Creatine is one of the most known supplements among men and women looking to improve their performance when performing physical activities such as going to the gym or running. However, its tremendous benefits for the body are suspected of having a price: recent scientific studies indicate a relationship between creatine and hair loss, but is it true?
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What Is Creatine?
Creatine is an organic compound that is very popular today. It is known for facilitating the muscle recycling of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP is the cell’s energy currency; creatine helps replace energy in the muscle and brain cells. This function makes creatine very influential in nutrition, especially for high-performance athletes.
People who participate in sports like rugby, basketball, soccer, boxing, and running (among others) take creatine. Many studies found that taking creatine can prevent some neurological disorders, increase energy, and help build muscle mass, improving overall strength.
The human body creates creatine but at deficient levels, so taking supplements increases the amount in the system. Here are the benefits and possible side effects of creatine:
Benefits Of Creatine
- Increases the energy levels of muscle. As mentioned before, creatine increases energy levels in the muscle cell. Creatine produces ATP as you work physically, but the rate is slow. Taking this compound enables you to make more energy.
- Improves your muscle mass. Enhances your performance by improving muscle mass formation. It also decreases the levels of myostatin, which is the hormone responsible for slowing muscle mass.
- Improves your brain function. Creatine is excellent for improving your brain function. According to different studies, your brain requires a determined level of ATP for a correct operation. This means improved intelligence, memory, and other benefits.
- It can help to prevent neurological diseases. One of the leading causes of neurological defects is depleted creatine in the brain. In scientific research on mice, creatine use increased from 26% to 72%. This could slow the progression of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Ischemic stroke, and other neurological issues.
- Great for high-intensity exercise. High-level athletes require strength and a high level of endurance to exercise correctly. With creatine, you can improve your overall strength, endurance, fatigue resistance, and brain power by 15%.
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Possible Negative Effects Of Creatine
- Water retention. Creatine draws water into the cells in your muscles, which can result in bloating or puffiness on your stomach.
- Kidney problems. A study in 2018 found that creatine had no adverse effects on kidneys in healthy people if taken as indicated; however, this supplement might worsen kidney dysfunction in people who already have kidney disorders.
- Hair Loss. There is concern that creatine could cause hair loss since it converts testosterone to DHT, a hormone known to provoke hair loss.
Why Is Creatine Linked With Hair Loss?
DHT is a hormone derived from another hormone that you probably know about, testosterone, the male reproductive system’s primary hormone. Testosterone always plays a crucial role in forming muscle mass and body hair. That’s why a significant number of men have more hair than women.
When you take creatine, the conversion of testosterone to DHT increases in your system. Since testosterone needs to be converted to DHT before performing its functions properly, creatine accelerates this process. The relationship between taking creatine and the levels of the DHT in the system has been linked to male pattern baldness.
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Creatine supplements cause an increase in your DHT levels which alters the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT. Hair follicles have a cycle of growth, the resting phase, and the falling of follicles. The increased rate of DHT accelerates this growth phase, leading to weaker, thinner hair and rapid hair loss. In conclusion, creatine does not directly cause hair loss, but it can contribute to it in combination with other factors.
Whether you suspect you are losing due to creatine, hereditary, poor nutrition, anxiety, or other factors, you must know that dealing with hair loss doesn’t need to be a struggle. Today’s technology offers plenty of solutions for male pattern baldness.
Latest Hair Loss Solutions
At Hairfix, we have the best hair loss solutions depending on your needs. If you have minimum hair loss, then mesotherapy is an excellent option. In case of severe hair loss, we recommend a hair transplant.
What is Mesotherapy?
- Mesotherapy. Is a minimally invasive procedure that uses microinjections of vitamins for hair loss, antioxidants, enzymes, minerals, and amino acids to improve hair quality in terms of strength, growth, and volume. Mesotherapy can help with numerous health and beauty-related issues but is mainly used for skin and hair. Hair mesotherapy is a safe and fast method: each session lasts approximately 20 to 30 minutes and is suitable for both men and women.
- Hair Transplant. This procedure consists of extracting hair from the back of the head to later implant it in the areas affected by alopecia, such as the crown and hairline.
With the DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) technique, natural-looking results and high survival rates of the transplanted follicles are obtained without creating cuts, so no scars are left behind.
There are some potential causes for hair loss, but creatine isn’t just one of them. If you are experiencing hair loss and are concerned about creatine, we can help you. Our hair transplant doctor in Mexico can diagnose the root cause of your hair loss and recommend an appropriate treatment plan. Contact us today and schedule an appointment, don’t let thinning hair keep you from looking and feeling your best! Ask us about hair restoration in Tijuana and know the best affordable hair restoration.
