DHT, which means Dihydrotestosterone, is an androgen. If you are wondering what an androgen is, it’s a sex hormone. These sex hormones work for the development of male sex characteristics. These characters include body hair, beard, etc. Another thing that DHT contributes in is the loss of hair. This hormone can cause a frequent loss of hair and that too at a faster rate.
When we talk about hair loss in men, sex hormones are known to be the primary cause. In comparison to women, hair loss is more common in men. Research indicates that two out of every three men above the age of 35 are bald. Let us have a detailed look at DHT blockers and how it can cause hair loss in men.
What are the functions of DHT?
Testosterone causes the production of DHT. Both men and women contain testosterone. DHT and testosterone result in the production of male sex characteristics at the time of puberty. These characteristics include:
- Body hair and muscle mass
- Voice change
- Pennis Growth
- Changes in the storage of fats
The benefits of testosterone on the human body increases with age. An enzyme called 5-alpha reductase (5-AR) helps convert around 10 percent testosterone in all adults.
Deficiency of DHT
Just as the benefits of DHT, there are a number of harms that are caused because of its deficiency. Moreover, a little increase in the amount of DHT also causes a lot of problems.
The deficiency of DHT causes disturbance in the sexual ability of a person and affects its sexual development. The low level of DHT doesn’t cause much harm in women, but it leads to a lot of problems in men. These problems include:
Incomplete development of the sex organs that are penis The fat distribution in the body is disturbed. This can cause problems like gynecomastia.
Development of prostate tumors.
Hair Loss
How does DHT cause Hair Loss?
The hair growth is not limited to your head only, but it grows on almost all the body parts. Hair growth on the body is more severe in men than in women.
The hair present in a hair follicle undergoes a cycle called the growth cycle. This cycle extends from two to six years. The cutting or shaving of the hair cannot prevent the same hair from growing out. Once the growth cycle or the starting phase of the growth cycle ends, the hair enters a resting stage or step. The resting phase extends to a few times before the falling of the hair. After the hair finally falls, the cycle begins again, and a new hair undergoes the same process.
When the level of DHT and other androgens is high, it causes the hair follicles’ shrinkage and shortening of the cycle. The new hair that grows is thinner and more brittle. This kind of hair is more likely to fall out quickly. Another thing caused by DHT is to make the duration of the growth of new hair or the start of a new cycle longer.
Reduction of DHT
Now the main concern is to reduce the level of DHT. If you take a look at the market, you will find a vast number of medications that are known to treat the hair loss caused by DHT. Most of them are medically proven and approved to serve this purpose. They work by targeting the binding of DHT production and receptors. There are two types of these medications:
DHT Blockers: The blockers prevent the binding of DHT to the 5-AR receptors.
Inhibitors: They work in reducing the production of DHT.