Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)

Overview:

Dihydrotestosterone is made from testosterone by an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase, mainly in the skin, hair follicles and prostate. It binds more strongly to androgen receptors than testosterone does, so it has a disproportionate effect in those tissues. That is why it features in male pattern hair loss and in prostate enlargement, and why medications such as finasteride work by blocking its production. Measuring it is useful when assessing the effect of those medications, when investigating disorders of sexual development, and when androgen effects seem out of step with a normal testosterone result.

Categories:

Hormone, Men’s Health

Biomarkers:

1 biomarker