hair practices.
- The name and amount of any supplement you use.
This is a preparation checklist, not a way to diagnose yourself. Do not stop a prescribed medicine because a blog suggests it might be involved; discuss that possibility with the prescriber. [3]
You do not have to take creatine
A supplement decision includes more than a research result. Perhaps the potential training benefit matters to you; perhaps avoiding an optional purchase and another daily task matters more. You can read our guide to creatine and strength to weigh the performance question separately.
If you choose not to use it, make that an ordinary planning decision rather than a setback. You can still organise your training week, record your sessions and work on a routine you enjoy. If you are uncertain, you can leave the purchase undecided while gathering better information. There is no need to settle a personal health concern at the checkout.
A calmer way to read the next headline
Ask three questions: Did the study measure actual hair outcomes? Who was studied and for how long? Does the headline stay within those findings? These questions help you avoid both alarmist certainty and overconfident reassurance.
For broader help building a routine, explore WeightStart's training and nutrition planning. The role of that support is to help organise everyday choices; a concern about unexplained hair loss calls for an appropriate assessment, not a membership promise.
Sources and reading notes
Updated 2 October 2026. The practical checklist is an editorial aid. The 2025 trial's full report was consulted; the 2009 paper is described from its indexed abstract. The latter has published correspondence, which is not used here as evidence.
- Lak M, Forbes SC, Ashtary-Larky D, et al. Does creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2025;22(sup1):2495229. doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2495229. Full text. Small trial; industry relationships are disclosed by several authors.
- van der Merwe J, Brooks NE, Myburgh KH. Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2009;19(5):399–404. doi:10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181b8b52f. Indexed abstract and correspondence links.
- American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss: Who gets and causes. Accessed 2 October 2026.
- American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss: Diagnosis and treatment. Accessed 2 October 2026.