Does Creatine Increase Testosterone? What the Studies Show

Introduction to Creatine and Testosterone

Creatine testosterone research emerged largely from a single 2009 study that reported an increase in DHT among rugby players. That finding has circulated widely, but the broader body of evidence tells a more careful story.

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied supplements in sports nutrition. It works by increasing phosphocreatine stores in muscle, which supports ATP regeneration during high-intensity exercise. The testosterone question matters for two reasons. First, athletes wonder whether creatine might offer an additional hormonal benefit beyond its direct effects on muscle energy. Second, concerns about DHT and hair loss have led some men to avoid creatine despite its well-documented performance benefits. Both questions require looking at what the controlled trials actually measured, not what the supplement marketing or forum discussions claim.

The research on creatine testosterone includes studies measuring total testosterone, free testosterone, and DHT in resistance-trained men taking creatine monohydrate at standard doses. The trials vary in duration, sample size, and population, but the pattern that emerges is consistent: creatine does not produce meaningful changes in these hormones. Understanding why requires examining the studies themselves, not the headlines or the claims in product listings.

Does Creatine Increase Testosterone? Review of Key Studies

Two human trials sit at the center of the creatine testosterone question. One found a large DHT increase with no testosterone change. The other found neither. Both were small, both were short, and both measured different things.

The 2009 South African Rugby Study

Twenty college rugby players took 25 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for seven days, then 5 grams daily for 14 days. Serum testosterone did not change at any point. DHT increased by 56% after the loading phase and remained 40% above baseline after the maintenance phase. The ratio of DHT to testosterone rose by 36% after loading and stayed 22% elevated after maintenance.

That is a large effect on DHT. The study was published, peer-reviewed, and widely cited. It is also the only published trial that measured DHT after creatine supplementation until 2025.

The 2025 Replication Attempt

Forty-five resistance-trained men took 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for 12 weeks. Blood was drawn at baseline and week 12 for total testosterone, free testosterone, and DHT. Hair follicle health was assessed using standardized photography and participant questionnaires.

No group-by-time interaction was found for any hormone. Total testosterone increased in both groups (creatine: +124 ng/dL; placebo: +216 ng/dL). Free testosterone decreased in both groups. DHT did not change. Hair density, thickness, and shedding showed no difference between groups.

The authors concluded that 12 weeks of creatine supplementation at the standard maintenance dose does not affect androgen levels or hair follicle health in healthy young males.

What the Difference Tells You

The 2009 study used a high-dose loading protocol (25 grams per day). The 2025 study used a flat 5-gram daily dose with no loading phase. The 2009 study measured at 7 and 21 days. The 2025 study measured at 12 weeks. The 2009 study enrolled 20 participants. The 2025 study enrolled 45 and completed data on 38.

One trial found a DHT spike during high-dose loading. One trial found nothing after 12 weeks at the standard dose. Neither tells you what happens in year two.

Loading is optional. Most people who take creatine long-term skip it and take 5 grams daily from day one. The effect, if any, may be dose-dependent, time-dependent, or both. We do not know because the data set is two trials.

What Does Creatine Testosterone Research Mean for Athletes?

The research on creatine testosterone does not support taking creatine to raise testosterone. The testosterone-to-cortisol ratio improved in one 8-week resistance-training study, but that ratio shift came from lower cortisol, not higher testosterone. Athletes using creatine for performance should expect strength and body composition gains, not hormonal changes.

What the Hormonal Data Actually Shows

The 40-participant trial measured several anabolic and catabolic markers. Both creatine monohydrate and creatine hydrochloride groups showed a significant increase in the testosterone-to-cortisol ratio compared to placebo (P ≤ 0.05). That sounds like a testosterone win until you read the mechanism: cortisol and ACTH levels dropped significantly in the supplementation groups, while testosterone itself was not reported as elevated. The ratio improved because the denominator fell, not because the numerator rose.

Growth hormone and IGF-1 levels did increase significantly in the creatine groups (P ≤ 0.05), and both are tied to anabolic processes. But neither GH nor IGF-1 is testosterone, and neither predicts a rise in serum testosterone in healthy young men who already train.

