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.
The use of blockers has shown lots of side effects in men. The biggest being it stops hair growth all over the body, adversely impacts the libido, leads to sexual dysfunction and also results in loss of muscle tissue.
Despite the fact that most people don't have to worry about their DHT levels, excessive levels of this hormone can cause hair loss. High levels of DHT block essential nutrients from reaching the hair follicles, which causes hair to degrade, shrink, and eventually stop growing thus leading to baldness.
The answer is hormones. DHT is a sex hormone that is a derivative of testosterone, but excess amounts of this hormone can affect the hair follicles. DHT interferes with the hair's growth cycle, shrinking and shortening the hair making it easier for it to fall out and more difficult for it to grow back.
Because finasteride works by blocking the specific enzyme responsible for DHT, it only prevents hair loss while the drug is active in your body. Once you stop taking finasteride, your body starts to convert testosterone to DHT again and your hair follicles start to react as they normally would.
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.
Results newly reported in JAMA show that the muscle mass of men is not affected by inhibition of 5α-reductase, the enzyme that produces the androgen 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from testosterone.
[3][4] It plays a vital role in the sexual development of males. During embryonic life, it is involved primarily in the sexual differentiation of organs. Through adolescence and adult life, DHT promotes prostate growth, sebaceous gland activity, male pattern baldness, and body, facial and pubic hair growth.
Loss of Body Hair
DHT is the main hormone responsible for facial hair, body hair and pubic hair, so low levels of DHT are correlated with hair loss. Once the hair falls out, it will not come back without proper treatment.
Propecia isn't a quick fix - it can take from three to six months before you'll see any effect from using it and it has to be taken every day. You'll need to use it long term too, because if you stop using it, the balding process tends to start again within six months to a year.
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.
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.
This process shortens the hair growth cycle and eventually causes new hair to stop growing. As such, individuals with elevated DHT levels may be more prone to hair loss. Reducing DHT levels is what makes Propecia, one of the most popular pharmaceutical hair loss treatments, so effective.
Dihydrotestosterone is many times more potent than testosterone, and many of the effects that testosterone has in the body only happen after it is converted to dihydrotestosterone.
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.
However, a small percentage of men who use DHT blockers like finasteride do experience some side effects. These can range from a mild increase in testosterone levels to sexual performance issues such as erectile dysfunction (ED) and a reduced sex drive.
This is not to say that administering exogenous DHT is not without any anabolic effect. It actually does have some anabolic activity in the muscle, albeit significantly weaker than that of an equal amount of testosterone.
DHT Reduction
One way that people can balance the amount of DHT in their body is to exercise. Moderate exercise three to five times per week helps regulate hormones and control DHT production levels. The key is not to over-do it. For example, extreme bodybuilding can increase DHT production.
Not everyone is equally sensitive to DHT, which is why some men develop a mature hairline and noticeable baldness early in life, while others may experience minimal hair loss even as they get older.
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.
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.
Frequent weight training is thought to increase the body's testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, which are considered key causes of baldness.
Herbal DHT Blockers rarely report side effects but have shown minor decrease in libido. However, the good news is that the side effects are significantly less common as compared to Finasteride.
Increased DHT activity at your hair follicles is partly responsible for this hair loss, in addition to other factors, including genetic ones. High levels of DHT can shrink your hair follicles and shorten the hair growth cycle, resulting in hair loss.