DHT Defined

DHT is the abbreviation for a medical term called Dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone has its beginning with the male hormone Testosterone.

Testosterone Naturally Occurs

It is one of the naturally occurring sex hormones in the male body. It is created in the testes of men and is the androgen that causes a number of different conditions in men.

Amoung these conditions are acne, prostate enlargement, and growth of hair in the nose, in the ears, on the back and male pattern baldness.

So How is Dihydrotestosterone Created From Testosterone?

To be technical, what is actually taking place is this. In your body, testosterone is converted to DHT by the enzyme 5a-reductase. Your hair follicles that support hair have little receptors on them. These receptors really like Dihydrotestosterone and androgens (Testosterone, Dihydrotestosterone) and so these receptors collect this stuff, especially the Dihydrotestosterone.

Dihydrotestosterone Reacts With The Nucleus Of Cells

After the Dihydrotestosterone and Androgens bind to the receptors, the Dihydrotestosterone goes into the cell and interacts with the nucleus of the cell. Once the Dihydrotestosterone is inside the cell it actually alters the production of the protein by the DNA in the nucleus of the cell. This alteration of the production of protein by the DNA of the cell causes the production of hair to cease.

You Inherit The Affinity For Dihydrotestosterone

What you actually inherit from your family tree is receptors that have an affinity for Dihydrotestosterone. The more affinity for this stuff the more hair you will lose. When Dihydrotestosterone is Suppressed, Hair Follicles Continue To Thrive.

Dihydrotestosterone Cause Miniaturization Of The FolliclesOver time Dihydrotestosterone shrinks the hair follicle with which the hair gets smaller and finer. This is referred to as miniaturization with which the hair ultimately falls off. This is why Dihydrotestosterone is responsible for about 95% of hair loss. People who suffer from male or female pattern baldness not only inherit receptors that have an affinity for Dihydrotestosterone, but also the production of more DHT than others.

Dihydrotestosterone Accumulates In A Wax Like SubstanceDihydrotestosterone tends to create a wax like substance around the hair roots. This accumulation of DHT in the hair follicles and roots damages the hair follicle and sets the stage for male and female pattern hair loss. Fortunately there are treatments on the market today that can block the synthesis of DHT at the molecular level to divert both male pattern and female pattern hair loss.