In This Article
What is DHT?
DHT, also known as Dihydrotestosterone, is derived from the testosterone in your body. It converts around 5% of the testosterone to DHT, which is an androgen. It is a type of sex hormone that adds to ‘male’ characteristics like a deep voice, etc. However, it also leads to mature hairline, receding hairline and hair loss. This could also be found in women, but it prevails in men because they’re most affected by sex hormones.
The medically proven methods to block DHT include finasteride and minoxidil. Where finasteride is the most effective (99%), and the effectiveness of minoxidil is comparatively lower (91.5%). Some foods and drinks such as turmeric, coconut oil, and green tea may help block DHT. However, there’s no scientific proof for it for humans.
Why is blocking DHT important?
DHT causes hair loss, so it’s important to block it!
If you don’t block the DHT in your body, it will affect the cells. And it could also cause the following signs to develop:
- Increase in body hair
- Voice getting deeper
- The penis getting larger
If the DHT level goes exceptionally high, it could cause prostate cancer, coronary heart disease, slow skin healing, etc.
How to block DHT?
Some foods and drinks can boost hair growth but cannot block DHT altogether.
Medical solutions to block DHT
Before we get to blocking DHT, it’s essential to notice the early signs of balding. IF you don’t know about them already, have a look at them in this article.
Finasteride: Like several medications, finasteride can promote hair growth, but it may take around a decade for lasting results to appear in men – with an effectiveness rate of around 99%. It stops testosterone from converting into DHT in the first place.
Minoxidil: Minoxidil is another good choice. However, it’s not as effective as finasteride – only around 91.5%. It is a topical medication, available in the forms of spray and foam.
Foods that can contribute to hair growth or may block DHT
If you want a list of foods that may help block DHT or promote hair growth, here are three of them that have been making the rounds for some time.
1. Coconut oil
Coconut oil is quite a popular choice for oiling hair.
Not only is coconut oil famous for cooking, but it can also be applied to your hair. So even if you don’t have an excessive DHT level inside your body, it’s the oil you need for all sorts of issues, from hair growth to even skincare.
But how does it work? Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which makes up a very high percentage of fat. This type of acid is the natural substitute responsible for blocking DHT. Note that this is effective only when taken orally; however, the results have not been fully verified for humans.
2. Green tea
If you’re a tea lover, then there’s no better choice to block DHT than green tea.
Green tea isn’t just good for health generally. But it also has plenty of benefits when it comes to controlling hair loss. So what makes this type of tea so widely popular for blocking DHT? Well, it’s because it retains most of its natural chemicals.
Firstly, it contains antioxidants, and secondly, it has epigallocatechin gallate, also known as EGCG. It’s the chemical responsible for boosting the health of your hair. It works on building up the resistance of your hair follicles against DHT.
How to block DHT using Green Tea
Whether green tea should be applied, drunk or supplements are taken – it’s still unclear!
For men, the best way to use green tea is to apply it to the scalp. You can expect the results in as little as five days. Of course, this doesn’t mean that all of your hair will come back within a week, but you will notice the hair growing back.
Although there are no full-fledged results for green tea to block DHT entirely, it can affect hair growth. However, we cannot be sure if even consuming green tea can block DHT. Since hair loss caused by DHT is way different from typical hair fall, we cannot be sure if green tea is effective. Regardless of its effectiveness, never consume green tea in high amounts, as it may lead to liver damage.
3. Turmeric
Just like green tea, turmeric is also a natural supplement derived from a plant called Curcuma.
Turmeric may not be the best choice to get rid of baldness completely. But since it’s very nutritional, you could expect it to block DHT. Also, turmeric powder is standard as it’s used across many recipes, so you don’t necessarily have to take it separately.
You can expect the testosterone levels to drop because turmeric consists of a natural supplement called curcumin.
A review on foods that may or may not block DHT
All the above foods are just healthy add-ons to your diet. But, unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that any of them could block DHT. So it’s necessary to go with a medical approach instead. However, keep in mind that, unlike foods, you would need to consult a doctor to proceed with finasteride or minoxidil. Never take medication on your own, just because you think it’s right!
Conclusion
So the saying, “You are what you eat,” can pretty much apply to blocking DHT. However, we cannot wholly depend on foods as they have all been tested on animals and not humans. We would suggest that you consult a doctor for any suggestions on finasteride or minoxidil. DHT is produced by converting around 5% of the testosterone in your body. High DHT levels can promote hair loss in both men and women.
