There is no scientific evidence that creatine lowers libido. No published study has measured or reported a decrease in sexual desire as a direct effect of creatine supplementation. The concern likely stems from broader worries about creatine affecting hormones, but the research doesn’t support that connection either.
Where the Concern Comes From
Much of the anxiety around creatine and sexual health traces back to a single 2009 study on college-aged rugby players. That study found creatine increased levels of DHT (a potent form of testosterone) by 56% during a high-dose loading phase and 40% during a maintenance phase. DHT plays a role in hair loss, prostate health, and sex drive, so people understandably started connecting dots. But the study had only 20 participants, lasted just three weeks, and never measured libido or sexual function at all.
More importantly, no one has been able to replicate those DHT findings. A 2024 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial lasting 12 weeks found no significant differences between creatine and placebo groups for DHT levels, testosterone levels, or the ratio between them. That study was considerably more rigorous than the original, and it’s the strongest evidence to date that creatine doesn’t meaningfully alter these hormones.
What Creatine Actually Does to Hormones
Creatine is not a hormone, a steroid, or a testosterone booster. It’s a compound your body already makes from amino acids, stored mostly in muscle tissue, where it helps regenerate the energy currency your cells use during short, intense efforts. When you supplement with it, you’re topping off those energy stores.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition has reviewed the literature extensively and concluded that creatine monohydrate poses no adverse health risks in healthy individuals at doses up to 30 grams per day for up to five years. Their position stand does not mention any hormonal disruption, and no clinical trial included in their review flagged changes in sex hormones as a concern. Testosterone levels in studies consistently remain stable with creatine use.
Could Creatine Affect Libido Indirectly?
While creatine doesn’t directly lower sex drive, a few indirect pathways are worth considering. High-dose loading phases (typically 20 to 25 grams per day for five to seven days) can cause stomach upset, diarrhea, bloating, dizziness, and muscle cramps. Feeling physically uncomfortable for a week isn’t exactly a recipe for sexual desire, but these side effects are temporary and avoidable if you skip the loading phase and start with a standard 3 to 5 gram daily dose instead.
Mood changes are another theoretical link, though the evidence here is thin. A small number of case reports have documented increased nervousness or aggressiveness in people taking very high doses, and two individuals with bipolar disorder experienced manic episodes while supplementing. One animal study found increased depression-like behavior in male rats on creatine, though a follow-up study couldn’t replicate it. These are isolated findings, not patterns, but they suggest that people with pre-existing mood disorders should pay attention to how they feel after starting creatine. Since mood and libido are closely connected, any supplement that affects one could theoretically affect the other.
Creatine and Women’s Hormonal Health
Women produce 70 to 80% less creatine than men, and their creatine metabolism fluctuates with estrogen and progesterone levels throughout the menstrual cycle. Estrogen appears to regulate creatine kinase activity, meaning creatine processing in the body rises and falls in sync with hormonal shifts during different cycle phases. This has led researchers to suggest that creatine supplementation may actually be more beneficial for women, particularly during periods of low estrogen like the follicular phase, during menstruation, after pregnancy, or through menopause.
None of this research has identified any negative effect on female sexual health or hormonal balance. If anything, the data points toward creatine supporting energy availability in the brain and body during hormonally demanding times, which could indirectly support rather than hinder well-being.
What’s More Likely Affecting Your Libido
If you’ve started taking creatine and noticed a drop in sex drive around the same time, the creatine is probably not the cause. Libido is sensitive to dozens of variables: sleep quality, stress, training volume, caloric intake, body image, and relationship dynamics all play significant roles. People who start creatine are often simultaneously increasing their training intensity, which can suppress libido on its own through elevated cortisol and physical fatigue.
Caloric deficits are another common culprit. Many people begin supplementing creatine while cutting weight, and restricted energy intake is one of the most reliable libido killers in both men and women. If your sex drive has dropped, it’s worth looking at your overall routine, recovery, and nutrition before pointing at creatine.
Creatine remains one of the most studied and well-tolerated supplements available. At standard doses, it doesn’t alter testosterone, doesn’t reliably change DHT, and has never been shown to reduce sexual desire in any controlled trial.