The Ultimate Natural DHT Blocker

Most people would prefer taking a natural DHT blocker for hair growth rather than Finasteride or Dutasteride. However, the latter two synthetic drugs are far more effective in regrowing hair, albeit with the possibility of worse side effects.

Natural DHT Blocker.
DHT Blocker with Saw Palmetto and Pygeum.

Nevertheless, natural dihydrotestosterone (DHT) blockers can significantly reduce high scalp dihydrotestosterone levels, and at least modestly help with hair growth. In this post, I will outline the most famous and effective natural DHT inhibitors to combat androgenetic alopecia. Some of these work by blocking 5-alpha-reductase enzyme activity, which converts testosterone to the DHT hormone.

I also ask you to submit your suggestions for other lesser known natural products that have scientific backing in reducing DHT levels. For example, a number of studies from Asia have found sea or marine based algae (such as Ecklonia cava) and other plants to be effective at reducing DHT levels via inhibition of 5α-reductase activity.

The Best Natural DHT Blockers

Propidren DHT Blocker
A popular oral DHT blocker containing saw palmetto, nettle extract and pygeum.

A number of natural herbs and plants have been proven to reduce DHT significantly. The extracts of some of these natural “medicines” seem to regularly appear in hair loss products such as the one on the left.

Below, I outline some natural DHT blocking ingredients that I have seen over and over again in various natural hair loss products that do not require a prescription. Many contain added ingredients to benefit hair growth, especially B-vitamins such as biotin and niacin.

  1. Saw Palmetto Plant.
    Saw Palmetto Plant.

    Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens). By far the most popular natural DHT blocker in the world. Saw palmetto extract is derived from the fruit of a specific variety of palm tree. A famous study found that 38% of people with male pattern hair loss who took saw palmetto experienced an increase in hair growth; versus 68% of those on Finasteride growing hair. The key ingredient in saw palmetto that is thought to counter DHT production is beta-sitosterol. If you are taking an oral saw palmetto supplement, typical daily dosages range from 160 mg to 320 mg. Note that even natural supplements can cause side effects in some people, so please consult a dermatologist before trying these products.

  2. Pygeum. A lesser known product derived from pygeum bark of an african plum tree. Pygeum africanum can reduce prostate size and urinary tract problems per one summary of various clinical trials. Most products that reduce the size of the prostate gland enlargement typically do so via reducing DHT levels, either directly or indirectly via 5α-Reductase.
  3. Nettle Plant Extract.
    Stinging Nettle (Urtica Dioica).

    Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) or nettle root extract. A number of studies have found that this alternative treatment reduces benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), aka enlarged prostates.

  4. Pumpkin seed oil (PSO). A surprising ingredient that has been been shown to block the action of 5-alpha reductase and has antiandrogenic properties. Sometimes available as part of a DHT blocker oil.

Besides the earlier mentioned Propidren, another competing product is Folliform for men and women. Sometimes this product is cheaper at Walmart. Other well known natural oral DHT blocker brands include Advanced Trichology, DrFormulas, NuHair and Shen Min.

Your Ingredient Suggestions

What other natural products do you like that reduce DHT significantly? If you can find a number of scientific studies that support your suggestion, I will take your comment seriously. Several manufacturers of bestselling hair loss shampoos and supplements have asked me over the years to make ingredient recommendations to treat hair loss. I think they are serious about adding new natural products into their product recipe if there is sufficient evidence and reader interest in doing so.

Among other products that block DHT include specific varieties of:

  • Seaweed, sea vegetables and alga (algae).
  • Essential oils such as tea tree and rosemary.
  • Mushrooms.
  • Seeds such as flax and sesame.
Green Tea DHT Blocker.
Green Tea (EGCG) DHT Blocker.

Also thought to reduce DHT on the scalp include lycopene, soy, tea tree oil, green tea (via Epigallocatechin gallate aka EGCG), sterols, turmeric, ketoconazole and more. You will find most of the products mentioned in this section as ingredients in various shampoos and conditioners. Wikipedia has a lengthy list of 5α-reductase inhibitors.

Even drinking certain beverages such as black tea and lycopene rich juices (tomatoes, watermelons, carrots) is thought to modestly reduce DHT levels. Some vitamins and minerals can also naturally reduce DHT, albeit modestly. It should be noted that caffeine is unlikely to reduce dihydrotestosterone levels.

Topical DHT Blockers and Inhibitors

Most natural DHT blockers come in pill, tablet or capsule form and are taken orally or internally. However, recently, I have noticed some popular topical DHT blockers and inhibitors in solution or serum formats. Some even come in spray cans or bottles. Most contain saw palmetto as the key ingredient. I am not sure how effective these topical products are at blocking DHT, but some have numerous positive reviews and ratings. Key ingredient delivery is perhaps easier in comparison to topical finasteride.

DHT Blocker Ingredients.
DHT Blocker Ingredients.

