Hair Loss Treatments: DHT Inhibitors
DHT Inhibitors
As explained in the blog post Male Pattern Baldness explained the androgen most commonly attributed to hair loss is dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is created when testosterone is meets with 5-alpha reductase. If you could reduce the amount of this enzyme in the blood or hair follicles then, in theory, you should be able to reduce the amount of testosterone being converted to DHT, giving you lower levels of DHT. Lower levels of DHT should as well then lower the amount of hair follicles damaged.
This is exactly what products such as finasteride (Propecia) are created to do. They are 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, which in turn inhibits the creation of DHT.
Finasteride aka Propecia
Finasteride is the most effective way to block DHT. It is a very potent inhibitor and therefor available only by prescription, and available for men only. It is taken in 1mg doses per day in pill form, and has been shown to stop hair loss and even regrow hair in 90% of men. There are side effects which should be taken into account, but they occur in less than 2% of patients. Of those experiencing side effects generally see them stop after a couple months of use. It is always best to discuss the potential side effects with your physician before deciding if it is appropriate for you. Finasteride is most commonly sold as Propecia, but also comes as Avodart, Dutastride, and Proscar.
If you’re looking to go another route besides prescriptions there are natural product alternatives which will help inhibit DHT as well. Saw Palmetto is a very common supplement used in the hair loss community to naturally inhibit DHT. It has been shown to block the enzyme in 60% of cases.
Vitamin B6 and Biotin are also commonly associated with hair loss prevention. You can normally find these in multivitamins and should definitely be taken as part of your daily hair loss regimen. They are not as powerful as finasteride but they should definitely help.
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