It's one of the most persistent fears surrounding creatine, and one of the easiest to trace: it's based on a single study, published in 2009, that never measured hair. Here's what it actually said, and what has happened since.
In short. No study has ever reported hair loss in humans taking creatine. The concern comes from a 2009 study that observed an increase in a hormone, DHT, which remained within normal values — without any hair measurements. It has never been replicated.
Where this idea actually comes from
In 2009, a South African team published a study on twenty university rugby players. The protocol: three weeks of creatine, with measurement of several hormones, including testosterone and dihydrotestosterone — DHT.
Observed result: an increase in DHT in the supplemented group. It is this line, and this line alone, that has been circulating the internet for seventeen years.
Three things did not follow. DHT values remained within normal physiological limits. No hair density measurements were taken — the study simply wasn't about hair. And since then, no team has replicated this result.
A rising hormone is not a falling hair.
Why the shortcut seems logical
It's not absurd, and that's why it persists.
DHT is indeed involved in androgenetic alopecia — hormonal hair loss. Reference treatments, moreover, work by reducing its production.
But the reasoning skips two steps. A variation within normal values does not have the same biological effect as chronic excess. And the sensitivity of follicles to DHT is genetically determined: it is this, rather than the circulating level, that determines who loses their hair.
In other words, the 2009 study never demonstrated what it is made out to say. It only made the hypothesis conceivable.
What the literature says today
No study has reported actual hair loss in humans taking creatine3. Reviews that have specifically examined the issue conclude that the available data do not support this link.
This point should be stated with its nuance: this does not mean that a link has been formally excluded. It means that no data establishes it, even though creatine is one of the most studied supplements in the world, over more than thirty years2.
The specific case of women
The question deserves to be asked separately, as it rarely is.
The work that sparked the fear focused on young, athletic men. Hormonal levels, follicular sensitivity, and hair loss mechanisms differ significantly in women, where androgenetic alopecia is less frequent and manifests differently.
There is no data showing an effect of creatine on female hair. Nor is there any study designed to look for it.
What most often explains hair loss
If you observe hair loss, the documented causes are numerous, and creatine is not among them.
An iron or ferritin deficiency, common in women with heavy periods. A thyroid disorder. An intense stress episode or rapid weight loss, which cause a delayed hair loss of two to three months — telogen effluvium. The aftermath of pregnancy. Certain treatments. And hormonal variations during perimenopause.
These are avenues to explore with a doctor, through a blood test. This is a more useful reflex than stopping a supplement.
What is reasonable to remember
A 2009 study, twenty participants, no hair measurements, never replicated. Versus thirty years of literature reporting no hair loss.
This is not a reason to dismiss the question — it is a reason to put it in its place.
Aplomb is 5g unidose stick creatine monohydrate. One active ingredient, one pre-weighed dose, nothing else.
To go further: creatine in women · creatine and menopause · the 19 most frequent questions
References
- Smith-Ryan AE, Cabre HE, Eckerson JM, Candow DG. Creatine Supplementation in Women's Health: A Lifespan Perspective. Nutrients 2021;13(3):877.
- Kreider RB et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2017;14:18.
- Antonio J et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2021;18:13.
Article written by Virginie Mauran. This information is general and does not replace individual medical advice.