One popular topical product on Amazon is Propidren serum by Hairgenics. Among its DHT blocking ingredients shown on the right include:

  • Saw palmetto fruit berry.
  • Beta-Sitosterol.
  • Horsetail extract.
  • Nettle extract.
  • Fo-Ti root.
  • Pygeum bark powder.
  • Green tea extract.

Another highly rated product is an organic saw palmetto based serum that also contains an assortment of essential oils. The latter includes: pumpkin seed oil; moringa oil; baobab oil; blackberry seed oil; flaxseed oil; rosemary oil; peppermint essential oil; cedarwood essential oil; and oregano oil. There is some evidence that essential oils can help your hair become thicker.

38 thoughts on “The Ultimate Natural DHT Blocker”

  1. im sorry but these cant hold a candle to pharmaceutical grade dht blockers. until i see serum levels and scientific data its simply conjecture to gain financial benefits of marginal value. if you want to fight mpb, this is not a real option in my opinion.

    take it from someone who has fought for two decades with decent success dont fall for it. if you truly dont want an oral dht. get on a compounded topical.

    1. There really should be a five year mandatory jail sentence for anyone that begins any form of communication with the slimy “I’m sorry, but”

  2. I’ve been using the hairprint brand regrowth serum a few days a week. I do feel like I haven’t had more hairloss in a while. They now have regrowth shampoo, conditioner, daytime regrowth serum and nighttime regrowth serum; could be a way to merely make more money, but the ingredients are different in each. The science they mention makes sense though, and at the very least I feel safe using their products.

    I plan to continue using only natural products until someone (most likely Follica or Aclaris) comes out with a dramatic solution worth the slight increase in risk.

    1. Curious as to a follow up. I read some bad reviews on Amazon and elsewhere on hairprint. Do you still use these? Thx.

    1. Or honey. Just drink loads of money and see if your hair grows back :-)

      Seriously, based on watching the movements of Shiseido on the ground and a couple of others, there will be a cure within the next 5 years. And if that upsets some Sunday morning yoga hippies because the cure is synthetic and not natural them screw them.

  3. Scott I would be cautious making claims that a cure will be here in 5 years. I’m only saying this so younger members here don’t push aside the big 3 and realize in 5 years we are still at the same situation. As far as sisheido replicel they seem to be done. Been quiet with no updates.

    1. Not really the big 3 though are they? More like the 3 stoogies. Or snap, crackle and pop.
      There will be news soon. We have a saying in the UK – It never rains but it pours.

      1. I got to agree with Mjones on this one.
        They work, they show results its as simple as that.
        And I dont know how some of the users here come up with timeframes for the cure out of the blue.
        With the late developments I believe the cure is not gonna come out in the near future so not jumping on the big three is not a smart move.

    1. Haha… Admin was out enjoying a few refreshing beverages when I posted that little bit of sleuthing….

      1. lol sorry forgot to check on this the next day. I think several others got similar polite replies from Organ Tech recently.

        1. Indeed. I guess my line of enquiry was to check that the partnership between O.T / Riken and Kyocera was intact – after all, O.T can come up with the protocol and the ‘cure’ – but without partners like Kyocera in place to upscale and make practical rollout a reality (by facilitating the gruntwork of replication) then the whole thing would be purely academic. Even though it’s frustrating that clinical research still hasn’t commenced, it’s good to know that in the big picture, this critical partnership hasn’t been derailed. Still gonna take ages and success isn’t guaranteed, of course, but good to know these clever cats still mean business.

          The message from Kyocera was “We are in preparation progress for the clinical research thus we would not be able to disclose any details at the moment. We hope to make an announcement in the next stage but the timing has not been decided yet.”

          So it sounds like… (and it’s always tricky reading between the lines of a Japanese-writing-English email) … Kyocera (and O.T perhaps) have something to announce sometime. Let’s hope it’s news of an encouraging milestone.

          1. Makes sense, though I bet that Tsuji has already tested on humans per last year’s updates. Thanks to you (and the others before) for keeping track of all the partners involved in this treatment.

            1. We take our cues from the best. (That’s you, Admin!) … Personally I would think that Tsuji hasn’t implanted a follicle germ on a single test scalp yet. With so many years of research getting to this point, one tiny mis-step outside protocol, one bad bit of data, could shut the thing down, or put it years behind, and given the enormity of the implications (we’re talking regenerating organs for the first time in history) I think they’d proceed one hundred percent by the book… I also think that I think about this far too much! But seriously Admin, you’re a legend – the fact that there’s little or no bickering and nastiness in the comments of HLC 2020 is a credit to the tone you set. So thanks!

          2. Do we know what Kyocera’s end of the partner ship is? Like what specifically are they doing? Perhaps Tsuji and OT have begun clinical trials but Kyocera has not yet given the update on the website and last year updates.

        2. Hi Admin,

          I have made an Inference from what I have been reading about Shiseido’s sales plummeting from Coronavirus fears. Will this force them to play nice and hurry up to finish things up on their end for Replicel?? It’s very unfortunate whats going on in China but from a business perspective they may need to regain their profits. What are your thoughts?

