Does Creatine Cause Hair Loss?

Does creatine cause hair loss? Well, Different people have different perceptions about this topic. Creatine is one of the favorite supplements among athletes. Many bodybuilders are using creatine Even many studies have concluded the safety and efficacy of creatine including some major health benefits such as increased muscle mass, stamina, strength, and recovery. While hair loss, also known as Alopecia, is a sudden loss of hair from the scalp that may lead to baldness. Today, it becomes a major concern for men, women as well as children. Now, let’s explore our main topic, does creatine cause hair loss?

Creatine got recognition when the British sports star Linford Christie stated that he raised a gold medal in the 100-meter track in the 1992 Olympics with creatine supplement during training. Presently, creatine is one of the most widely used supplements in the fitness industry since 1992. Many types of research have been done to evaluate the safety and efficacy of creatine. Creatine has gone through more than 500 scientific studies, which is far greater than any food or dietary supplement. No food or dietary supplement has this much supportive data.

Is Creatine Unsafe for the Human Body?

In recent studies, creatine supplementation has been shown to increase the risk of a deadly condition called Wasting syndrome. This was due to the energy or stress the body received after receiving excessive amounts of energy. That’s why people have begun to believe that taking creatine can lead to hair loss as well. However, our doctors have made sure that is not the case.

Does creatine make you gassy? Just like any other kind of supplement, creatine also has its side effects. And you need to be aware of them when you’re buying them. Many people have reported having tummy troubles and even gas after consuming creatine supplements. It is important to be very careful about the sources you get your Creatine from.

Creatine and Hair Loss

Creatine has always been a matter of debate and misconceptions. Some people believe that creatine cause hair loss and baldness. Researches are ongoing, however, there is no evidence that supports this statement. To date, no research alarms that creatine cause hair loss or baldness.

To understand this connection, you have to understand the mechanism behind the cause of hair loss, which is a comprehensive research topic. In our above investigation, we have discussed that creatine plays a very important role in hair growth and damage repair, which are the two major factors of this topic. Further, if you want to obtain full-fledged knowledge of this topic, read the following studies. Let’s start by comparing a study that says creatine causes hair loss and another one that says it is perfectly safe.

Further, many studies have concluded no direct connection between creatine and hair loss (alopecia). This hair loss and baldness arise from a study in Africa in which some college-aged students were supplemented with creatine for 3 weeks. The study concluded that there had been a significant increase in levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. In high concentrations, DHT can shrink hair follicles, interrupt the normal hair growth cycle, and hair thinning. Nevertheless, lately, other researchers revealed that none of the rugby players experienced hair loss because of creatine supplementation. In addition, players who took creatine had 26% lower levels of DHT than the placebo group, and increased levels were within the normal clinical limits. Conclusively, it was documented that DHT levels started out low and stayed low.

Thereafter, In 2011, a study found that there was no significant increase in total testosterone after 7 days of supplementation, which the body utilizes to produce DHT. Conclusively, it is clear that creatine does not increase total testosterone or induce hair loss/baldness. More than ten other studies were performed on determining testosterone levels due to creatine supplements, but no study supported South Africa’s study. Only social media promoted the creatine-caused hair loss misconception without any factual evidence. 

Benefits of Creatine Supplement

Creatine, sometimes also called creatine phosphate, is a source of energy for the body’s cells. Creatine is made by the body through the use of creatine phosphate and is important for many physiological functions of the body including muscle contraction, bone growth, nerve function, and others. While the body stores creatine in the muscles, most of the body also requires creatine for health. Creatine is also produced in the liver which is excreted in the urine. In a review of popular sports such as hockey, cycling, football, running, rugby, handball, and table tennis, all of these athletes have used creatine or phosphates to maintain their health. Even some weightlifters and bodybuilders also use creatine supplements to increase muscle mass.

Some studies showed that creatine assistance improves memory health and brain functions, including in patients with neuromuscular disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and many more. It can also provide a synergistic effect with exercise to reverse or slow age-related muscle loss, which is also known as Sarcopenia.

Is Creatine an Anabolic Steroid?

The answer is No. Creatine does not carry any anabolic steroidal activity. Anabolic agents (steroids) are man-made synthetic forms of testosterone. Testosterone is an androgenic hormone present in both males (major sex hormone) and females (low quantity) which increases muscle mass and strength in the human body. Anabolic steroids increase muscle protein synthesis due to their ability to bind with intracellular androgen receptors and cause increased expression of muscle-specific genes. While creatine is an amino acid derivative that increases intracellular triphosphate production (ATP). Because of increased ATP production, increased muscle performance and hypertrophy can be seen in heavy anaerobically-related exercise over the period of training.

Conclusion

Hair loss is something we often fear, it would hurt to know that you can no longer have good-looking hair. Fortunately, we can take preventative measures for this looming problem. Creatine, an essential amino acid has been linked with increased hair growth and warding off alopecia. So, what do we need to do now? This might sound kind of crazy but it is simple, all we need to do is to stop believing in misconceptions.