Have you noticed your hairline receding recently? If so, you must be scratching your head as to what is causing it. After all, hair loss occurs due to many reasons.
You may be losing your hair because of stress or genetics. However, if you are a man, then the cause is most likely hormonal. DHT is a substance in men that can result in male pattern baldness.
If you want to learn more about DHT, you’re in the right place. Below we have detailed everything that you must know about it.
What Is DHT?
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is an androgen (sex hormone) that is made as a byproduct during the formation of testosterone. It is the primary hormone that results in the development of male sex characteristics. For example, during puberty, DHT can result in:
- Voice deepening
- Increase in body hair
- Growth of male sex organs
- Change in fat storage
- Increase in body mass
Besides these, DHT offers other benefits too as you grow old. For example, it maintains your muscle mass. Additionally, it plays an integral role in sexual health and fertility promotion.
How Can DHT Levels Rise?
DHT is linked to hair loss when its levels in the body reach an extreme high. That is why you may wonder what exactly increases this hormone’s quantity in the bloodstream.
Well, testosterone produces DHT with the help of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. About 10% of testosterone is responsible for this action, as per research.
All this means that anything that increases your testosterone levels will also cause DHT to rise in your body. This can happen due to vitamins, supplements, dietary changes, and much more.
However, there is one thing that you should note. Typically, DHT results in male pattern baldness when the individual is genetically predisposed to it. This means that they have genes for hair loss that make them sensitive to this androgen.
How Does DHT Result In Hair Loss?
If you are susceptible to hair loss because of genes, you’re most likely to face male pattern baldness due to DHT. This can happen in females as well. That is because women also have some quantity of testosterone in their bodies.
Typically, DHT can bind to specific receptors present on your hair follicles beneath the skin. The androgen alters the phases of the hair growth cycle by shortening the growing period and extending the resting phase.
As a result, the follicles weaken, reduce in size, and eventually die. When your follicles are no longer functioning, no new hair growth takes place. So when your old hair falls off, you are most likely to suffer from baldness.
However, there is one interesting thing about DHT that will pique your curiosity. It is that this androgen affects other areas of the body too. For example, it is responsible for increasing hair on the chest, back, and much more.
How To Prevent Hair Loss By DHT?
DHT is a hormone whose amount in the bloodstream can be varied. This means that the baldness it causes can be prevented. You may have heard about shampoos helping to reduce the levels of DHT. Well, they can be effective but do not prevent balding altogether.
The definitive method of reducing DHT in the body is by taking finasteride. This is a pill that prevents the conversion of testosterone to this androgen. When no DHT is made, you are less likely to suffer from hair loss.
Finasteride is a type of DHT blocker that is most effective on the market. You can combine it with minoxidil to have more noticeable results. Typically, a 1mg dose daily is necessary for preventing baldness.
Additionally, there are natural options to reducing DHT:
What Happens When DHT Levels Are Too Low?
You have learned everything about high levels of DHT up till now. However, this does not mean that a low amount is beneficial. When the quantity goes below the normal range, you will suffer from other problems.
In all genders, low levels of DHT can delay the individual from hitting puberty. Besides that, in men, it may also result in incomplete development of the sex organs. In addition, prostate tumors can develop because of a lack of DHT too.
Bottom Line
That was all you needed to know about DHT. The hormone is beneficial in many ways but comes with some risks too. If you have the gene for hair loss, you must keep your DHT levels in check.
