A DHT test requires a blood drawn from the arm. Once you've placed your order on our website, bring your test requisition form to a laboratory that is closest to you. Find convenient locations using our lab locator. The results of your test will arrive confidentially to your HealthLabs.com account.
Increased DHT (dihydrotestosterone) can be caused by conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostate cancer, male pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia), and excessive male-pattern hair growth in females (hirsutism).
It helps develop reproductive organs and masculine characteristics in men. It also boosts libido and sexual health. Besides that, some researchers believe that DHT may support blood sugar control, mental health and cognition, bone and muscle strength, and immunity.
Practicing a healthy lifestyle can help reduce DHT levels naturally. This includes regular exercise, quit smoking, reduce stress, take time to rest, and do scalp exercises like massages to reduce tension and increase blood flow.
So, by age 20, around 20 per cent of men may experience its onset, rising to 30 per cent of 30 year olds and 40 per cent of 40 year olds.
Is DHT hair loss reversible? Yes, a DHT hair loss treatment can help you get your lost hair line. Though, it can only happen if you act promptly.
DHT is an offshoot of testosterone. DHT also plays a role in some of the same sexual functions and physiological processes as testosterone, but it's actually much stronger. DHT can bind to an androgen receptor longer, increasing the impact of testosterone production throughout your body.
"While cardio will reduce the levels of DHT in the blood stream, excess weightlifting can increase testosterone levels and therefore accelerate hair loss," hair transplant surgeon Thomy Kouremada-Zioga, MRCGP, M.B.B.S, MSc, told Express.
Of the many nutrients and oils touted as natural DHT blockers, rosemary oil is one of the best proven. In a 2015 study, men applied either rosemary oil or minoxidil (an FDA-approved topical treatment for male pattern hair loss) to their scalps twice daily for six months.
Clinical studies have shown that biotin can help to block the production of DHT, a hormone that is responsible for hair loss. DHT Blocker also contains saw palmetto, an herb that has been shown to help block DHT production.
One 2007 laboratory study found that caffeine helped block the effects of DHT in male hair follicles. It stimulated hair shaft elongation, resulting in longer, wider hair roots. It also prolonged anagen duration, which is the hair growth stage.
Let's get one thing clear: DHT isn't all bad. In fact, without it we wouldn't be men in the first place. DHT helps develop our genitals in utero—meaning it makes us boys in the first place. It's a “sex steroid,” so it also does the heavy work during puberty, lowering our voices and putting hair on our chests.
As your hair becomes affected by DHT, you may notice that certain areas of your scalp begin to look thinner than before. This process usually begins at your hairline and crown, resulting in the classic receding hairline that many men notice as their first sign of hair loss.
Eggs: Chicken eggs are believed to have some DHT-fighting powers, especially when they are cooked. They also can help produce a healthy environment for hair growth in your scalp. Almonds: These crunchy nuts are a major source of biotin, a nutrient that promotes hair growth.
Sebum, or oil, that is secreted onto the scalp, actually contains DHT, and can further aggravate hormone-related hair loss. So, if you wash your hair every day, you actually decrease the amount of DHT that can contribute to hair loss by decreasing the amount of oil on your scalp.
Biotin doesn't block DHT, but it can still lend a hand in promoting hair growth.
Vitamins and herbal products — Green tea and turmeric can help mitigate the impact of DHT, Umar says. Supplements of niacin, biotin, and other vitamins can help your hair loss treatment by increasing blood flow to the scalp or reducing stress and inflammation.
By going hard on the weights at the gym and increasing the testosterone and DHT, weight lifters and bodybuilders with the right genetics can risk an earlier onset of hair loss including shedding and male pattern baldness.
Frequent weight training is thought to increase the body's testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, which are considered key causes of baldness.