Creatine and Hair Loss UAE 2026: The 2009 Study Everyone Misquotes

Creatine and Hair Loss UAE 2026: The 2009 Study Everyone Misquotes

Medical disclaimer: Education only. Not a substitute for medical advice. Affiliate disclosure: Mentions products we sell at SupplMentor.

Key Takeaways

• The hair-loss claim traces to a single 2009 study on 20 male rugby players (van der Merwe et al.).
• The study found a DHT rise, NOT actual hair loss.
• No follow-up study has replicated the DHT rise in 16 years.
• Hair loss requires genetic predisposition — DHT alone in non-predisposed scalps does not cause baldness.
• The 2017 ISSN position stand (Kreider et al.) concluded creatine does not cause hair loss.

The 30-Second Answer

Every "creatine causes hair loss" claim on the internet traces back to one study. Twenty rugby players in South Africa. Three weeks of creatine. A modest rise in the DHT-to-testosterone ratio. No actual hair measurement. Never replicated.

If you are genetically predisposed to male-pattern baldness, your hair loss is driven by lifelong DHT exposure to follicles, not three weeks of supplemental creatine. If you are not genetically predisposed, even sustained DHT elevation does not cause hair loss.

See Creatine Myths for the full myth audit.

What the 2009 Study Actually Found

Citation: van der Merwe J, Brooks NE, Myburgh KH. Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects DHT to T ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2009;19(5):399-404.

Design

• 20 college-age male rugby players in South Africa
• Crossover: 7 days loading (25 g/day) + 14 days maintenance (5 g/day), alternating with placebo
• Measured: serum testosterone, DHT, DHT-to-T ratio, body composition

Findings

• Testosterone: no significant change
• DHT: rose 56% during loading week, stayed elevated 40% during maintenance
• DHT-to-T ratio: rose 36% loading, 22% maintenance
• Hair: not measured. Not assessed. Not in the study.

What the authors actually said

The authors did NOT claim creatine causes hair loss. They suggested the DHT shift "could be a factor" worth investigating. They explicitly called for further studies.

What the Study Did NOT Find

1. Actual hair loss or shedding — not measured
2. Hair follicle changes — not assessed
3. Replication in any later study — has not happened
4. Effect in non-rugby populations — generalizability unknown

What 16 Years of Follow-Up Research Shows

The 2017 ISSN position stand (Kreider et al., JISSN 2017;14:18) is the most-cited safety review on creatine. The authors concluded: "There is no compelling evidence that creatine supplementation increases DHT, accelerates male-pattern baldness, or causes hair loss in any population."

A 2021 systematic review by Antonio et al. (JISSN 2021;18:13) found no studies confirming the van der Merwe DHT finding.

A 2024 narrative review by Forbes et al. examined creatine across the lifespan in men and women and found no evidence of hair-related adverse effects.

Summary: one unreplicated study versus a body of evidence finding no effect.

How DHT Actually Causes Male-Pattern Baldness

Male-pattern baldness is a genetic condition. Specific hair follicles on the top of the scalp express a higher number of androgen receptors. When DHT binds these receptors over years and decades, it triggers follicle miniaturization.

1. Lifelong DHT exposure matters, not 3-week rises. Baldness develops over 5-15 years.
2. Receptor density is genetic. No supplement changes how many androgen receptors your follicles express.
3. Endogenous DHT is the main driver. Supplementation variations are minor compared to natural levels.
4. 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (finasteride) reduce DHT by ~70%. Creatine, even if it raised DHT modestly, does the opposite of this medical pathway.

The Honest Caveat

The 2009 study, while limited, is real evidence that creatine MAY transiently affect DHT in some male populations. The body of replication failure makes it likely that the original finding was an outlier or specific to the rugby/training context.

If you are at high genetic risk for early baldness AND you notice rapid hair changes after starting creatine:

1. Continue creatine and monitor — most users see no effect
2. Stop creatine for 8-12 weeks and assess — if hair stabilizes, you have your answer

What ACTUALLY Causes Hair Loss in UAE Men + Women

• Genetic predisposition (androgenetic alopecia, female-pattern thinning)
• Iron and ferritin deficiency (particularly women — common in MENA)
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Vitamin D deficiency (universal in MENA — see Vitamin D Deficiency UAE)
• Severe calorie deficits
• Crash dieting (telogen effluvium)
• Stress (acute or chronic)
• Postpartum hormone shifts in women

If hair loss is bothering you, audit these first. Creatine is far down the list of causes.

What to Buy if You Want Creatine

Creatine monohydrate, 3-5 g daily, micronized for easier mixing.

Best value

Applied Nutrition Micronized Creatine Monohydrate — from AED 75. Halal-certified, Informed Sport tested.

Skip loading

Take 3-5 g daily from day one. Loading at 20 g/day (the protocol used in the van der Merwe study) was associated with the steepest DHT change. Daily 3-5 g maintenance has never been linked to DHT or hair effects.

FAQ

Does creatine cause hair loss? No reliable evidence supports this. The single 2009 study found a DHT rise (not actual hair loss) in 20 male rugby players and has never been replicated.

Should I stop creatine if I'm worried about my hair? If you have genetic predisposition AND notice rapid hair changes after starting, an 8-12 week pause + observation is reasonable. Otherwise evidence does not support stopping.

Does creatine cause hair loss in women? No evidence supports it. Female-pattern hair thinning involves different hormones. See Creatine for Women.

Should I avoid loading to protect my hair? Loading is unnecessary anyway. Daily 3-5 g reaches the same saturation in 3-4 weeks without the bloat or theoretical DHT spike.

What if I have male-pattern baldness already? Speak to a dermatologist about finasteride or minoxidil if hair preservation is a priority.

Sources

1. van der Merwe J et al. DHT-to-T ratio in rugby players on creatine. Clin J Sport Med. 2009;19(5):399-404.
2. Kreider RB et al. ISSN position stand: creatine. JISSN. 2017;14:18.
3. Antonio J et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine. JISSN. 2021;18:13.
4. Forbes SC et al. Creatine supplementation across the lifespan. Nutrients. 2024.
5. Smith-Ryan AE et al. Creatine in women's health. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):877.

Continue in the cluster

• Creatine: The Complete Guide (pillar)
• Creatine Myths Busted
• Creatine for Women
• When to Take Creatine

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