Does taking creatine make your hair fall out?

Short answer

No. The rumor started with hormone levels in 20 people in 2009, and in a 12-week trial that measured hair directly, hair density and thickness in the creatine group did not differ from placebo.

Does taking creatine make your hair fall out?
'Creatine → more hair-loss hormone → hair loss' — does this formula hold?
People often say creatine raises a hormone linked to hair loss (DHT), so your hair falls out. We checked where this claim came from and what happened in a study that measured hair directly.
The rumor started with one study
DHT rose 56% in 20 people
In 2009, 20 people took 25 g of creatine a day for 7 days, then 5 g a day for 14 days. Testosterone stayed the same, but DHT rose 56% after 7 days and was still 40% above the start at 3 weeks.
But look closer at that study
Hair was never measured, and levels stayed normal
The study measured only blood hormones and body composition, not hair. 16 people finished, and the creatine group started with DHT 23% lower than the placebo group. Even after rising, DHT stayed within the normal range.
What did other studies find?
Almost none saw testosterone rise
Of 12 other studies giving 3 to 25 g of creatine a day for 6 days to 12 weeks, 10 found no change in testosterone and 2 found very small rises. In a trial giving 11 people 20 g a day for 5 days, the testosterone response also stayed the same. No study repeated the DHT rise.
When hair was measured directly
No difference in hair density or thickness over 12 weeks
45 people were split into groups taking 5 g of creatine or a placebo daily for 12 weeks, and 38 finished. Close-up scalp imaging of hair density, follicle count and thickness showed no difference between groups. DHT levels did not differ either.
Hormones moved regardless of creatine
Testosterone rose more in the placebo group
In the same trial, testosterone rose in both groups over 12 weeks, but the rise was 124 in the creatine group and 216 in the placebo group, larger on placebo. Neither group reported side effects.
Bottom line: no result shows creatine causes hair loss
The formula failed to hold up from its first link
The only basis for the rumor was hormone levels from one 2009 study that never measured hair. In a 12-week trial that did measure hair, 5 g a day made no difference. The usual 3 to 5 g a day can be taken without hair-loss worries.