Are DHT Blockers Safe?

I’m losing some hair and would like to try to retain as much as possible. I’m considering using some products that contain “natural” DHT blockers. My concern is, are these DHT blockers safe for people on testosterone replacement therapy? Are there any known adverse effects from using DHT blockers? Should I try to avoid them?

Thank you

Derek over at MorePlatesMoreDates does a whole bunch of videos on hair loss. I can’t confirm or deny their efficacy but he is generally pretty science minded and does his homework.

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Topical treatments are safer, but I don’t believe there are any “DHT blockers” that are without risks.

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If you are prepared to lose sexual function, it would not be a bad idea to try 5-α reductase inhibitors.
I am not saying that jokingly either. It is normal to try save your hair, but in my opinion society should shift its standards. Nothing wrong with losing your hair… it really is not a massive deal.
I advise letting your body do whatever it is doing with regard to hairloss.

However, I would probably try azelaic acid on the scalp and similar acting compounds first if you are planning to take some action about the hairloss.

Are you on TRT? If so, what protocol and do you have DHT labs?

How old are you?

A safer option to Finasteride would be Minoxidil. Finasteride may have permanent side effects that TRT alone would not be able to solve.

Yes, an obvious one, they reduce significantly your DHT levels. With DHT being one of your sex hormones you should think very carefully about whether its worth reducing one dramatically.

I can’t link you any studies on side effects, I haven’t looked for any, but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence of them causing significant sexual dysfunction side effects.

However if you don’t like anecdotes I just approach this one logically, unless you believe the only role of DHT in your body is to cause hair loss then eliminating it cannot be without side effects.

I’d agree with staying away from fin/dut. I’d try Minoxidil instead if you want to use something.

It makes sense. Thanks for the response.

I’m on TRT. Thanks for all your replies, I’m definitely staying away from DHT blockers. I appreciate all of the responses.

I’ll just throw this in here for what it’s worth.

I need DHT blockers not for hair but for skin. It seems people are either sensitive to DHT in the scalp, or their skin. Luckily for me, my scalp doesn’t mind DHT. But my skin develops cystic acne if my DHT creeps even a tad over normal baseline.

So then for me, it took 7.5mg of finasteride to keep my DHT in check. Now even though I took that much, luckily it had zero effect on sexual function like a lot of people talk about. Still, I wasn’t comfortable taking that much. So I asked my doc to switch me to dutasteride. And it turns out that works just as well if not better, at only 0.5mg a day.

So I’m a fan.

Not safe

If you are wondering what the long term side effects from those taking DHT blockers, it’s doesn’t look good. Finasteride and Dutasteride were found to increase the chances of men developing BPH, impaired insulin sensitivity, impair ocular function, development of dry eye disease, inducing liver lipid accumulation and steatosis.

Health Risks Associated with Long-Term Finasteride and Dutasteride Use: It’s Time to Sound the Alarm

I apparently never finished this post I wrote a few days ago.

Anyways. Saying it’s safer because it’s a “smaller dose” of a totally different drug isn’t really how it works. Is taking 200mg of tren better because its less than 300mg of testosterone?

It is incredibly strong stuff if you look at how effective it is for most DHT wise.

I was on Dut for years and I still believe it’s the reason I’m on TRT today and still don’t have full dick sensitivity.

I did have the best hair and skin I’ve ever had while on it… I guess no DHT will do that.

Then wouldn’t the sensible thing be to simply keep your DHT in the middle of the normal range?

When I’m on either fin or dutasteride, my DHT is 50ng/dl (16-79) and my PSA is 0.7ng/ml (0.0-3.8).

We’re busy keeping all our other hormones in optimal range, why is DHT allowed to run wild (especially if you get sides from it)?

You don’t believe these guys who participated in the long term Finasteride and Dutasteride studies maintained DHT levels at zero, then developing symptoms, damage to organs do you?

There may not be a solution to control acne that doesn’t involve a downside.

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