How to Reduce DHT Level in Scalp Naturally + More!

This post was most recently updated on May 6th, 2023

Hair loss can have many causes. It could be vitamin deficiencies, genes, and even air pollution. But one of the popular causes is excessive levels of DHT. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a hormone that allegedly contributes to hair fall as well as male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness. If this is the cause of your hair loss, you need to know how to reduce DHT level in scalp naturally.

No need to pay thousands of dollars for a hair transplant, these simple tips may help you to reduce the DHT level at home. Many vegetables, fruits, and drinks in your kitchen are there that may act as natural DHT blockers. Here we provide 10 natural regimens that can help reduce DHT levels on your scalp. Before we go any further, in case you wonder how DHT can impact hair loss, here’s the short story.

A Closer Look at DHT

“DHT causes a shortening of the lifespan in the hair follicles in […] men. It chokes the hair follicle [which] eventually shuts down,” says Dr. Angela Phipps, Medical Advisor to Hair Club.

While there are many causes of hair loss, the most common reason men lose their hair is hereditary or genetic. In fact, male pattern baldness patients inherited genetically sensitive hair follicles to DHT.

But did you know?

DHT is also present in women because women also produce testosterone, though not as much as men. It can occur at any age after puberty and increase in frequency with age, it is especially common in women going through menopause when progesterone levels decrease. If in men it is called male pattern baldness, in women it is called female pattern baldness.

In as little as 3 months, DHT baldness might start to show on the scalp, usually on the front or top. Without early therapy, its effect usually becomes fully visible in a total of 1-3 years. Eventually, this pattern progresses to more noticeable baldness across the top of the scalp, leaving only a fringe of the “horseshoe” pattern of hair in men. Whereas in women the signs are visible thinning hair on the top and crown of the scalp.

To avoid this from happening, you can reduce the DHT level with simple and natural home remedies. Let’s see what they are.

How to Lower DHT Levels Naturally

The good news is that diet can help to lower the level of DHT on your scalp. What else can be more natural than consuming healthy foods and drinks that can easily reduce or even block the DHT level? In this section, we have covered our top 10 picks of foods that act as natural DHT blockers.

Green Tea

If you often consume black tea every day, now is the best time to replace it with green tea. Besides being popular because of the theanine compound that can give you a relaxing effect, green tea also contains powerful antioxidants which have been scientifically proven to reduce DHT levels on the scalp.

These antioxidants are obtained from the polyphenols and flavonoids found in green tea. It is known that its antioxidant properties are mediated by epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCC) which can inhibit and block the activity of 5-alpha-reductase, an enzyme that plays a major role in the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Thus, green tea can improve hormone circulation and help prevent excessive testosterone production, which eventually reduces DHT levels.

Spinach

For those who often mix spinach into your morning green smoothie mix, did you know that spinach can also act as a DHT blocker as it is rich in zinc? For this reason, in addition to helping lower cholesterol levels, spinach contains phytosterols which can help reduce DHT production in your body, more precisely your scalp.

Spinach not only targets DHT but is also rich in quercetin which plays a major role in blocking the activity of the DHT-producing enzyme, alpha-5 reductase, making it an effective vegetable for preventing DHT. Other zinc-rich foods that may help reduce DHT levels on your scalp are kale, pumpkin seeds, and white mushrooms. Apart from mixing spinach into your smoothies, you can also add them to your green salads, soups, sandwiches, and/ or scrambled eggs.

Onion

Just like spinach, onions that you often add to your daily dishes are also rich in quercetin and antioxidants (with at least 17 different varieties of flavonoid antioxidants). Quercetin plays a role in blocking alpha-5 reductase which ultimately inhibits DHT production and reduces oxidative stress.

Onions also contain vitamins B6 and selenium which are known to help reduce DHT levels in the body. Other quercetin-rich foods that may help to reduce DHT levels are apples, berries, and asparagus.

Edamame

If some of you don’t like edamame, maybe it is the right time to consider including this in your diet. Edamame is a source of vegetable protein that contains isoflavones that can inhibit the action of 5-alpha reductase. Edamame is rich in iron, vitamin B2, magnesium, and omega-3 which helps limit DHT production on the scalp. A study shows that consuming soy protein containing either high or low isoflavones can reduce DHT levels in the body.

