# Other Discussions > Bodybuilding / Fitness / Nutrition >  Creatine 3 times a week?

## youngster

Hi everyone,

I'm currently 17 years old (18 this year) and I have a family prone to MPB (every male is around NW 5-7). I have been experiencing some thinning, and I'm very cautious regarding my hair loss as I want to retain my hair as long as possible. I currently use Nizoral 2% once a week and I'm planning on starting Rogaine this summer or winter, depending on how my hair loss progresses. 

To my question; I have a mass gainer supplement which I am taking 3 times a week in conjunction with my workouts. My dose contains around 2.3 g of creatine. Since there is a correlation between creatine and increased DHT, I was wondering if taking 2.3 g of creatine only 3 times a week is enough to considerably increase my DHT levels? 
And when I stop taking creatine, will the eventual decrease in DHT mean possible hair loss will be regrown?

I'd appreciate any input on this
Thanks

----------


## Luca

It seems you already have done much research about link between Creatine and hair loss. Creatine does increase DHT concentration 10x which significantly accelerates hair loss. However, I wonder if youre taking less than 5g a day should do harm. Hair loss is mostly genetic and you may be at an age where you would naturally start losing hair. Have you ever considered using ketoconazaole or Minoxidil for hair loss? If hair loss is drug related, it would eventually come back, once you stop using the supplement. However, I see you have strong history of baldness in family, which can make it difficult. The choice is up to you. You can stop taking Creatine if you think, it is to blame or you can continue taking it and add additional supplements that can counteract this effect, like ketoconazaole. How about consulting with a trichologist? Dr. Google can leave you with much confused state of mind.

----------


## Jazz1

I have been using creatine for years and I suffer MPB plus prior to Finesteride i would get the dreaded MPB itch.

One thing I have realised with the help of others is anything over 5g creatine will cause hairloss, this effect does happen to me. I was a regular user of celltech great gains and no effect on my hairloss, when they recently changed their formula it contained 8g I started shedding with itchy scalp. Now I use Maximuscle which has 3.5g and cyclone has 5g without any adverse side effects or hairloss shedding.

----------


## NotBelievingIt

Its a load of hooey that Creatine has any connection with hair loss.

There was ONE craptacular study with like 20 rugby players in South Africa and suddenly people take it for gospel.  Come on guys...seriously.

----------


## av8r10

what a load of complete nonsense, creatine does not have any effect on MPB. take it everyday.

----------


## Dan26

> what a load of complete nonsense, creatine does not have any effect on MPB. take it everyday.


 Based on what, YOUR experiance?

Creatine is harmful for hair. I would air on the safe side and not take it....wth you even need creatine for it is uselesss just eat well exercisise and if you really want look into SARMS or certain hair safe gear

----------


## av8r10

> Based on what, YOUR experiance?
> 
> Creatine is harmful for hair. I would air on the safe side and not take it....wth you even need creatine for it is uselesss just eat well exercisise and if you really want look into SARMS or certain hair safe gear


 How exactly is Creatine harmful for hair? Its an amino acid thats abundant in red meat? It may raise natural testosterone levels but what exact scientific evidence is there to state that it has a direct correlation with hair loss? Would love to see them

----------


## NotBelievingIt

Its not an amino acid.

It alone won't raise testosterone, all it is a type of energy the body needs for type I fibers.


Whats the point?  For strength athletes it means the difference between 4 reps and 5 reps at a heavy weight.  But there is such a thing as a 'non-responder' which means it has zero effect.  That can be both genetic as well as it being sourced sufficiently for your own energy needs from your normal diet so the additional does nothing for you.

----------


## Jazz1

> what a load of complete nonsense, creatine does not have any effect on MPB. take it everyday.


 Lol false statement.

----------


## polios

I started to take creatine on a daily dosage of 5g about 4 months ago and I can see that my hair got worse since then (while my muscles actually grew :Smile: . I would really not recommend it if you want to keep your hair. I will probably stop it as well and then try in one year again for 2 months or so to get that extra amount of weight. That is also the way a lot of fitness trainers recommend it: The effect of creatine will decrease anyway after 2-5 months, so it's better to take it once or twice a year.

