The Hearty Soul

The Hearty Soul

April 26, 2024

9 DHT Blocking Foods To Help Reverse Hair Loss

Hair loss can affect men, women, and also children.  There can be many causes behind hair loss, but one of the main causes is the androgen hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is derived from testosterone. If you’re losing your hair, eating DHT-blocking foods might help.

There are only 2 places that hair does not grow on our bodies – the soles of our feet and the palms of our hands.  The rest of the body is covered in various types of hair – some are so fine that they appear invisible and others are thicker and more visible. Hair is made up of a protein called keratin.  Keratin is produced in the hair follicles.  As follicles produce new hair cells, old cells are pushed out through the surface of the skin. The hair you see is actually a string of dead keratin cells.  Hair typically grows at a rate of six inches per year.

Losing Your Hair: What Causes It?

Serious asian young woman holding brush holding comb, hairbrush with fall black hair from scalp after brushing, looking on hand worry about balding. Health care, beauty treatment, hair loss problem.
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The average adult head has about 100,000 to 150,000 hairs, and you can lose up to 100 of them a day; which is why it can be common to find a few stray hairs on your hairbrush, especially after showering and is not cause for alarm.

Read More: Natural Home Remedies for Hair Growth (Men and Women)

There are a number of factors that influence hair loss including:

Close-up young woman brushing her hair and have many hair loss on the comb
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  • Drugs (such as chemotherapy)
  • Stress – both physical and emotional
  • Medical conditions such as thyroid disorders
  • Low iron etc.,

Our genes can determine your predisposition for baldness, nutritional status and your androgen hormones, namely testosterone and dihydrotestosterone – produced by both men and women. Testosterone usually travels in the blood bound to a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG).  When testosterone is bound to SHBG, it is considered inactive.   Testosterone that is not bound to SHBG is called free testosterone.

It is the free testosterone that is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase.  If you have low amounts of SHBG, then you have higher amounts of free testosterone, and then there is more available to be converted to DHT.

Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is the hormone behind hair loss.  DHT is five times more potent than testosterone. It attaches to the same receptor sites as testosterone, binds more easily and is bound for a longer period. Approximately 5% of free testosterone is normally converted into DHT.  DHT causes the hair follicles to shrink, have a shorter lifespan and furthermore, decreases the production of hair.

9 DHT Blocking Foods

Fruits, berries, nuts, seeds top view on rustic wooden background.Diet, detox, superfood concept.
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Hair loss products typically focus on the following herbs and nutrients that stop the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Here are a few DHT blocking foods to try.

1. Saw Palmetto

Saw palmetto herb herbal medicine can reduce urinary frequency whilst increasing urinary flow and helps benign prostatic hyperplasia and may delay the need for prostrate surgery. Sabal serrulata.
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Saw palmetto works by stopping the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). High levels of dihydrotestosterone are associated with hair loss, while high levels of testosterone are associated with hair growth.

As the conversion is blocked, testosterone levels increase.  This can reduce hair loss and sometimes promotes hair regrowth through increased testosterone levels.  Dosage is usually recommended at 160 mg twice a day.

2. Pygeum (Prunus Africana)

African Prunes, studio shot, isolated
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This blocks 5-alpha reductase enzyme from converting testosterone to DHT.

3. Nettle Root

Preparation of herbal tincture from fresh nettle roots
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This is another herb that blocks the 5-alpha reductase enzyme from converting testosterone to DHT.

4. Pumpkin Seeds

Green pumpkin seeds background. Top view. Flat lay. Texture element for package and marketing materials design
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They contain a steroid called delta-7 stearine, which blocks DHT buildup in the hair follicle, so DHT is not able to affect the hair follicle.

5. Tomatoes, Watermelon, Carrots, and Mangoes

These contain lycopene which inhibits DHT naturally by inhibiting 5 alpha reductase, from converting testosterone into its most active form, DHT.

Read More: Why Your Hair Might Be Turning Gray at a Young Age

6. Almonds, Walnuts, Peanuts, and Pecans

Assortment of nuts in bowls. Cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, pine nuts, peanuts, macadamia, almonds, brazil nuts. Food mix on wooden background, top view, copy space
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If you love nuts, incorporate them into your diet as DHT blocking foods! These are rich in L-lysine which is a natural DHT inhibitor.

7. Spinach, Kale, Cashews, Wheat Germ, and Cooked White Mushrooms

Fresh spinach and kale from the home garden.
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You can combine these DHT blocking foods into one bodacious salad! These are high in zinc, a known DHT inhibitor.

8. Green Tea

Cold Japanese green tea placed where you can see the garden. Japanese summer drink.
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Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate, or EGCG, one of the active constituents of green tea, also blocks the formation of DHT. Green tea has been shown to reduce DHT blood levels significantly.

9. Fenugreek

Top View of Fenugreek Seed or Methi Seeds in a White Bowl Isolated on Fenugreek Leaves Stack in Horizontal Orientation with Copy Space
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This is another inhibitor of the conversion of testosterone to DHT.

More Tips for Reducing Hair Loss

asian girl worry about hair loss - with the comb
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Maintain optimal levels of SHBG so that there is less free testosterone to be converted to DHT.  SHBG decreases with obesity so maintaining a healthy body composition will optimize SHBG levels, so there is less free testosterone.

Reduce inflammation with a healthy diet and omega 3 fatty acids.  DHT is more damaging to hair follicles when there are high levels of inflammation in the body.

Berries, wheat germ, bananas, peanuts, legumes, Swiss chard, eggs (cooked), tuna, salmon are rich in biotin.  Biotin is an essential nutrient for healthy hair.  Biotin conditions the scalp providing a healthy environment for hair to grow.

Read More: What Is Hair-Grooming Syncope? The Condition Is Triggered by Hair Styling

Sources

  1. Healthline. (n.d.). Hair loss and testosterone: What’s the link? Healthline. Retrieved April 21, 2024, from https://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/hair-loss-and-testosterone
  2. Medical News Today. (n.d.). What to know about hair loss in men and women. Retrieved April 21, 2024, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/68082.php
  3. WebMD. (n.d.). Understanding hair loss — The basics. Retrieved April 21, 2024, from https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/