DHT Blockers and Inhibitors

So what is DHT anyway? Dihydrotestosterone, i.e. DHT is an active metabolite of the testosterone hormone that is formed in the adrenal gland, hair follicles, prostate glands and testes. DHT belongs to the class of compound known as Androgens, which is commonly known as the testoids or androgenic hormone. DHT is a naturally occurring hormone, but in genitically predisposed people, DHT can bind to the hair follicle and cause hair loss by deteriorating the follcile. Once the follicle damaged too much, it cannot repair itself and ultimately dies, unable to product further hair.
Understanding the role of the dihydrotestosterone in both female and male pattern baldness is an important step to finding treatment. Products that prevent those hormones are often called DHT Blockers.

DHT in Detail

Males produce the DHT in utero. This helps in the formation of the male specific characteristic such as development of the body hair, development of the facial hair, thickness of the voice and etc. DHT Blockers work to prevent the effects of this hormone after the puberty phase is completed, and the abundance of this compound is no longer needed in men.

Researchers have established that DHT is 30 times more potent as compared to the testosterone hormone. This is due to the fact that it has an increased affinity for the androgen receptor. However, as mentioned earlier, there are many topical DHT blockers and inhibitors that are easily available in the open market under different brand names – being manufactured and marketed by different companies. Provillus, Finasteride (Propecia), Inhairit, Procerin, Revivogen, Ketoconazole and are some of the more popular DHT inhibitors. Ketoconezole is a synthetic drug that has some properties of both anti-fungal and 5-alfa reductase inhibitor. 5-alfa reductase is basically an enzyme that converts the male sex hormone (testosterone) into DHT.

Saw Palmetto is one of the best herbal or natural DHT blockers, which proves to be far cheaper than most of the other contemporary DHT inhibitors in the market, but may not be as effective for some people as the products listed above. Some natural shampoos and herbal hair growth supplelements also contain Saw Palmetto and Nettles. Shen Min DHT Blocker is one example. Blocking DHT is effective in slowing the effects of the hormone on the follicle, slowing hair loss. Some hair loss shampoo formulas report using Saw Palmetto in their ingredients list as a topical herbal inhibitor for DHT.

It is believed that DHT also participates in the development of acne and male pattern baldness. Women suffering from the high level of the dihydrotestosterone or DHT mostly develop some androgynous male secondary sex properties such as hair growth just above their upper lips, more developed muscles and thick voice. Although the exact reasons have yet to be discovered it has been established by the researchers that the overproduction of DHT leaves the subjects exposed to the risks of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia BHP. Therefore, for more than one reason, men search for an effective way to block DHT.