The effects of DHT and how to treat it.
DHT is one of the main causes of alopecia (hair loss), and you ask how? I will tell you how: Dihydrotestosterone (known as DHT) is a male sex hormone that is formed from testosterone by the enzyme known as 5-alpha-reductase. This hormone DHT causes hair follicles to shut down, shortening the growth phase of the hair growth cycle and leading to miniaturization. Miniaturization is the process of shortening and thinning of the hair shafts that is found in androgenetic alopecia. Let’s put everything in layman’s terms; in order to stop hair loss also known as alopecia, you have to stop miniaturization. In order to stop miniaturization, you have to stop the production of DHT in your scalp.
There are many ways to stop the production of DHT, these are taking vitamin pills or increasing vitamin intake, taking herbal pills, applying certain kind of oils, changing your diet, or using topical solutions such as shampoo.
Vitamins are helpful to block DHT production. These are important vitamins and minerals that take part in crucial role to preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth. Some of these crucial vitamins for hair growth are:
Vitamin A: Is important for the production of sebum, Vitamin A is for the prevention of hair and scalp issues such as dandruff, dry hair, flaky scalp, and thick scalp; which can all lead to early hair loss. It is important know that to keep up with the levels of this vital nutrient are maintained in the body, you also need to understand that smoking can inhibit the absorption of vitamin A. If you are smoker, quit smoking or you might lose hair.
Vitamin B6: This vitamin plays a important role in the production of hemoglobin which carries oxygen to the various cells in the body. By taking the right amount (or consuming foods that are rich in it) of vitamin B6, you can ascertain that the hair follicles get enough oxygen to stay healthy.
Folic Acid: Another B complex vitamin, folic acid is needed for the production of red blood cells in the body.
Vitamin C: This vitamin is good for the production of collagen, an essential part hair production. Lack of collagen can cause severe hair damage which in turn leads to breakage and hair fall.
Vitamin E: This vitamin is responsible for supplying blood to the scalp and it also assist in the intake of oxygen. Individuals with low levels of vitamin E may have this issue and should consider supplementation.
Biotin: This is a very common ingredient in topical products. Biotin deficiency is also among the leading reasons of baldness with symptoms such as hair loss on the scalp, face and body.
Taking herbs for certain condition is a form of holiepathic practice that exists for centuries. Back in the old days , people used to take these in tea form, added on their food, compounded into topical solutions. Now we are in the modern age, people are taking herbs in pill form which are made into high extract form of the herbs; these pills are called herbal pills. The most common herbs used to inhibit DHT production are green tea, saw palmetto, pumpkin seed, and giant dodder.
Green Tea, there are clinical studies on green tea’s active compound EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-Gallate) inhibits the formation of DHT. There was also study done by Harvard Medical School reported in February 2003 that green tea greatly reduced DHT concentration in the blood.
Saw palmetto is one of the few wonder herbs for men. Folk medicine declared it as one of the herbs that stimulant male sexual libido. Saw palmetto is known to block DHT. Saw palmetto has been studied by many researchers. Researchers have found the substance beta-sitosterol in this herb.
eta-sitosterol have an anti-androgen effects directly related to the inhibition of an enzyme named 5-alpha-reductase type II, which is required by the body to convert testosterone into DHT in the prostate. It was also reported in July 2010 in Advances in Therapy that low concentrations of a saw palmetto ethanol extract called SPET-085 was as effective at inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase type II as finasteride, the behind-the counter drug used to counter DHT conversion.
Pumpkin seed just like saw palmetto, having it roots in folk medicine, with people around the world using it to fight various conditions. According to the “Physicians’ Desk reference for Herbal Medicines,” Pumpkin seeds contains various amino acids and plant steroids that are known to block DHT.
Giant Dodder is an herb that had been used in the ancient Indian system Ayurveda to fight hair loss. Giant Dodder contains anti-androgen properties. It was found Giant Dodder contains compounds that are able to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase type II.
Oils are one of the few topical solutions that can be applied to the scalp to treat hair loss and to block DHT. Oils from the herbs mentioned before can be used or other oils such as emu oil.
Research has shown that emu oil contains linolenic acid which is an efficient anti- androgen. Linolenic acid is a well-known 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor and used to block DHT. It also been found that emu oil might actually promote hair growth.
Changing your diet could be one of the best ways to reduce DHT and promote hair growth.
Your diet should include the vitamins mentioned before, but mostly it should include high-protein foods. Eating lean meat, fish and other protein-rich foods can help inhibit DHT and promote hair growth.
You should also include soy beans in your diet. Soy, a member of the pea family, has been a fixture in Asian diets for thousands of years. Soyisoflavonesregulate bad cholesterol. The reduction of overall cholesterol is important. Cholesterol can produce the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase which turns testosterone into DHT.
Topical solutions to block DHT and to stop hair loss are utilized on your scalp. New hair might need two to three months of medication to begin developing, but side effects of topical solutions for hair development might happen within minutes of putting on the medications. There are few out there, but the three popular ones are spironolactone, azleiac acid, and ketoconoazole.
Spironolactone, also known as spiro cream, is a topical solution that is claimed by many as a proven anti-androgen. Spiro is a medication that is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Spiro in the past had been used to stop DHT in women, and men in the hair loss community take it, with no proven success. Most hair loss doctors will tell people not to take this because studies have shown that spironolactone requires at least 200mg/day for stopping loss and that it has little effect on regrowth of hair. Also, this dose is high enough to elevate potassium levels and place the individual at risk of hyperkalemia, and other side effects, including cramps and diarrhea.
Azlaic acid is another topical solution that is used to block DHT. Azelaic acid is naturally found in whole grains that contain a mild antibiotic designed to “clean” skin. It is also said to be a potential inhibitor of 5-alpha-reductase in human skin. In theory, applying azelaic acid to the scalp may prevent or eliminate the binding of DHT to the hair follicle receptor, preventing hair loss and potentially stimulating hair regrowth. But this was never been proven true.
Ketoconazole for hair loss is very effective for hair loss and blocking DHT. It works by reducing the effects of DHT, but amazingly it was proven to promote hair growth. It was proven in the Journal of Dermatological Science in 2007, when a study was conducted on 6 Japanese males with hair loss. The experiment had the six males applied ketoconazole to their scalp for 6 months. The results were amazing as the six males saw significant amount of hair grew back and a decreased amount of DHT.ketocnoazole is usually purchased in shampoo form, and one of the most popular shampoos to have ketoconazole as an active ingredient is RegenePure DR. Most people, who deal with hair loss, should try RegenePure, which can be purchased on www.regenepure.com. The best part of RegenePure, it contains emu oil and saw palmetto.
RegenePure DR also available in Amazon US, Amazon UK and Amazon Canada.
