Creatine is often consumed by bodybuilders, gym goers, and many individuals for the sake of improving physical health, strengthening muscles, and performing physical exercise. All these are benefits of consuming creatine supplements to keep active and energized throughout the day.
Various Research studies and findings identify that creatine becomes a concern of hair loss and enhances the cases of baldness among men. Individuals scratch their heads and start wondering about can taking creatine cause hair loss and whether it is really worthwhile or not.
Before you stop consuming supplements, let’s delve into the connection between creatine and hair loss. It helps you in making informed decisions to determine whether this sports supplement is right for you. Let’s delve into insights into it:
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a natural chemical found in the body though consuming red meat and seafood. Suppose you’re vegetarian and don’t prefer to eat items like red meat. So, you can take creatine supplements. Creatine was developed by French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul in the year 1832 as an intermediate product.
Since then, creatine has become the hottest topic of research studies for positive outcomes for athletes and people seeking to build muscle mass and improve physical appearance.
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Protects from injuries
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Gain Fat-free mass
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Muscles strengthening
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Improve Physical performance
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Be active and positive
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Post-exercise recovery
According to one publication, there are more than 300 studies examining the impact of creatine on physical performance. Out of them, approximately 70% of research studies reveal significant results on the favorable side. Furthermore, no study has proven that taking creatine causes a statistically significant decline in performance.
Creatine supplements consumed in the form of tablet, powder, or liquid form are often recommended by healthcare practitioners. Moreover, people can also take it with a meal, preferably one that includes fruit and carbs, as this is when the body absorbs creatine in the best possible manner when taken with carbohydrates.
Can Creatine Cause Hair Loss?
Many people search queries on search engines that can creatine cause hair loss. However, there is no straightforward answer to this question, and it is considered one of the most irritating questions. Let’s discuss what scientific opinion on this matter.
Most issues of hair loss for creatine come from one study turning to the evidence, if you can call it that — is weak.
Creatine consumption may develop the risk of enhancing DHT levels, which increases enzyme levels in the body, converting testosterone to DHT. This may lead to hair loss.
Common Questions and Misconceptions About Creatine Supplementation:
What Does the Scientific Evidence Really Show? This Is one of the research studies that were published in 2021. This includes the study of rugby players who concluded that there was insufficient data to determine that consuming creatine supplements can cause or exacerbate baldness or hair loss.
What Are Possible Side Effects of Creatine?
All of us are aware that every supplement causes some side effects. Some of them are mentioned below:
Weight Gain
Consumption of creatine directly with water enhances water retention in the muscles and can cause water weight and fluid retention, leading to bloat in body parts such as the stomach, legs, and arms. This can be a concerning factor for bodybuilders who are working out on weights. It is worth mentioning that extra weight does not have fat. However, fat accumulates only with a surplus of calories, and creatine itself contains no calories.
Fluid retention diminishes over time and can be managed by staying well-hydrated to promote urination and by maintaining an active lifestyle.
Gastrointestinal Issues
Excessive consumption of creatine can cause stomach pain and digestive issues. According to a research study published in 2008 found that 10g of creatine in a day enhances the risk of diarrhoea by 56%. To overcome this problem, patients can consume 3-5g doses of creatine in a day or by consulting with a healthcare expert.
Kidney Function
Consuming Creatine supplements for long years may affect the functioning of the kidney, specifically for people dealing with pre-existing kidney issues. If you’ve any kidney disease, it is essential to make an appointment with a healthcare professional before taking creatine.
Conclusion
Hair loss happens due to different reasons. Some of them are medication, stress, anxiety, genetics, hormonal imbalance, and hair treatments if you’ve taken them in your life. You can ask your opinion from a healthcare practitioner is creatine can cause hair loss and try to find out the actual reason for the hair health and discuss with them about your hair loss symptoms.
Healthcare experts can suggest some examinations to determine the underlying issues of hair loss and recommend hair treatment accordingly. Also, they will provide you with the right suggestions on whether you can consume creatine or not. Assuming that this blog post will guide you to some extent about consuming creatine. If you’ve any doubts or issues related to creatine, you should contact a healthcare professional immediately before the condition gets worse.
FAQs
Can Creatine Cause Hair Loss in Men?
Ans. Research studies haven’t proven till now that creatine consumption causes hair loss, especially in men or women. It can happen due to different reasons, such as an imbalance in hormones, existing medications, overall medical conditions, and genetics.
How Might Creatine Affect Hair Health?
Ans. Research studies do not hold strong evidence that creatine is directly connected to hair health issues. So, we can’t say that creatine is the only reason for losing hair health. However, hair health relies on various factors, which include hormonal balance, overall physical health, genetics, and many more.
What Other Side Effects Can Creatine Have?
Ans. Side effects of creatine may vary from person to person, depending on an individual overall medical condition. Weight gain, muscle cramps, gastrointestinal and kidney Issues are some side effects of creatine.
Are There Any Alternatives to Creatine That Don’t Affect Hair?
Ans. Yes, other alternative supplements are available like beta-alanine or branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) that have no connection with hair health. These alternatives suit the bodybuilders and athletes helping to improve physical appearance and building mass muscles. Before selecting any supplement, it is advisable you consult a healthcare expert and seek their advice that suits your existing health.
