Hi everyone. Its been awhile since my last post, but I am back with a question. I keep hearing that DHT is bad for NBE and is a cause for several negative things. But is there anything positive that DHT does in the male body?
Thanks,
Brittni
Depends on your point of view. DHT is what makes men look like men: body hair, body odor, male pattern baldness, coarse oily skin. If you want to look 'manly' then it's all good. If you prefer a more feminine appearance, it's not good. Whether the effects of DHT are considered positive or negative, is purely a personal choice.
Everything that you describe does sound bad/negative to me. Does DHT do anything positive in terms of penile function though? Also seeing as I am 20 and still have nearly all my hair, if I was to take something to block DHT for the rest of my life, would I never experience male pattern baldness?
Thanks,
Brittni
Assuming you're talking about penile function in the sense of putting a flashlight in your pocket, my experience has been that shucking the DHT did not affect that ability. Testosterone will keep that going. However, adding an Estrogen substance will indeed change the equation. How much change will depend on how much Estrogen. While I have had shrinkage, and decreased sexual function over the last 2 years, my recent run-in with a couple of Testosterone shots has quite clearly demonstrated to me that that ability can be quickly recovered. Thus my belief that halting DHT production exclusively, should have "little effect" on the "little guy". As far as never having male pattern baldness, that may depend both on genetics, and how much DHT blockers you take to drive it into submission. Be aware, too, that if you ever drive your T level as low as I did, (20), that you probably will have very little, if any, DHT to block. Decision you'll have to make. You should consider monitoring blood chemistry levels if at all possible should you undertake these changes. Patti
My understanding is pretty much in line with Patti's. T is primarily responsible for libido and the ability to get and maintain erections. Blocking the production or action of DHT should not theoretically affect sexual function, except that in the body it's never quite that clear cut. There are multiple feedback loops and when one has an over abundance of T your system will sense that and convert some into estrogen and/or decrease natural production. This is why bodybuilders get "bitch tits" when taking anabolic steroids. T and not DHT is also primarily responsible for growth and maintenance of muscle mass, so in theory the various DHT blockers should not affect lean body mass either. If T is reduced, obviously there will less DHT since only 5% of free T is converted into DHT.
As for male pattern baldness, this is a combination of genetic predisposition and the action of DHT. Depending on your genetic makeup you will be more or less susceptible to MPB and the effects of DHT. Look at the men on your mother's side of the family as one of the main genes responsible is inherited matrilineally.