Understanding DHT

[StressedToTheBald]

Here is some basics about DHT
"Dihydrotestosterone (5α-Dihydrotestosterone, commonly abbreviated to DHT) is an androgen or male sex hormone. The enzyme 5α-reductase synthesises DHT in the prostate, testes, hair follicles, and adrenal glands. This enzyme reduces the 4,5 double-bond of the hormone testosterone. In men, approximately 5% of testosterone undergoes 5α-reduction to form the more potent androgen, dihydrotestosterone. DHT has approximately three times greater affinity for androgen receptors than testosterone and has 15-30 times greater affinity than adrenal androgens.[1] During embryogenesis DHT has an essential role in the formation of the male external genitalia, while in the adult DHT acts as the primary androgen in the prostate and in hair follicles.[2]"

[StressedToTheBald]

We all know DHT is to blame for our baldness, and while the purpose of DHT makes sense in early development, gender development etc. what puzzles me now is its role in adult males ? It clearly says that with adults, DHT only exists in prostate & hairs. As it kills our hairs, it makes no sense nor purpose in hair.. and I can't figure out if it has any benefits for the prostate either - article later also says that DHT is responsible for BPH and even prostate cancer, none of which is good stuff.

Its a proper puzzle why adult males still continue to produce DHT in adulthood, it makes no sense that our bodies should produce a hormone that can only work against us.. DHT = Hair Killer.

Any thoughts ?

[2020]

stop posting

[StressedToTheBald]

I've been just reading further, trying to understand how thing work in our body. I have a theory/question if someone with enough wisdom and/or medical background would like to join me in discussion..

I'll try to explain everything as simple as possible..

DHT itself is one of the hormones in our body, it is present in prostate, but also in our hairs. Most importantly, in our hairs is where DHT makes damage and causes baldness. DHT is made in amounts of 5% from testosterone via enzyme 5-alpha reductase - this enzyme converts testosterone to DHT. Both drugs(propecia etc) and natural inhibitors(beta sitosterol etc) actually seem to block 5-alpha reductase and therefore subsequently DHT. What I've bumped into today is something called androgen receptors - now if I got it right androgen receptors are cells that are required for the androgens to be accepted in certain parts of our bodies. I think that in order for our hairs to accept DHT, there are androgen receptors in our hair folicles as well. Now, it would be great to attack the problem from 2 sides ! If we could shut down both 5-alpha reductase and androgen receptors in our hairs.. I'm not sure if only some androgen receptors can be blocked or it works for all ? I've also bumped into a potentially significant information that vitamin E in high doses may be able to block androgen receptors - maybe high on vitamin E - our hairs would be less acceptable to DHT - if thats true, then both this plus the blocking of 5-alpha reductase should significantly disable DHT, much more than if the problem is attacked from one side only.

Appreciate Your thoughts and comments regarding this theory.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

Androgen receptors are like very specific locks that can only be opened by one particualr type of key (DHT). Up to now we have only been able to effect the number of keys floating throughout the bloodstream. To my knowledge we cannot control whether or not a person has these locks present or not. It is genetic.

[rupe]

I know that Revivogen claims to block androgen receptors.

[StressedToTheBald]

Appreciate Your thoughts Dr. Charles, rupe.
I understand that we cannot eliminate these locks, I guess its all in the genes - including the fact that our hairs are programmed in advance to react badly to DHT. Finding a way to 'fix' the genes would be a scientific miracle and even if that happens its most likely years away. But my point was, as there are ways to block DHT, there might be ways to block these DHT locks, to block androgen receptors for DHT as well.

In my further research I have found a seemingly unrelated study - that might just hold a key. It sounds promising as it finds that some oils have the power to block androgen receptors via topical solution.

I've pulled out the main conclusions. The study itself wasn't even hair related but its final findings suprisingly seem to be !

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17267908
N Engl J Med. 2007 Feb 1;356(5):479-85.
Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils.
Henley DV, Lipson N, Korach KS, Bloch CA.

Abstract
We investigated possible causes of gynecomastia in three prepubertal boys who were otherwise healthy and had normal serum concentrations of endogenous steroids. In all three boys, gynecomastia coincided with the topical application of products that contained lavender and tea tree oils. Gynecomastia resolved in each patient shortly after the use of products containing these oils was discontinued. Furthermore, studies in human cell lines indicated that the two oils had estrogenic and antiandrogenic activities.

A study published in the NEJM this week raised the possibility that lavender essential oil found in common beauty products had caused breast enlargement (gynecomastia) in three young boys in Colorado...
The researchers then tested tea tree and lavender oil in vitro, and both were found to stimulate the estrogen receptor and block the androgen receptor...

Laboratory data were unremarkable with normal serum concentrations of sex steroids and other hormones. The mother of one patient reported applying “healing balm” which contained lavender oil daily shortly before breasts were noted. Another patient was applying a styling gel to his hair and scalp every morning and regularly using shampoo, both containing lavandaula angustifolia (lavender) oil and maleleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil for 9 months. The last patient also used lavender-scented commercial skin lotions and soap intermittently. The gynecomastia was resolved in these 3 patents once these products were discontinued.

The potential antiandrogenic properties of lavender and tea tree oil were performed in the MDA-kb2 cells with androgen receptors trans-fected with an androgen-inducible reporter plasmid. Neither lavender or tea tree oil transactivated the luciferase reporter plasmid at any concentration tested; whereas the cells with the androgen-receptor agonist dihydrotestosterone (DHT) expressed an increase in luciferase activity that was almost 4 times greater than the controls. Transactivation of the luciferase reporter plasmid by 0.1 nM DHT was inhibited by both lavender and tea tree oil in a concentration dependent manner and inhibited androgen inducible genes. The antiandrogenic properties of the oils did not cause down regulation of the expression of the androgen receptors. The authors concluded that lavender and tea tree oils contain endocrine-disrupting activity that cause an imbalance in estrogen and androgen pathway signaling resulting in prepubertal gynecomastia.


This last part is very interesting as it mentions DHT, although I'm not sure I quite understand the conclusion as it is written in higly medical terms. What does it mean exactly ?

[clandestine]

stop posting

@2020; Kick rocks. Your close mindedness is contagious.