Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss? What The Research Says

There are many possible reasons for balding, in both men and women. Many anecdotal tales have pointed to creatine as a possible culprit. But are these stories true? Does creatine cause hair loss? To understand the role of creatine in hair loss, we need to look at multiple other potential causes and rule them out, before we can isolate how creatine supplements may affect hair loss.

Causes of Hair Loss

Before looking at creatine as a possible cause of hair loss, we first need to understand why and how people lose their hair. Hair loss is also referred to as alopecia. There are two types of alopecia: scarring alopecia and nonscarring alopecia.

Scarring Alopecia

Scarring alopecia results in permanent hair loss in the affected areas as well as inflammation in the hair follicles. Only about three percent of people have this condition.

Hair may fall out in small patches at first. These patches may quickly spread in size. Treatment of the condition involves taking skin biopsies of the affected areas and basing interventions on the results obtained.¹

Please note that while medical intervention may stop the spread of scarring alopecia, it cannot reverse the balding that has already occurred. In other words, the destruction caused to the hair follicles affected is irreversible. This type of alopecia may also cause scarring on the scalp or in the area underneath the skin of the scalp.

Non-Scarring Alopecia

This is the most common type of hair loss and has many possible causes. There are three different classifications of hair loss in this category: patterned, diffuse, and focal.

Patterned

This refers to a symmetrical pattern of hair loss. It is characterized by progressive thinning at the top of the head, as well as at the front and sides. This type of hair loss is most commonly the result of androgenic alopecia. This is a hereditary type of hair loss most common in men. It is linked to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a sex steroid and hormone. It plays a role in penis and prostate repair, sebum production, and the composition of body hair. A high DHT count is linked to patterned hair loss.²

Diffuse

A diffuse hair loss pattern refers to even hair loss across the entire scalp. The most common cause is telogen effluvium. Although certain medications can cause this, it usually occurs after surgery, quick weight loss, pregnancy, or due to dietary deficiencies.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium is a term used to describe a change in hair growth patterns. Under normal conditions, up to 90 percent of your hair is at an active hair growth stage at any given time. We refer to this as the anagen phase or growing phase. The rest of your hair is at the telogen phase, or resting phase.

When telogen effluvium occurs, you have more hair in the telogen phase. You can have up to 70 percent of your hair in this phase. This usually happens in times of stress. This stress can be either psychological or physiological in nature.

There are two types of telogen effluvium.

• Chronic telogen effluvium has no apparent cause and is the most severe of the two.
• Acute telogen effluvium, which is more common, usually occurs because of sudden weight loss. It differs in severity and usually lasts about six months.

Possible causes of telogen effluvium include, amongst others:

• Hormone imbalance
• Surgery involving general anesthetic
• Childbirth
• Hypothyroidism
• Chronic health problems
• Weight loss
• Adrenal Fatigue

If telogen effluvium persists for over a year, it may result from nutritional deficiencies.³ A healthcare provider can ascertain the cause by doing blood tests to determine and address these deficiencies. If your hair loss is also due to your genetic composition, you may never see full hair regrowth, even after addressing any related issues.

If telogen effluvium is related to nutritional deficiencies, taking certain supplements to address those deficiencies may help. For example, HSN Formula is a non-GMO formula that may address the various nutritional deficiencies in people with thinning hair. The combination of vitamins, minerals, and herbs in this formula may also promote healthier skin and nails.

Focal

This refers to hair loss on the scalp and body. It usually occurs in patches. The most common cause is an autoimmune condition known as alopecia areata. Hair may spontaneously grow back in up to 30 percent of people with milder forms of the condition. Other factors that may cause focal alopecia include:

• Infections on the scalp
• Thyroid issues
• Hormone issues
• Hair usually in a tight ponytail that pulls on the scalp
• Nutritional deficiencies, such as low zinc, iron, protein, or biotin
• Scalp health issues like psoriasis

Stress, Inflammation, and Hair Loss

Many of the possible hair loss contributors arise from stress and an inflammatory response. Inflammation is your body’s response to stress of any kind, whether psychological or physiological. Your inflammation Circuit becomes activated due to your NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response.This is a good thing, as it means your body is dealing with the stressor. Prolonged stress, however, causes a constant NEM stress response. This, in turn, results in a continuous inflammatory response.

