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.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is an essential part of sexual development for people assigned male at birth. But if levels are too high or low, they can cause certain issues like underdeveloped external genitalia, prostate enlargement and hair loss.
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).
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.
DHT is a hormone that contributes to hair loss in both men and women. Green tea, onions, pumpkin seeds, and edamame, among other foods and beverages, contain nutrients that may lower DHT levels and prevent hair loss.
Will Blocking DHT Lead to Hair Regrowth? The primary benefit of blocking DHT is that it can slow or even stop hair loss. It is often considered to be the most effective way to treat hair loss because it combats one of the major causes of baldness. However, DHT blockers do not directly promote new hair growth.
DHT blockers are safe and effective for most men. However, some DHT-blocking medications may cause side effects, including sexual side effects. The most common side effects of finasteride include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction (ED) and ejaculation issues, such as a reduction in semen volume.
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.
High levels of DHT can increase your risk for certain conditions, but having too little DHT can also cause problems in your sexual development as you go through puberty. Low DHT may cause delays in the onset of puberty for all sexes.
Prescription medications.
The FDA has approved oral finasteride, a medication that inhibits conversion of testosterone to DHT, for use by men. Topical finasteride “significantly decreased” DHT in the scalp, according to a 2019 article published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.
This is why going for a brisk walk, a run in the park, or riding your bike—along with any great form of cardio—is likely the best way to get your blood flowing and DHT levels dropping.
Mild exercise increases dihydrotestosterone in hippocampus providing evidence for androgenic mediation of neurogenesis.
Binding of circulating DHT to SHBG is highest in young males 0.5 to 2 years of age (90%) and thereafter declines to about 70% at age 15 and to 40% in young adult men (age 18) (31).
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.
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.
Minoxidil, Finasteride and Dutasteride (5 Alpha Reductase Inhibitors) 5AR Inhibitors can stop the body from producing DHT from testosterone. Medical professionals recommend Dutasteride, Topical Minoxidil, and Finasteride to treat hair loss or male baldness. These medications can suppress the DHT levels.
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.
One of the ironies of the study results is that many medical experts and trichologists recommend that excessive oral intake of caffeine substances can increase levels of DHT in the body, which have been proven to stimulate testosterone levels, which in turn leads to hair loss.
The most important factor that answers sweat and hair loss relation, is the presence of DHT. DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) is an active form of testosterone, which is mostly found in post-workout sweat. It has been observed that DHT can bind with our hair follicles and prevent them from growing naturally.
Bananas are also super-rich in potassium, which increases blood circulation to the scalp and helps bring more nutrients and oxygen to the follicles. Bananas also help maintain healthy DHT levels by helping you develop a healthy gut and prevent your body from overproducing DHT. Bananas are your go-to DHT blocking food!
As a standard direction in blocking the production of DHT naturally, look for food sources that are rich in zinc such as mushrooms, green peas, beet greens, spinach, kale, sweet corn, etc. and pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, almonds and walnuts.
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.