Edamame is also a source of vitamin K which helps reduce the risk of heart disease, which is also one of the main problems caused by excessive DHT levels. You can eat edamame in various ways, such as adding it to mixed salads, edamame fried rice, or edamame dip to enjoy with chips.

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds can also be considered a natural food to block DHT in the scalp. You can add this fiber-rich food along with spinach and edamame to your salad, pesto, or bread.

Pumpkin seeds are very rich in iron, magnesium, zinc, and antioxidants. In the case of DHT blockers, this is due to the presence of the phytosterol beta-sitosterol compounds that have been shown to inhibit the action of 5-alpha reductase, thereby preventing the conversion of testosterone to DHT. As well as pumpkins being used as Halloween decorations, now you know that the seeds can actually be beneficial in reducing hair loss and overall hair health.

Turmeric

Sometimes the best remedies can be found in your kitchen. Just like turmeric, a very common spice that is available in your kitchen cabinet. Apart from being added as a spice in your cooking, you can also add a little turmeric powder to your morning smoothie drink.

A new study shows that curcumin alone and a combination of curcumin and minoxidil can improve hair loss. Another study has also shown curcumin to cure prostate cancer, so one could expect a strong anti-DHT effect.

In terms of treating hair loss, curcuminoids play an active role in blocking the action of the alpha-5 reductase enzyme, eventually leading to decreasing the DHT levels in the scalp.

Caffeine

If you are a coffee lover, you will be happy to hear the news that coffee can actually help reduce DHT levels in the scalp thanks to its caffeine compounds. A 2017 study suggests that caffeine plays a role in blocking the effects of DHT and extending the duration of the anagen (hair growth) phase.

You can find many shampoos that contain caffeine to stimulate your hair growth, such as Ultrax Labs. Check our full review here. For a more natural application, apart from drinking coffee, you can use it as a hair mask.

The steps are quite simple:

• Brew a cup of coffee and let it cool.
• Then spray it on your scalp and hair while also massaging your scalp.
• Leave it for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it off with cold water.

Do let us know your own experience of trying this process at home below in comments.

Avocado

The fruit that you usually eat alone or add to your sandwiches, salads, or smoothies also turns out to be one of the great natural DHT blockers.

Avocados are rich in fatty acids that can reduce DHT conversion by inhibiting the 5-alpha reductase enzyme from doing its job. In addition, avocados are also rich in other important nutrients, such as vitamin E, omega-3, copper, iron, and magnesium. These are all beneficial for supporting hair growth and overall hair health.

Avocados also contain powerful phytosterols and antioxidants that can help to open clogged hair pores, providing a healthy ecosystem for hair to grow longer and thicker.

Tomato

For years, tomatoes have been recognized as a natural remedy for reducing prostate cancer – which is one of the illnesses caused by DHT – thanks to the lycopene compound in it. Lycopene works by blocking the formation of new androgen receptors so that the DHT conversion process is also reduced.

In simple words, this compound reduces DHT production by inhibiting the action of 5-alpha reductase. Tomatoes are also rich in powerful antioxidants that can fight the causes of hair follicle damage. You can easily consume tomatoes by adding them to salads, pasta, or your favorite food. Other foods rich in lycopene are watermelon, mangoes, and carrots.

Banana

Last but not least, a banana, a yellow fruit that you can find easily in the supermarket fruit rack. Banana is a great source of biotin and also helps reduce DHT production on your scalp by inhibiting the action of 5-alpha reductase. Not only that, but bananas are also rich in potassium, one of the compounds that can improve blood circulation to your scalp, which distributes oxygen and essential nutrients to the hair follicles.

Other sources of biotin that can help are egg yolks, walnuts, sweet potatoes, beetroot, and mushrooms. You can also get biotin from biotin-containing dietary supplements or shampoos to enjoy its multiple benefits.

Now you know the best foods that can help in blocking DHT in your scalp. Try to add them to your daily diet and see wonderful results for yourself. Apart from that, there are several additional ways you can reduce DHT levels on your scalp, check out the full details in the next section.

