Creatine is one of the most thoroughly researched nutritional supplements in the world. And yet, somehow, it remains one of the most misunderstood, shrouded in a cloud of misinformation ranging from the absurd to the partially-true-but-still-mostly-bullshit. “A lot of times, especially in the nutrition world, these myths are based on some morsel of truth that sort of gives them momentum,” says Dana White, a registered dietitian and clinical professor of health and exercise science at Quinnipiac University.
The thing is, not only does creatine have more published research behind it than just about any other supplement out there, but it’s also been found time and time again to be among the safest and most effective. Basically, if you’re looking to build muscle or even improve athletic performance in a specific sport, creatine could be your secret weapon. (Although, given the context, we should say not too secret.
We’re talking about a supplement that gets the nod from the World Anti-Doping Agency). So what actually are the biggest myths about creatine? And is it actually a steroid? We put the question to some performance nutrition experts, and here’s what they had to say. Myth #1: Creatine is a steroid
This is by far the most enduring myth, but make no mistake: “Creatine is absolutely not a steroid,” says White.
The confusion, most likely, is simply a case
The confusion, most likely, is simply a case of bad timing. “I think creatine got this bad reputation as it rose in popularity around the same time as steroid use, back in the 80s and early 90s,” she says. “Chemically speaking, the two are vastly different,” says Alexander Leritz, a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist at JM Nutrition. Steroids—drugs manufactured to mimic hormones like testosterone and other androgens—are generally not something you could accidentally happen upon in the aisles of your local supplement shop, and certainly not at the supermarket.
Creatine, on the other hand, is a naturally occurring compound made up of basic amino acids and can be found in foods like red meat, chicken and eggs. The reason why people even use creatine supplements is that it’s just a little too challenging to consume enough of these foods to hit the recommended daily dose of five grams. “It would take upwards of a pound of red meat a day, possibly more,” says White.
“Instead, you can get that same dose of creatine with a very small amount of a good, high-quality supplement.”
Myth #2: Creatine makes you lose your hair
This is a notion that has recently resurfaced, and one that influencers love to hammer on for engagement. “This myth is based on a small subset of really bad data from a very long time ago,” says White. “Of course, as we know, these myths tend to carry over time.”
Specifically, the theory that creatine causes hair loss can be traced back to a small 2009 study that looked at rugby players taking creatine.
Essentially, the researchers noticed an increase
Essentially, the researchers noticed an increase in a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which is involved in male-pattern hair loss in susceptible individuals. “This study garnered a lot of attention,” says Leritz. “It is important to note, however, that the study did not actually measure hair loss.”
More recently, a 2025 trial spent 12 weeks monitoring the effects of creatine supplementation compared to a placebo.
“The researchers were kind of, like, ‘Let’s actually dig into this myth and see if there’s anything to it,’” says White. The results, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, reported no significant differences in DHT levels or hair growth. “While it is worth keeping an eye on this space for future controlled studies, the current body of evidence does not support the myth that taking creatine can cause hair loss,” Leritz says.
Myth #3: Creatine gains are just water weight
You might have heard that creatine doesn’t really make your muscles bigger—it just floods them with water volume that evaporates as soon as you stop taking the supplement. This is objectively false, but there is some nuance involved. And since social media doesn’t do nuance, the myth persists. “It is true that when you start taking creatine, your muscles draw in a little bit more water,” says White.
But that is a pretty short-lived effect
“But that is a pretty short-lived effect. It doesn’t last for that long—maybe a few weeks.”
The confusion around this myth is fueled further by the fact that creatine doesn’t technically (or directly, anyway) make your muscles bigger. “Studies have shown that when creatine is combined with resistance training, it often is accompanied by greater increases in lean mass and strength as compared to resistance training alone,” says Leritz.
“Reason being, creatine can improve performance during repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise, which can potentially result in squeezing out more reps, using slightly heavier weights, or even maintaining high-intensity performance for longer.”
In other words, creatine gives you a performance boost that allows you to train at a higher level, which can ultimately unlock greater gains.
And as for what happens to all that freshly minted muscle when you stop supplementing with creatine? “That’s yours to keep,” says White. “Obviously, you have to maintain it through proper training, fueling, and recovery. But yeah, it doesn’t just disappear.”
This story originally appeared in British GQ.
Source: www.gq.com
