Creatine and Hair loss

Does creatine cause hairloss?

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,220 Member
    I doubt it. I suspect your talking about some form of alopecia considering your trying to correlate it to either your supplementing with creatine or something you heard. If your a women then in addition, have you been checked for PCOS because hair loss can accompany that but it's just patchy and doesn't look like alopecia. Basically not enough info. If it is alopecia, it's basically an inflammatory response where your immune system is attacking your hair follicles and generally it happens in patches and progresses to multiply patches. I've had 2 friends experience this. Treatments didn't work very well, but these were topical and not sure I would want to take drugs that effect my immune system, but I suspect pharma has one or two or three. Both friends recovered but it took it's own sweet time, and nice to know immune systems can do that. Cheers
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,225 Member
    No. There are articles out there stating it does however there is no solid evidence to support it.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,222 Member
    I agree that the research doesn't support the idea that creatine causes hair loss, though there was initially some speculation that it could, based on its underlying mechanism of action and one early study.

    Here's a survey of research evidence about creatine side effects from The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, from 2022:

    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w

    Summary conclusion on hair loss:
    In summary, the current body of evidence does not indicate that creatine supplementation increases total testosterone, free testosterone, DHT or causes hair loss/baldness.

    If you want to read the discussion that leads up to that summary, read the linked article.

    One thing that can trigger hair loss: Eating too few calories, i.e., losing weight too aggressively fast. I suspect certain nutrient deficiencies - which are more probable at reduced calories - could also contribute.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    I think added hormones and stress levels cause that causes hair loss. Although I've been going perimenopause, I have put rosemary oil in my shampoos and conditioners (only one oz). I put it at 30% hair loss growth. (At 4-6 months)


    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25842469/

    I have a prescription for 2.5 mg of minoxidil orally. And while the minoxidil permitted hair growth, it wasn't where you wanted it to be. Probably 15% hair growth on my head, and I really got in my eyebrows or eyelashes or my tops of lips (my "mustache", where I got three really dark ones!) I really like my eyelashes.




  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I think added hormones and stress levels cause that causes hair loss. Although I've been going perimenopause, I have put rosemary oil in my shampoos and conditioners (only one oz). I put it at 30% hair loss growth. (At 4-6 months)


    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25842469/

    I have a prescription for 2.5 mg of minoxidil orally. And while the minoxidil permitted hair growth, it wasn't where you wanted it to be. Probably 15% hair growth on my head, and I really got in my eyebrows or eyelashes or my tops of lips (my "mustache", where I got three really dark ones!) I really like my eyelashes.

    Because you mention perimenopause, I am curious if you are anemic. I certainly shed a lot more before a hysterectomy stopped my heavy menstrual bleeding related anemia. It's been 8 months and I've been delighted at the gradual thickening of my hair.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    No, I'm not anemic -- I will be the furthest thing away from anemic. It's from my mom, the thin, fine hair thing.