What is DHT and why are natural DHT blockers the best way to treat hair loss?
DHT is a byproduct of testosterone that encourages Alpha 5 reductase- an enzyme that miniaturizes hair follicles. It’s this enzyme that could be to blame for all your hair thinning woes! Fortunately, DHT blockers exist to stop the DHT from affecting your hair follicles, and if you’re looking to find the most natural substance out there to act against DHT, you’ve come to the right place.
Many of the herbs listed below have been found to act against DHT. It’s important to note that the natural DHT blockers interact with the human body differently for each person. While we would love to attest their success to a long term study, there are few that contain significant scientific data that shows their effectiveness in clinical studies and lab research.
Are natural DHT blockers proven to cure baldness?
While data may not exist for these herbs and natural remedies and their abilities to block DHT, they do have studies that prove their ability to relieve prostate conditions. And as prostate conditions and hair loss share some of the same characteristics, there’s a higher likelihood of effective natural remedies for prostate conditions also effecting the hair loss process.
When searching for your ideal natural DHT blockers, find a product that has an extract version of the below herbs. This means that the product contains a highly concentrated version of the substance. This will most often have the highest chance of working, so be wary of other products that do not mention extracts in their ingredients lists. It’s likely they have chemical constituents of the herb fibre, which can not be as effective as herb extracts.
Before using (or purchasing) herbal extracts and herbal supplements, we highly recommend you consult your doctor or physician beforehand to check if the product will interfere with other medications you may be taking.
Top Natural DHT Blockers
Saw Palmetto
You may find that in your search for natural DHT blockers, that saw palmetto is an active ingredient in many different products. This is for good reason! Saw palmetto has shown great efficiency in slowing and preventing hair loss, and is also considered to be one of the best natural DHT blockers, thanks to its ability to inhibit alpha 5 reductase production.
This wonder substance also has been used to treat some mens prostate issues and can be highly effective with minimal side effects. While most people can tolerate saw palmetto with ease, it’s worth noting that some users report stomach aches as a side effect.
Pygeum Bark
This herbal remedy is though to be an effective hormone balancer, and when it comes to hair loss, it can reduce and regulate the levels of DHT, while blocking alpha 5 reductase. This herbal remedy is also effective in alleviating the unpleasant side effects of enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Pumpkin seed oil
Unlike the other natural remedies which reduce DHT by inhibiting alpha 5, pumpkin seed oil breaks down DHT through the liver. This natural remedy is able to block DHT thanks to the presence of amino acids such as cucurbitin.
Simply eating raw pumpkin seeds in the old days was a method of preventing enlarged prostate. In fact, in Germany, the E commission (similar to the US’ FDA) has actually approved pumpkin seed oil to treat prostate disorders.
Stinging Nettle Root
The stinging nettle plant is indigenous to North America, Europe and Asia, and has a long history of human use. While it is well-known for it’s stinging effects when touched, it’s also a popular DHT blocker as it effectively reduces prostate swelling and size. This is an indicator of its ability to inhibit alpha 5 reductase, and combined with pygeum bark and saw palmetto, the herb concoction has been seen to be particularly effective at reducing and even preventing hair loss.
Beta Sitosterol
Beta sitosterol is a unique, plant-derived sterol also known as a phytosterol. Found in vegetable oil, nuts, avocados and some prepared foods, it’s actually a mixture of phytersterols, and is known for its ability to fight DHT thanks to its anti-androgenic properties. Unlike some other natural DHT blockers, beta sitosterol does not have many negative side effects in small doses.
However, in large quantities (not recommended) the effect of high concentration in blood has been correlated with an increased severity of heart disease with some men who have previously suffered from heart attacks.
Emu Oil
Emu oil has gained popularity in recent years in America thanks to acresses Demi Moore and Charlize Theron using the product to help their luscious locks grow and stay moisurised. Well known for containing essential fatty acids that promote healthy skin and hair, it also contains a high amount of linolenic acid, which is said to be a mild antiadrogen.
While not a proven DHT blocker, it can be beneficial in moisturising your head and scalp as unlike other oils, it does not clog the pores and absorbs very well into the skin.
Soy Isoflavones
Often sold in tablet form, soy isoflavones comes from soybeans. Consuming soybeans have been shown to have many health benefits, including regulating hormones, promoting cardiovascular health, positively effecting the prostate, and regulating bad cholesterol. Cholestorol is important to monitor when concerned about hair loss, as high levels of cholesterol can increase the production of alpha 5 reductase which in turn converts testosterone into DHT.
Green Tea
There have been many studies that show that one of the active components of green tea, epigallocatechin 3 Gallate (EGCG), is effective at blocking DHT. One study in the Journal of Nutrition shows that EGCG was effective in decreasing testosterone and DHT concentration in the blood.
Additionally, another study in 2009 conducted by the Cancer Prevention Research in ’09 showed that EGCG was able to inhibit DHT which in turn reduced the cell proliferation in cancerous prostate cells.
Reishi Mushroom
This newly discovered DHT blocker has been shown to be one of the most effective mushrooms in inhibiting the activity of 5 alpha reductase.
Rosemary Oil
Rosemary oil is a helpful oil for many different conditions. Thanks to its antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, it’s found its way into many household medicine cabinets. Topical application of rosemary oil is proven to inhibit 5 alpha reductase, which in turn blocks DHT from miniaturising heir follicles.