Dr. Raquel Amaro Silva
SURGEON PONTEVEDRA
Collegiate No. 362607457
Graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Santiago de Compostela with a Master's Degree in Aesthetic Medicine and Trichology and Hair Micrograft. She currently works as a doctor and hair surgeon in Hospital Capilar as head of the headquarters Hospital Capilar Pontevedra.
Especially among athletes, there is a growing tendency to consume creatine-based supplementation to achieve better results in strength training. However, the debate around whether taking creatine causes baldness or, on the contrary, does not influence hair health has created some mistrust around its consumption for this purpose.
From Hospital Capilar, clinic specialized in hair health, we tell you to what extent taking creatine causes baldness and if, in any case, its consumption is recommended.
Creatine is not a steroid or similar, but is a compound that our body produces naturally. Specifically, it is a amino acid found in muscles in the form of phosphocreatine, and also in the brain.
Although we can find creatine in certain foods such as seafood and red meat, there is a growing trend toward consuming creatine-based dietary supplements, especially among those who do strength training and want to see better results. This is because the creatine the body produces is in very small quantities compared to what we can consume artificially. Thanks to creatine's properties, we obtain significant benefits:
Creatine helps replenish energy in muscle and brain cells by facilitating the uptake of adenosine triphosphate. This means that by consuming creatine supplements we feel more energetic for longer while the feeling of tiredness or fatigue is reduced during exercise practice. It also improves recovery after strength exercises and can reduce discomfort from post-workout soreness.
On the other hand, creatine influences the process of building muscle mass as it increases the rate of its production. It is also involved in the functioning of the hormone called myostatin, which is responsible for the decrease in muscle volume. What creatine does in this regard is reduce myostatin levels, preventing muscle volume from being reduced.
In addition to the benefits it offers at the muscular level, creatine is also recommended to improve neural activity by promoting concentration and memory. It is also beneficial in patients with Parkinson's since dopamine levels are optimized, a substance that causes the symptoms of this disease.
As for the negative effects of creatine on hair, the truth is that it is related to the increase in the levels of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone derived from testosterone that produces the irreversible destruction of hair follicles causing androgenetic alopecia.
That is, there are studies that establish that creatine causes testosterone to become DHT in greater amounts. When this happens, the person develops a hormonal type alopecia, androgenic alopecia, causing the hair that falls not to come out again. In this sense, It could not be said as such that taking creatine causes baldness, but rather that it accelerates the effects of androgenic alopecia in people predisposed to it.However, it's important to note that there are no solid scientific studies or conclusions on this matter, so we'll have to wait for further studies and analysis to know for sure.
Taking creatine as a woman is safe and can provide multiple benefits. It's best to take it after a workout or with a meal to improve absorption, and stay well hydrated. Although some women are concerned about creatine's impact on hair or whether it causes weight gain, there is no direct scientific evidence that it causes hair loss or weight gain; rather, the key is to maintain healthy habits and consult a professional if there is a hormonal history.
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In the same way that it is said that taking creatine causes baldness, there are other factors that are related to hair loss such as Stress, a bad eating, hormonal imbalances and the hereditary factor, among others. In any case, in the event of unusual hair loss that is also accompanied by a lack of density, it is important to see a specialist in the field.
Receiving a correct hair medical diagnosis is key to determining the most effective treatment to reduce hair loss. Based on the pattern of hair loss, as well as the state of the scalp and the patient's health, the medical team determines the type of alopecia and the treatment to follow.
There are drugs for oral consumption aimed at stopping hair loss in cases of androgenic alopecia, such as Finasteride, and others that thicken the hair and reduce hair miniaturizationand Minoxidil. In any case, it must be a doctor who prescribes this type of drug after diagnosis to be able to buy it in pharmacies.
La hair mesotherapy It is a medical treatment that consists of the subdermal infiltration of vitamins and drugs adapted to the patient in the scalp. Boosts hair health by stopping hair loss, thickening hair and leaving it looking healthier and of better quality.
El Platelet Rich Plasma, or PRP, is another of the most demanded hair treatments today. By extracting blood from the patient and its subsequent centrifugation, the plasma enriched with Growth Factors: Stimulating Hair Growth which is injected into the scalp. This treatment promotes hair regeneration, hair growth and promotes healing, making it an ideal post-surgical treatment for patients who have undergone a hair graft.
En Hospital Capilar you will find a team of medical professionals with whom to treat hair problems such as alopecia. Request your free medical diagnosis and put yourself in the hands of professionals.