Later, boys with too little dihydrotestosterone may undergo some of the changes usually seen in puberty such as muscle growth and production of sperm but will not develop normal body hair growth and genital development.
About Contact Events News. Search Search. You and Your Hormones. Students Teachers Patients Browse. Human body. Home Hormones Dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone Dihydrotestosterone, a hormone with powerful androgenic actions, causes the body to mature during puberty and is responsible for many of the physical characteristics associated with adult males.
How is dihydrotestosterone controlled? What happens if I have too much dihydrotestosterone? What happens if I have too little dihydrotestosterone? Last reviewed: Feb Prev. Related Glands. As you get older, testosterone and DHT have many other benefits to your body, such as maintaining your overall muscle mass and promoting sexual health and fertility.
Men typically have more testosterone present in their bodies. About 10 percent of testosterone in all adults is converted to DHT with the help of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase 5-AR. Research has linked DHT, especially abnormally high levels of it, to:. 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. Hair everywhere on your body grows out of structures underneath your skin known as follicles, which are essentially tiny capsules that each contain a single strand of hair.
The hair within a follicle typically goes through a growth cycle that lasts about two to six years. Even if you shave or cut your hair, the same hair will grow back out of the follicle from the root of the hair contained within the follicle. Then, the follicle produces a new hair, and the cycle begins again. High levels of androgens, including DHT, can shrink your hair follicles as well as shorten this cycle, causing hair to grow out looking thinner and more brittle, as well as fall out faster.
DHT can also make it take longer for your follicles to grow new hairs once old hairs fall out. Some people are more susceptible to these effects of DHT on scalp hair based on variations in their androgen receptor AR gene. Androgen receptors are proteins that allow hormones like testosterone and DHT to bind to them. This binding activity typically results in normal hormonal processes like body hair growth. But variations in the AR gene can increase androgen receptivity in your scalp follicles, making you more likely to experience male pattern hair loss.
Testosterone is the most abundant and active androgen in the male body. DHT is an offshoot of testosterone. DHT can bind to an androgen receptor longer, increasing the impact of testosterone production throughout your body.
There are plenty of medications for DHT-related hair loss, and many of them have been proven to work by specifically targeting DHT production and receptor binding. There are two main types:. Finasteride Proscar, Propecia is an oral, prescription-only medication.
This helps keep DHT from binding to receptors on your hair follicles and keeps them from shrinking. Minoxidil Rogaine is known as a peripheral vasodilator. This means that it helps widen and loosen blood vessels so that blood can more easily pass through. Biotin , or vitamin H, is a natural B vitamin that helps turn some of the food and liquids you consume into energy your body can use.
Biotin also helps boost and maintain levels of keratin , a type of protein present in your hair, nails, and skin. But a study suggests that biotin can help hair regrow and keep existing hair from falling out. Speak with your Board-Certified Dermatologist about whether or not blocking DHT is the best treatment for your hair loss.
While DHT blockers can be purchased, a more holistic approach may be a safer and more cost-effective route. Here, we will review foods that have an effect on DHT levels and your hair follicles.
Some of these foods may directly block DHT; some foods may promote a balance of hormones to control levels of DHT; other foods will strengthen the hair follicle to boost its resistance to DHT. In addition to these foods to include, it is also important to note foods you may want to avoid to further block, control, and combat DHT effects. Try avoiding foods that can raise your blood sugar levels. An increase of blood sugar causes a release of more insulin affecting the hormonal balance in the body.
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