Amongst the health issues and other concerns resulting from this type of inflammatory response, we count alopecia, i.e., inflammation-based hair loss, and alopecia aerate, i.e., hair loss resulting from an autoimmune disorder, or telogen effluvium.

Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss?

Creatine is found in meat. Our bodies also make this compound. It helps build muscles and promotes muscle growth, for example during weight training.

Now, if our bodies create creatine, why do people ask "does creatine cause hair loss?"

The question may come from a research project from 2009.⁴ The study, conducted on college-age rugby players, saw participants take creatine every day over three weeks. The answer to "does creatine cause hair loss" appeared to be a "yes" based on an increase in these rugby players' DHT levels. DHT, a byproduct of testosterone, can cause hair loss because it may promote the shrinking of hair follicles and shorten your natural hair growth cycle when present in high concentrations.

However, the rugby players in the study started with lower baseline DHT levels than those in the control group. Furthermore, their increase in DHT levels was still within the normal range. And lastly, nobody in the study experienced actual hair loss when taking the creatine supplement.

In fact, no studies to date have ever shown a positive answer to the question of "does creatine cause hair loss." In other words, there is no substantive evidence that shows it contributes to alopecia.

The Benefits of Creatine

Physically active people take a creatine supplement for a reason – it helps their performance by providing extra energy and promoting increased muscle mass. But it has other benefits as well. The most common benefits of this supplement include the following:

• Helps with increased energy release needed by muscles when exercising
• Promotes an increase in muscle mass
• Plays a role in repairing muscle tissue
• Has a beneficial effect on brain health and function
• Has a modifying effect on blood sugar levels
• May reduce fatigue

Safety Concerns Regarding Creatine

The general consensus is that creatine is safe for healthy adults if taken according to the suggested guidelines. You should, however, practice caution when giving it to children as no studies have been conducted regarding its safety in adolescents.

Concerns exist about creatine possibly causing kidney damage. Although creatine may not have an adverse effect on the kidney function of healthy people, those with any type of kidney issue should first talk to their healthcare provider before using this supplement.

Using creatine may lead to water retention. Water retention may result in temporary weight gain. However, as this is only water weight, it can easily be remedied.

Something else to consider is what happens when you stop taking creatine.

If you have taken this supplement for some time and suddenly stop, you may experience fatigue. This could be more problematic for people who already suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome or ohter health conditions. You may also experience a loss in muscle mass and thus weakness. Lastly, using a creatine supplement may reduce your body’s own creatine production. When you stop taking a creatine supplement, your body may not immediately readjust and make the creatine it needs, thereby resulting in a creatine deficiency in the short term that may have various repercussions.

People with Adrenal Fatigue should especially take note of what happens when they suddenly stop taking a creatine supplement as it could negatively affect their condition. Adrenal Fatigue is a condition where the body is unable to keep up with long-term stress, resulting in various nonspecific symptoms such as tiredness, sleep disturbances, anxiousness, and weight gain. They should rather look at taking a natural supplement like HSN Formula when dealing with hair loss.

In Closing

So, does creatine cause hair loss? The general consensus says the chances of creatine causing hair loss are slim. It can, however, raise your DHT levels which is a contributing factor when it comes to hair loss. To be on the safe side, first talk to your healthcare provider or nutritional coach before taking a creatine supplement if hair loss is an issue.

They are best able to determine your cause of hair loss as well as the type of hair loss. They can use this information, combined with your medical history, to help you determine the best solution moving forward. If you'd like more help determining the suitability of supplements like creatine for your health situation, you can call us at +1 (626) 571-1234 for a free initial consultation.