Practical Recommendations for Athletes

If you are taking creatine to build strength, increase muscle cross-sectional area, or improve power output, the evidence supports that use. The same 8-week study showed significant increases in strength, arm and thigh muscle cross-sectional area, and skeletal muscle mass in both creatine groups, with significant reductions in body fat percentage compared to placebo (P ≤ 0.05). Those are the outcomes creatine consistently delivers.

If you are taking creatine hoping to raise testosterone or treat low testosterone symptoms, the evidence does not support that expectation. No published trial has shown creatine supplementation raising total or free testosterone in healthy men or in men with diagnosed hypogonadism. The DHT question remains open—one small rugby study found an increase, but it has not been replicated in larger or longer trials.

Athletes concerned about testosterone should test first: a morning total testosterone, free testosterone, LH, and SHBG panel will tell you whether you have a hormonal issue or a training and recovery issue. Creatine addresses neither directly, but it does support the training stimulus that, combined with adequate sleep and calorie intake, allows natural testosterone production to function.

How Creatine Works and What It Does Not Do

Creatine increases phosphocreatine stores in muscle, which supports ATP regeneration during high-intensity, short-duration efforts. That mechanism has nothing to do with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. The performance benefits—more reps, heavier loads, faster sprint recovery—are real and reproducible. The hormonal benefits are speculative and, where measured, either absent or driven by cortisol suppression rather than testosterone elevation.

If your goal is muscle gain and you are already training hard, creatine works. If your goal is higher testosterone, creatine is not the lever. Test your levels, address sleep and body composition if needed, and consider treatment options that actually target the axis.

Conclusion and Future Directions

The short answer: creatine testosterone research shows creatine does not raise testosterone. The one trial that measured both hormones found no change in total testosterone after seven days of loading or fourteen days of maintenance. What did change was DHT — dihydrotestosterone increased by 56% during loading and stayed 40% above baseline during maintenance. The DHT-to-testosterone ratio climbed 36% in the first week and remained 22% elevated after that.

That single study had twenty college-age rugby players. Nobody has replicated it. The trial did not measure free testosterone, LH, FSH or estradiol, so we do not know whether creatine shifts the rest of the panel or just accelerates the conversion step from testosterone to DHT. The participants were not hypogonadal, and the study did not track them past three weeks. We have no data on what happens in older men, in women, or in anyone using creatine for months or years.

What We Don't Know Yet

The DHT finding matters if you are already at risk for androgenic effects — male-pattern hair loss, prostate growth, acne — but we do not have dose-response data, we do not know whether the effect plateaus, and we do not know whether it reverses when you stop. Long-term safety research indicates no adverse health effects from creatine supplementation, including no increase in muscle injury or cramps, but none of them tracked the androgen panel over time.

The question worth asking next: does a higher DHT-to-testosterone ratio from creatine produce measurable changes in strength, recovery, body composition or androgenic side effects that the existing performance trials missed? The current evidence does not answer that. Until it does, the case for creatine rests on what it does to phosphocreatine stores and work capacity, not on what it might do to your hormones.

If you want the full picture on testosterone testing and treatment options, start with the panel that measures what matters and the baseline that tells you whether intervention makes sense. The DHT question is secondary to knowing your total and free testosterone, your LH and your SHBG first.

FAQ

Does creatine increase testosterone levels?No. Controlled trials show no significant increase in total testosterone or free testosterone from creatine supplementation at standard doses.

Does creatine raise DHT?One 2009 study found a 56% DHT increase during high-dose loading (25 grams/day), but a 2025 replication using 5 grams/day for 12 weeks found no DHT change.

Can creatine cause hair loss?The 2025 study found no change in hair density, thickness, or shedding after 12 weeks of creatine supplementation. The DHT-hair loss link remains theoretical in this context.

Should I avoid creatine if I'm concerned about testosterone?Creatine does not lower testosterone. If you have low testosterone, test your levels first. Creatine supports performance but does not treat hormonal deficiency.

What does creatine actually do?Creatine increases phosphocreatine stores in muscle, supporting ATP regeneration during high-intensity exercise. It improves strength, power output, and muscle mass.

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