Masculinization of the external genitalia in humans is dependent on formation of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) through both the canonical androgenic pathway and an alternative (backdoor) pathway.
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is a hormone that plays a key role in male sexual development. More specifically, DHT is an androgen — a hormone that stimulates the development of male characteristics. DHT affects the sexual development of males throughout their lives, beginning as early as in fetal development.
DHT administration increased testicular weights twofold above SD controls (12% of LD controls, P<0·05, Fig. 1).
In a recent study we showed that dihydrotestosterone (DHT), but not testosterone, increases force production in fast contracting muscles and decreases it in slow contracting ones. These findings led us to suggest that DHT may be a better muscle building hormone than testosterone.
The problem is that DHT does much more than contribute to hair loss. It also plays a crucial role in male sexual development and mood regulation. When DHT levels are reduced, either intentionally or unintentionally, it can impact these functions in unwanted ways and cause: Impotence.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a male sex hormone responsible for the characteristics that make men appear masculine. DHT is responsible for a man's deep voice, facial hair, muscle growth, and hair loss condition called male pattern baldness.
If males have a high level of DHT, they may observe growth of beard and baldness. However, there are medications to control DHT levels and improve hair growth in males. But, these medications may harm other hair follicles of your body, such as the scalp.
Through adolescence and adulthood, DHT promotes prostate growth, sebaceous gland activity, male pattern baldness, and body, facial, and pubic hair growth. This hormone, however, does not seem to play any significant role in normal female physiology.
In view of the literature data, the decreased level of DHT can be involved in pro-inflammatory process within the arterial wall leading to disturbance of endothelial function and acceleration of vascular ageing.
If people have excessive levels of DHT, they may experience pattern hair loss. As such, these people may consider DHT blockers. Generally, DHT blockers are safe, but some medications and products may cause side effects. For example, some evidence suggests that finasteride may cause male factor infertility.
Chemical DHT blockers are pharmaceutical drugs specifically designed to target the conversion of testosterone to DHT. On the other hand, herbal DHT blockers, such as saw palmetto and pumpkin seed oil extract, offer a natural approach to blocking this conversion.
DHT in particular is necessary for accelerating beard growth. A lack of 5-alpha reductase has been shown to result in almost no beard growth or scalp hair loss. Research has shown that DHT stimulates the production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which has a positive growth effect on beard follicle cells [3].
How to reduce DHT naturally? Dr. Howell says that to reduce DHT levels naturally, you can consider dietary changes and supplements such as saw palmetto, green tea, pumpkin seeds, and foods rich in zinc.
A dihydrotestosterone test is a type of blood examination that gauges the levels of the hormone dihydrotestosterone in your system. This hormone, commonly abbreviated as DHT, is an essential androgen or male sex hormone.
Another study shows that although sexual arousal and masturbation-induced orgasm increase testosterone concentration around orgasm, they reduce testosterone concentration on average (especially before abstinence) and because about 5% of testosterone is converted to DHT, ejaculation does not elevate DHT levels.
In bioassays, DHT has been found to be 2.5- to 10-fold more potent than testosterone.
There are several foods that are natural DHT blockers. For instance, vegetable foods rich in zinc contain phytosterol, which blocks DHT production and reduce areas on the scalp and hair follicles where DHT can attach itself. These foods include spinach, white mushroom, kale, etc.
DHT enhanced synaptic plasticity-related proteins, such as SYN, PSD95, and Drebrin, and activated the CREB signaling pathway by AR, thereby improving the hippocampal synaptic structure and increasing synaptic plasticity to improve cognitive function (69).
Anything below 264 ng/dL is low, and high testosterone is above 1,000 ng/dL. Still, there's variation within the normal range, says Gittens. “Some people feel miserable at 310 or 350. So, you have to take individuals and look at their symptoms.”
Increased hair shedding — While it's normal to lose around 50 to 100 hairs daily, according to the NHS, those with DHT-related hair loss might notice more hair falling out than usual. Itchy or oily scalp — Some people with DHT-related hair loss also report an increase in scalp itching or oiliness.
Puts' Scientific Reports study found that men with lower formant frequencies—a deeper resonance in their voices—tended to be taller, larger, and stronger. (That's partly because longer vocal tracts and larger vocal folds generate lower, more resonant voices.)
It is a common fear that too much zinc in the body can raise levels of DHT ( Dihydro testosterone). It may seem strange, because even though DHT levels are raised, production is limited. Using zinc as a DHT blocker is not effective.
The addition of Finasteride decreased serum DHT levels by approximately 50% but did not affect gains in physical performance or result in alterations in body composition when compared with testosterone alone(4).