Other DHT-Blocking Remedies to Consider

Apart from natural methods, we also offer other options that can help reduce DHT levels on the scalp besides diet. By combining several methods, both internal and external applications, the best results are more easily achieved.

If you’re looking to invest more in your hair health, here are other things to consider when trying to reduce DHT levels in your scalp.

5-Alpha-Reductase Inhibitors

5AR Inhibitors are a group of drugs that can block the action of 5-alpha reductase in converting testosterone to DHT. There are currently two FDA-approved 5AR inhibitors: Finasteride and Dutasteride. Finasteride is sold under the brands name Propecia and Proscar, while Dutasteride is under Avodart and Jalyn. However, recently, some studies have shown that Minoxidil can also act as a 5AR inhibitor for male and female pattern baldness.

Many people consider minoxidil as a quick solution to cater to their hair loss conditions, especially for hereditary hair loss. Currently, you can find many brands that use minoxidil in their products, such as Hims/Hers, Rogaine, CVS, and many more that come in the form of topical solutions and foams.

These drugs may come with side effects. Thus, natural remedies sometimes are a great option for you to help reduce DHT levels, such as a healthy lifestyle, taking DHT blocker supplements or shampoos, and scalp exfoliation.

Healthy lifestyle

Apart from consuming a healthy diet, a healthy lifestyle is also a stimulus to reduce DHT levels on your scalp.

For example;

• reducing stress,
• cutting down or eliminating smoking and alcoholic beverages from your life,
• doing physical activity (exercise and yoga), and
• doing scalp massage.

Regular hot oil massage can help increase blood circulation to your scalp and increase healthy hair growth. You can use essential oils, such as peppermint oil, rosemary oil, and tea tree oil, or combine them with natural oils, such as argan oil, avocado oil, almond oil, and coconut oil to facilitate scalp massage.

Scalp Exfoliation

Besides scalp massage, routinely exfoliating your scalp also helps reduce DHT levels on your scalp. Apart from regularly using your daily shampoo, you can also use clarifying shampoos to exfoliate your scalp. For example, Ouai Clarifying Shampoo can be used once or twice weekly.

Clarifying shampoo has the ability to remove all product buildup, hard water minerals, and excessive oil (sebum) that regular shampoo can’t. Poor scalp hygiene can lead to stunted hair growth and trigger more hair loss, which is why clarifying shampoos are so helpful for opening up clogging pores.

Add DHT Blocker Shampoo to Your Routine

As briefly mentioned earlier, some shampoos can be used as an option to reduce DHT levels because of the ingredients in them, such as biotin, azelaic acid, saw palmetto, pumpkin seed, and caffeine. Basically, they work in the same manner as the nutrients mentioned above: Inhibiting the action of alpha-5 reductase so that DHT production decreases in the body.

To get the best results, you usually need to leave the shampoo on your scalp for 3-5 minutes for deeper absorption before rinsing it off. After that, DHT blocker shampoo works by unclogging pores and increasing blood flow to the scalp to promote healthier hair growth. You can try DHT blocker shampoos offered by Ultrax Labs, Hairfinity, and Zenagen which you can get on Amazon.

DHT Blocker Supplements

If you prefer oral medication, you can consume biotin supplements to help block DHT levels. Recently, supplements containing biotin have been found in many retailers ranging from 1,000 mcg to 10,000 mcg. It’s easy to say that almost all dietary supplements for hair use biotin as the main active ingredient. This is partly because it’s beneficial to support healthy hair growth and promote fuller, thicker, and stronger hair.

In addition, many dietary supplements or DHT blockers use various herbal ingredients to help reduce DHT levels, such as supplements containing saw palmetto and green tea. Therefore, you will have no problem getting it at retailers, including Amazon.

EndNote

There are many ways to reduce DHT levels naturally at home, through daily diet, healthy living habits, and hair care products. By consistently combining all of these methods, you will be able to see miraculous results without having to spend a fortune on hair transplants.

In addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle, you can also consider taking medications that have been shown to reduce DHT levels in your scalp, such as 5AR reductase.

We hope this article was useful. Let us know in the comment section which remedies you use to reduce DHT levels at home. And if you have any recommendations and questions, drop them in the comment section down below.