Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a type of hormone produced naturally by the body. In fact, the hormone DHT is responsible for the development of several masculine characteristics such as the growth of body hair or hair, muscle growth, the appearance of a heavier and deeper voice after puberty, and prostate. Generally, the level of testosterone that is converted into DHT in your body is less than 10%. That is why most people do not need to worry too much about the levels of the DHT hormone in their bodies. However, in some cases, the percentage will increase. As a result, the risk of hair loss and prostate cancer will also increase! To control or return DHT hormone levels to normal levels, try making dietary and lifestyle changes. In addition, you can also try taking drugs and supplements that can limit the production of the DHT hormone in the body.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Changing Diet to Control DHT Hormones
Step 1. Mix tomatoes into various sauces
Tomatoes are rich in an antioxidant called lycopene, which acts as a natural inhibitor of the DHT hormone. Since your body is better able to absorb lycopene from processed tomatoes than from raw tomatoes, try eating more tomato sauce or paste instead of raw tomato slices.
Carrots, mangoes, and watermelons are also very rich in lycopene
Step 2. Eat nuts like almonds and cashews as a healthy snack
Other substances that can be natural inhibitors of the hormone DHT, such as lysine and zinc, can also be found in almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, and cashews.
- Eating nuts every day is effective in reducing DHT hormone levels naturally.
- Zinc is also found in green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach.
Step 3. Drink green tea
Green tea is so rich in antioxidants that it can slow or even stop the conversion of the hormone testosterone to DHT. Other hot drinks, including tea and black coffee, also have a similar effect.
For best results, make sure you only consume whole, organic tea leaves. Avoid green tea-flavoured drinks that have gone through chemical processing. Generally, the tea content in such drinks is less than 10%! Don't add sugar or artificial sweeteners to your tea cup
Step 4. Limit or stop sugar consumption
Sugar can cause inflammation and increase the production of DHT in the body. That's why consuming too much sugar can actually eliminate the positive benefits you receive from other foods.
For some people, avoiding foods that contain artificial sweeteners such as cookies and candy is not difficult. However, understand that you should also avoid processed and packaged foods that actually contain sugar even though they don't taste sweet
Step 5. Limit caffeine intake in the body
Consuming a cup of coffee every morning can indeed lower your DHT hormone levels. However, consuming too much caffeine can actually have the opposite effect! Besides the risk of disrupting hormonal balance, consuming too much caffeine can also cause dehydration; both will inhibit your hair growth.
Avoid fizzy drinks that are high in caffeine. Generally, such drinks also have very high levels of sugar and other chemicals, so there is a risk of increasing the production of DHT in the body
Method 2 of 3: Taking Supplements and Drugs
Step 1. Try taking a saw palmetto supplement
Saw palmetto is a natural DHT inhibitor that works as an inhibitor of 5 alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT. Generally, you need to take 320 mg of the supplement daily to promote hair growth.
Although saw palmetto may not work as fast as over-the-counter medications prescribed by a doctor, it will likely cost less. In addition, some people feel more comfortable taking supplements instead of doctor's medications
Step 2. Try taking a pumpkin seed oil supplement
Pumpkin seed oil is a natural DHT inhibitor that is still lower in efficiency than saw palmetto. Also, in contrast to saw palmetto, the effects of pumpkin seed oil have only been tested in mice, not humans.
- In Germany and the United States, pumpkin seed oil supplements are licensed for use as a method of treating prostate disease.
- To increase the consumption of pumpkin seed oil, you can also consume a handful of pumpkin seeds every day. However, understand that the level of oil that enters the body will not be as much as if you take supplement pills. In addition, roasting pumpkin seeds can also reduce the various benefits and nutrients contained in them.
Step 3. Consult the use of finasteride with your doctor
Finasteride, which is also sold under the brand name Propecia, is a drug that has a marketing authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is used to treat hair loss from the roots (especially to treat male pattern baldness. Generally, finasteride can be taken in pill or drug form inject.
- Finasteride acts on an enzyme that is concentrated in the hair follicles to limit the production of DHT.
- Finasteride can stop baldness and in some cases, promote new hair growth.
Step 4. Ask your doctor about taking topical minoxidil (Rogaine) 2% or oral finasteride
Hair loss is the most common consequence of high levels of DHT in the body. Therefore, try taking minoxidil or finasteride to reduce hair loss and in some cases, even promote new hair growth. However, make sure you only do it under the supervision of a doctor to ensure that there are no adverse drug interactions or side effects.
Some of the side effects that may appear are decreased libido, decreased ability to maintain an erection, and decreased frequency of ejaculation
Method 3 of 3: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Exercise 3 to 5 times a week
Getting used to being lazy and being overweight can increase your risk of getting prostate cancer! Therefore, try to always exercise regularly. Believe me, exercise as simple as walking for 20 minutes every day can improve your overall health, you know!
Also do resistance exercise to strengthen the muscles of the body. If your daily routine is too busy, it seems like doing interval training is the right decision
Step 2. Take time to rest and relax
Believe me, an unbalanced frequency of work and rest can increase stress levels and the production of DHT in the body! Therefore, always take time for 15-20 minutes every day to rest or do things that are fun.
- Choose activities that are less strenuous and relaxing, such as reading a book, coloring, or putting together a puzzle.
- Make sure you always get enough sleep every night. Remember, lack of sleep also has the potential to increase stress levels and the production of DHT in the body!
Step 3. Reduce stress with a massage at the spa or relaxation
In fact, stress can encourage the body to convert more testosterone into DHT. Therefore, try massaging your body to reduce stress as well as stimulate and improve blood circulation. All of them are able to encourage your hair growth!
For several months, massage the body once every two weeks on a regular basis. After that, try to observe the effect on your stress levels
Step 4. Quit smoking
In addition to having a higher risk of experiencing health problems, smokers are actually also shown to have higher levels of the hormone DHT than non-smokers. If you still smoke and experience increased DHT levels, quitting smoking is actually effective in normalizing the production of DHT in your body.
- Because cigarette smoke can increase levels of DHT and other hormones in the body, smoking can also increase the risk of prostate cancer and the death rate that accompanies it (although some studies have shown otherwise).
- In addition to increasing DHT levels in the body, smoking itself can actually cause hair loss.
