Does creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 40265319 · doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2495229
What was done
Forty-five resistance-trained men aged 18–40 were randomized to receive either creatine monohydrate (5 g/day) or a maltodextrin placebo (5 g/day) for 12 weeks while maintaining their habitual diets and training routines. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 12 weeks to measure total testosterone, free testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Hair follicle health was assessed using the Trichogram test and the FotoFinder system (hair density, follicular unit count, and cumulative hair thickness).
What was found
Thirty-eight participants completed the study. No significant group-by-time interactions were observed for any hormone or hair-related parameter (p > 0.05). Total testosterone increased over time (creatine: Δ124 ± 149 ng/dL; placebo: Δ216 ± 203 ng/dL) and free testosterone decreased (creatine: Δ-9.0 ± 8.7 pg/mL; placebo: Δ-9 ± 6.4 pg/mL), with effects occurring independently of supplementation. There were no significant differences between groups for DHT levels, DHT-to-testosterone ratio, or hair growth parameters.
Why it matters
This study provides direct randomized trial evidence evaluating hair follicle health and DHT levels during creatine use, finding no adverse effect of standard-dose creatine supplementation on hair loss in healthy young males.
Limits
The study is limited by a small sample size (n = 38 completers), a 12-week intervention window that may not capture long-term follicular changes, and an exclusively male, resistance-trained cohort aged 18–40 without baseline androgenetic alopecia assessments.