----------


## Noah25

This is a good creatine: https://www.optimumnutrition.com/en-...ojx2dPCciV1.97

----------


## hairlossjedi

Hey Guys, just wanted to weigh in on creatine. I took creatine for years as an athlete, focused on powerlifting. I was Norwood 3 when I started, I'm still 3. As I went into medicine and studied creatine, I was able to correlate the hype vs results. True, creatine helps improve your muscles ability to convert ADP to energy. I disagree that it will only " ad a rep to a set". Thats completely false. The US Olympic team in 1996 were ALL taking creatine, at least the kayakers were. I didnt notice any increase in hair loss, even when I bought the sublingual high concentration/ high bioavailability versions. I had to weigh the risks vs. the potential side effects. For me it was a minimal risk. The control group for the so called study " confirming" its harmful effects on MAA are spotty at best. Why? The study had a tiny control group, based on heavy anecdotal evidence, and I cant find any real peer review.  Practitioners hate anecdotal evidence for good reason. But best of luck. I hope you achieve your goals, both hair and in the weight room. I was happy with the goals I met, 495 flat bench, 600 deadlift, 700 squat as a heavyweight. I was on supplements, yes. That did include creatine. The main thing I noticed was dehydration and some kidney damage, but it was hard to put that on creatine because I was on other products.  However, as a medical professional, I have seen zero data that even mildly meets the terms of a scientific conclusion regarding creatine and increased hair loss. I like placebo introduced, double blind, peer reviewed controls in studies. I also like reputable sources for those studies. People can and will print everything, true or not. bottom line is creatine is over rated as a muscle builder. I do believe it increases a muscles endurance, which, in turn leads to strength gain. If its bigger muscles vs more hair, I would lose the creatine and start training hard with some meatheads. I regret taking the supplements btw. Those did lead to hair loss....

----------


## carlsachs

Is it healthy to take it so much? Just saying..

----------


## Trasplantepelo

> Is it healthy to take it so much? Just saying..


 There is not unheatlhy sides of the creatine load in your body, since it can syntetize most part of it, the old myths about people saying that you have to "cycle" your creating, or take dosages of less than 3g per day have been busted long ago.

About the DHT level increase, there is a lot of crap above in the comments, it has been PROVED by not only a rugby study like someone said but for several studies already until the date, that yes, CREATINE increases the DHT levels, which if you are prone to loose hair in the future, it will accelerate the process.

If you are looking to maintain your scalp hair I would likely recommed to stop using any kind of creatine source at all. Even if you reduce the amount of consumption it is still having an impact. Why risk the posible acceleration of you hair loss for just a little bit more of body recuperation and body volume tolerance (which is what actually creatine does, it allows  you to tolerate a little bit more of volume in your workouts since it reduces fatigue symptons).

----------


## Ivanko

> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'm currently 17 years old (18 this year) and I have a family prone to MPB (every male is around NW 5-7). I have been experiencing some thinning, and I'm very cautious regarding my hair loss as I want to retain my hair as long as possible. I currently use Nizoral 2% once a week and I'm planning on starting Rogaine this summer or winter, depending on how my hair loss progresses. 
> 
> To my question; I have a mass gainer supplement which I am taking 3 times a week in conjunction with my workouts. My dose contains around 2.3 g of creatine. Since there is a correlation between creatine and increased DHT, I was wondering if taking 2.3 g of creatine only 3 times a week is enough to considerably increase my DHT levels? 
> And when I stop taking creatine, will the eventual decrease in DHT mean possible hair loss will be regrown?
> 
> I'd appreciate any input on this
> Thanks


 CREATINE does NOT cause hair loss in the way that you will ever notice! 

Do you wanna know what causes more hair loss to you than creatine by 10x times more (it is proved).


1) Exposure to sun for long hours or UV lights
2) POLLUTION in any big city
3) PASTA PIZZA BREAD CEREALS MILK CHEESES SUGAR AND FIZZY DRINKS, EVEN ONCE A WEEK!
4) LACK OF VEGETABLES AND ANTI INFLAMMATORY PRODUCTS


GUYS! I have STOPPED and working on REVERTING hair loss thanks to NO PRODUCT, or simply AVOIDING all products/food/environments that
create INFLAMMATION (including any form of stress). 

What to do to reduce inflammation and grow hair again? 

adjust your diet and take anti inflammatory supplements in big quantities, that's it. 
Hair fall due to inflammation, not because of DHT.

----------


## mrbob

Using too much creatine can cause so much hair loss, this is not a lame talk this is a real experience of mine because I was a model and used to post my dressed-up pictures on social media daily and I also had smm reseller panel to get fame faster and that was the reason I took too many creatine in my hairs which caused too much hair loss so never ever try these experiment in order to look beautiful because, at the end you will find yourself with less hairs.

----------

