Does Creatine Really Cause Balding? The Truth Behind the Most Misunderstood Supplement in the Gym

Creatine. It’s the one supplement you’ll hear whispered about in almost every gym locker room — right between the debates over pre-workouts and whether deadlifts count as leg day. For some, it’s the holy grail of gains: more strength, more muscle, faster recovery. For others, it’s a chemical bogeyman, blamed for bloating, acne, hair loss, and everything in between. The truth, as always, lives somewhere in the middle — and it’s a lot more interesting than people think.

Let’s start with what creatine actually is. It’s not a steroid, not some synthetic lab-made muscle drug, and definitely not dangerous when used correctly. Creatine is a naturally occurring compound your body already produces — found in red meat, fish, and even your brain. It’s stored in your muscles as phosphocreatine and used to regenerate ATP — the energy currency that fuels every lift, sprint, and rep. When you take creatine monohydrate, you’re essentially topping up the tank, giving your muscles quicker access to energy. That’s why you can squeeze out those extra couple of reps, and over time, those reps turn into strength and size gains.

But then there’s the other side — the “balding” accusation that’s been haunting creatine since a small study in 2009. Rugby players taking creatine were shown to have elevated levels of DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a powerful androgen hormone linked to male pattern baldness. The media took that small data point and ran with it, leading to headlines like “Creatine May Cause Hair Loss.” The problem is, the study was tiny — just twenty men — and it never even showed hair loss, just a small rise in DHT levels. No follow-up studies ever replicated those findings.

And yet, the myth stuck.

Now, if we’re honest, DHT is genuinely a key factor in hair loss for men genetically predisposed to it. But here’s the thing: the jump in DHT from creatine was within normal biological range — the kind of fluctuation your body goes through daily due to stress, diet, or even a lack of sleep. No study has ever shown a direct, causal link between creatine and actual hair thinning. You’d have a stronger case blaming your genetics or your dad’s hairline than a scoop of creatine in your shaker.

Still, that hasn’t stopped the fear. Some lifters will swear they noticed hair shedding after supplementing, while others say it’s coincidence — or paranoia. Maybe they started training harder, sweating more, or cutting weight, which can affect hair temporarily. Maybe they were genetically destined for thinning, and creatine just happened to enter their life around the same time. Anecdotes spread faster than data, and fear is louder than facts.

What often gets ignored is just how well-studied creatine actually is. It’s not some shady powder tested on a handful of gym rats — it’s one of the most researched supplements in sports science. Study after study has shown benefits that go beyond just muscle size: improved cognitive function, better recovery, reduced fatigue, even potential neuroprotective effects for older adults. It’s been studied in everything from Alzheimer’s to depression. For something that costs less than a cup of coffee a week, it’s hard to argue against the value.

So why does creatine get treated like it’s something controversial? Because it works. And anything that noticeably affects performance draws scepticism. People confuse results with risk. They assume that if a supplement actually does something, it must be dangerous. That mindset goes back decades — the same fear once applied to protein shakes, caffeine, and even lifting weights itself.

That said, creatine isn’t completely without potential downsides. It can cause water retention — particularly during the initial loading phase, when users take 20 grams a day for a week before dropping to a maintenance dose. Some people report bloating or minor stomach cramps if they don’t drink enough water or take it on an empty stomach. Others might gain a couple of pounds due to increased water in their muscles — which, ironically, is what helps performance. But for anyone cutting or weight-class focused, that can be annoying.

Another minor concern is kidney function — one that’s been exaggerated by people misreading lab data. Elevated creatinine levels (a breakdown product of creatine) don’t mean kidney damage; it’s simply a by-product of higher creatine turnover. Numerous long-term studies, including those on people taking up to 10 grams daily for years, show no negative impact on healthy kidneys. The only real caution applies to those with pre-existing kidney disease, who should always consult a doctor before any supplement use.

The irony is that the people most afraid of creatine are often the ones still drinking alcohol on weekends, sleeping four hours a night, and eating processed food — all things that have actual negative effects on the body and, yes, even hair health. Yet they’ll look suspiciously at a £12 tub of creatine monohydrate as if it’s some kind of black-market steroid.

Here’s what makes the creatine debate so fascinating: it’s less about the science and more about human psychology. Fitness culture has always thrived on extremes — miracle supplements vs. toxic fads, natural vs. enhanced, gains vs. side effects. Creatine sits awkwardly in the middle, too boring for the steroid crowd and too “chemical-sounding” for the natural purists. But it’s quietly one of the few supplements that actually delivers on what it promises.

Ask any serious athlete or powerlifter and they’ll tell you — once they started taking it consistently, their performance improved. It’s not a magic powder that’ll give you a new physique overnight, but it enhances what you already do. If you train hard, eat well, and stay consistent, creatine amplifies your effort. If you’re lazy and skip workouts, it won’t save you. It’s an enhancer, not a substitute.

So should you take it? That depends on what kind of person you are. If you’re already struggling with significant hair loss and obsessing over every strand, maybe skip it for peace of mind — stress alone can accelerate shedding. But if you’re the type chasing strength, recovery, and focus, creatine remains one of the safest, cheapest, and most effective supplements in existence.

And as for the “balding” myth? The science just doesn’t hold up. Hair loss is complex — tied to genetics, hormones, and time — not to whether you scoop five grams of powder into your morning shake. The only thing creatine consistently causes is confusion among people who haven’t read the studies.

At the end of the day, the real question isn’t whether creatine causes hair loss. It’s why, after decades of research proving its benefits, so many people still believe it does. Maybe it’s human nature — we’d rather fear what we don’t understand than learn how it actually works.

— John Levesley, PrimeBulk