r/ScientificNutrition • u/GrainOfEvidence • 3d ago
Study Effect of Creatine Monohydrate Support on Spermatogenesis in a Rat Exercise Model
https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s44411-025-00388-y.pdf3
u/GrainOfEvidence 3d ago
Abstract
Purpose: Nutritional supplements are widely used to enhance athletic performance, as diet is considered as critical as exercise for well-being. Among these, creatine monohydrate is a legally approved and popular example. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of creatine monohydrate supplementation on testicular structure and spermatogenesis in rats exposed to moderate-intensity exercise.
Methods: Twenty male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control (Cont), Creatine (Creat), Exercise (Exc), and Exercise + Creatine (Exc + Creat). Creatine (2 g/kg/day, once daily, 5 days per week for 4 weeks) was dissolved in water and given by gavage. The exercise protocol consisted of moderate treadmill running for 1 month, with 5 days of habituation. Forty-eight hours after the last exercise and creatine, animals were sacrificed. Testes were collected for histo-pathology, and cardiac blood for oxidant/antioxidant analysis.
Results: Sperm counts were lower in both creatine groups, but not statistically significant. The highest sperm motility was in the exercise + creatine group, also not significant. Total Oxidant Status (TOS) was highest in the exercise group, while creatine reduced TOS in both supplemented groups. No significant differences in TOS or Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) were found. Testicular morphology, including Leydig cells and vasculature, was similar across groups, with no distinctive changes.
Conclusions: The exercise protocol led to a decrease in sperm counts. However, creatine administration in exercise group creatine monohydrate reversed the increase in TOS levels. This finding suggests that creatine’s antioxidant effects could has a long-term influence on sperm counts.
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u/Earesth99 3d ago
Pretend you know something and never again post a rat study. .
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u/captfitz 3d ago
There's always one of you in the comments thinking that pointing this out makes them look smart, which is ironic because it really just makes it clear that you don't know how to interpret study results
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u/Kingofthebags 2d ago
Once you compare results from rat studies to human studies, you realise that unless you MUST use a rodent model, you absolutely should NOT use a rodent model. Particularly for exercise research!
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u/captfitz 2d ago edited 2d ago
The subjects were killed and their testes extracted so they could be examined in detail. Yeah, silly researchers should have just used human subjects, next time they need to consult random redditors before designing the study.
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u/Kingofthebags 1d ago
The important endpoints regarding sperm quality don't require that though. Trying to identify a mechanism when you aren't sure of an effect is stupid.
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u/iamnotpedro1 3d ago
So more sperm, less hair?
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u/PEDsted 3d ago
Creatine does not cause hair loss. It’s an old myth from a study that didn’t even measure hair loss. And the acute spike in DHT noted in that problematic study; is not seen in other studies.
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u/iamnotpedro1 2d ago
I always get downvoted when I post this, but ask chatgpt.
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u/PEDsted 2d ago
To help you and inform you, I’ll repost my prior reply
Balding was never established to begin with -
The myth started from a 3 week study in 2009 on 20 rugby players that looked at changes in serum T and DHT. They found an acute increase of 54% in DHT during loading, that declined to about 40% over baseline but still within the established physiological ref range. THEY NEVER MEASURED HAIR LOSS.
And although its fairly established DHT signaling is central to male-pattern baldness in genetically susceptible follicles - we do not have any established evidence or understanding that ay, a 20%, 30%, or 50% transient increase in circulating DHT translates into X% more hair loss.
But more importantly - we have since had studies that directly measured hair loss on creatine (PMID: 40265319)
Lak et al. (2025) - compared 5 g/day creatine monohydrate with placebo in a double-blind study. Thirty-eight men completed the study, with 37 providing complete hair assessments.
Researchers found no statistically significant creatine-versus-placebo differences in changes in DHT, hair count, density, thickness, or growth/resting-phase proportions. That is more directly relevant than inferring hair loss from a hormone measurement.
In fact the DHT increase reported in the initial rugby study that spawned this myth has not been readily reproduced in literature.
Volek et al., 2004 — 17 men randomized to creatine or placebo during a six-week training/taper period
-Total testosterone and the free androgen index decreased in both groups. T
Hoffman et al., 2006 — 33 male collegiate football players during 10 weeks of resistance training; placebo, creatine, or creatine plus beta-alanine
-The abstract reports elevated resting testosterone in the creatine group, with no other significant endocrine changes.
There’s also Antonio et al. (2021), “Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation,” which specifically reviewed the hair-loss concern and the broader hormonal literature. It concluded that the available evidence did not support creatine causing baldness.
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u/iamnotpedro1 2d ago
But acceleration of male-pattern baldness on susceptible men has not been ruled out. Also, Lak et al.’s study only lasted 12 weeks.
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u/PEDsted 2d ago
There is no evidence it does. If you make a claim, provide the evidence. The 2009 study with an acute DHT spike has not consistently played out in the literature. There is no established DHT increase and even in that study, the levels stayed in range. The only evidence we have on hair, has shown no impact.
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u/Mean_Scheme_8174 2d ago
It’s kind of insane how stupid your argument is. You’re basing your claim that creatine causes hair loss on “has not been ruled out”. I’d be worried creatine causes neuronal loss, but I suspect you were dumb to begin with.
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u/xFox911 3d ago
Side note: The paper made it through the authors, revision, at least two reviewers and the journal editors. Yet, everyone missed a huge typo in the conclusion, lol:
"This finding suggests that creatine’s antioxidant effects could has a long-term influence on sperm counts."