            1. Thanks for the reply Admin how while I was asking my question u were already working on a stocks article lolol same wavelength huh lol

  4. 1) @Admin whats happened to topical setipiprant? Why didnt allgeran stop doing trials just with pills?

    2) how able we will be to get winlevi once it is released at say 5%?

    1. Mutruk good question. Their CEO made huge announcements last year and even took on the tsuji alliance by saying sth like „It won’t take them years like them to produce results“. Also he clearly stated that those results should be there by now approximately. Really had hope that those Japan based companies would keep their promises regarding timelines due to their advantage in terms of speeding up clinical trials…

  5. Mjones, I respect your opinion hence requesting your opinion on scalp burning. I have had a recent scalp burning sensation flare up pretty bad. Nizoral really helps cools down burning sensation, but am very down as it appears my thinning / loss is now very aggressive especially areas where the burning are more severe. its bad enough my hair is thinning but the scalp burning is just bs. I was maintaining on minodoxil twice a day . in your opinion, will adding propecia help my burning situation ?

    1. I have had some crazy scalp burning sensation recently too. The only thing that always helps is vigorous scalp massage with almond oil at night (other oils likely also work). However, I hate the oil stains on pillows and all the hair shedding during the scalp massage, so I only do this 3-4 times a year. The day after the oil massage, no itching or burning whatsoever.

    2. same as you, minoxidil contains alcohol it will case your DS (burn) bad. go for Fin its much better with also natural oils

  6. Hi Eddie. Yes please add propecia or else you are fighting an uphill battle against dht. This will help with scalp burning. What cured my scalp burn or reduced its occurence is daily scalp massages before showering. Take your hands, make two fists and place each fist on your left and right side of your head. Push the skin upward to where it makes your top scalp fold or squeeze. Do it lightly and move your fists up the side of head upward so you fold it all on top. You can also make fists squeeze the scalp on top directly but do it lightly so you don’t RIP hair. I do this daily for 3 minutes till I feel my scalp tingling from blood flow. This will help you. I notice the burn and crawling feeling comes back when I skip massaging for 4 days or so. When the burn is bad I apply dabs of coconut or tea tree oil to the burning parts of my scalp. I follow up with a small sewing needle and lightly press the area several times. That for some reason cures the burn. Also stay away from crap junk food any greasy foods. High sodium or msg food. I went to pf chang’s the other day after avoiding this place for years due to the food giving me scalp burn. I went back with some friends. 2 hrs later my scalp was burning.

    1. Well, to start I have used saw palmetto for 4 months. for real, it does work and reduces hair loss significantly. However, it’s not enough, so I combined it with Fin. After only 15 days hair loss was totally stopped WoW, haaa
      Nevertheless, I noticed that erection hardness has reduced (I noticed this before Fin, I mean on saw palmetto) so I stopped saw and kept on going with Fin I have my hardness back but the hair loss came back gradually.
      So yeah Herbs can be effective but it also has side effects too
      JUST Fin 1 mg daily is enough

  7. The topical DHT inhibitors such as saw palmetto, stinging nettle, and pygeum sound interesting. But how do we know they get absorbed into the scalp?

    1. Investigate organic DMSO 99% , may be you can mix 1- 2 drops with choice of topical treatment for fast & deep absorption into the scalp , but before that : Clean hands of any contaminants & clean the scalp thoroughly as DMSO will penetrate the scalp quickly and take anything in its way to the bloodstream! Please be careful & investigate.

  8. Mjones me too. I had vietnamese last night and I kept waking up with scalp burn itching and pain. It also boosted my libido as well as my drive for women was definitely greater as well. I guess we cant have our cake and eat it too.

  9. Is there a section on this site besides this Page where people make comments about their pros and cons of using essential oils and maybe a dermaroller? I don’t want to pee on everyone’s parade here but the page/article was called “The natural dht blocker” and everyone here is talking about the latest company phase trials or taking fin or minox etc. Geeez. Can a reader like myself get a good dose of comments about natural remedies? I’m finding it very hard to find online. Please tell me there is one here on this site without the page being sidetracked or derailed by phase II Phase III trials of some drug. Thank you. Tom.

    1. There are posts on at-home microneeedling as well as on natural and herbal treatments for hair loss. Just do a search. I do not know what percent of the comments in those posts are unrelated though :-)

  10. I used saw palmetto supplemental vitamins and it really stopped hair loss and helped regrowing a bit. Ofcourse not as finasteride. However, every time I stop and restart saw palmetto, I experience a sudden drop in libido and erection and feel like I don’t want any woman in life. To exclude the psychological effect, I continued using it for at least one month to ensure it’s not in my head, however loss of libido was so clear and never changed.
    P.s. I was a finasteride user years back but I had to stop after I had strong sexual side effects. Was hoping saw palmetto would help without side effects, but it seems not.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *