DHT supplementation

N

Neuroprotection

Bluelighter
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Apr 18, 2015
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i’m aware that dihydrotestosterone is available as topical gels as well as an oral and injectable medication if I remember correctly. I know that DHT doesn’t convert to oestrogen, is a more powerful androgen than testosterone and I assume it is more chemically stable. I would appreciate any knowledge and experiences people have about this compound. however, I know that many anabolic steroids are analogues of DHT, so I would appreciate it if we don’t get diverted into discussing those unless it is necessary for comparison. i’m specifically interested in DHT due to it being a natural biological molecule which is quite stable and thus easily administered.
 
as for my direct personal interest in DHT, there are multiple reasons. firstly, I’m a 28 year old Man who is quite thin and with a soft voice. can’t really change these, but sometimes I think I could do with a slight androgenic boost to improve my masculine characteristics. secondly, I suffered a period of anhedonia and completely Lost my libido for several months last year but thankfully I have recovered. nevertheless, I’ve read that DHT is directly involved in libido not only through its androgenic affect but via its conversion to various neurosteroids and its activation of the dopaminergic pathways. since DHT does not convert to oestrogen, i’m wondering if it could be a safer alternative to testosterone replacement therapy as it would lack oestrogenic side-effects. I know aromatase inhibitors can be used with testosterone to avoid conversion to oestrogen, but this often results in temporary side-effects like joint pain since the male body does still need, and highly benefits from a low level of oestrogen. therefore, DHT supplementation, at least in the short term should have minimal side-effects and should leave natural oestrogen production intact.
 
surprised I got no replies, is there already an existing thread on DHT? if so, please could someone point me out to it.
 
I'm no expert on steroids but I believe that supplementing with exogenous DHT would shot down your natural testosterone production and decrease the concentration of SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin).
Don't think it's a good idea.
 
4meSM said:
I'm no expert on steroids but I believe that supplementing with exogenous DHT would shot down your natural testosterone production and decrease the concentration of SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin).
Don't think it's a good idea.
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Thanks for that. Isn’t SHBG A protein that binds and so cancels out the effects of testosterone and other steroids by preventing them from binding to their Target receptor. of course, I’m aware that any exogenous androgen, whether chemically a steroid or not, can shut down testosterone production due to a negative feedback system and testicular shrinkage that can occur with long-term supplementation. however, I think it’s much less of an issue with short-term use, though I’m not 100% sure.
 
Direct dht usage is something I'm looking to experiment with in the near future as it's available from a lot of research Chem sites. I've heard good things about it's impact on mood as a neuro steroid which really piqued my interest
 
As long as you don't value your hair, it might be a viable option if you're looking for androgenic effects (DHT has significantly stronger androgenic effects than testosterone, though of course some converts to DHT).

I've always wondered why DHT isn't used instead of testosterone for female to male transgender therapy since the whole aim of the therapy is to produce androgenic effects, and DHT can't convert to estrogen. Of course the answer is because it is uncommon and there is unfamiliarity with its prescribing protocol.
 
Serotonin101 said:
Direct dht usage is something I'm looking to experiment with in the near future as it's available from a lot of research Chem sites. I've heard good things about it's impact on mood as a neuro steroid which really piqued my interest
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Very interesting. The mood improvement and neurosteroid aspect is also why I am very interested in DHT. I once read that much of the temporary confidence boost, mood improvement, Risky behaviour and increased tendency for aggression associated with semisynthetic and synthetic anabolic steroids, come from neurosteroid actions of these compounds.
 
negrogesic said:
As long as you don't value your hair, it might be a viable option if you're looking for androgenic effects (DHT has significantly stronger androgenic effects than testosterone, though of course some converts to DHT).

I've always wondered why DHT isn't used instead of testosterone for female to male transgender therapy since the whole aim of the therapy is to produce androgenic effects, and DHT can't convert to estrogen. Of course the answer is because it is uncommon and there is unfamiliarity with its prescribing protocol.
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DHT is medically available but rarely used. I think it is used in young male children Who have a condition where The genitals don’t develop properly. I think the condition is linked to 5Alpha reductase deficiency if I remember correctly. DHT supplementation restores genital development. interestingly, these children have normal testosterone levels, so this indicates that DHT is not only more powerful than testosterone as an androgen, but plays A unique role in male development.
 
I’ve never used steroids and I have no real knowledge about how to use them. however, my advice when using DHT would be to use it sparingly and at relatively low doses. by taking long breaks, you should be able to avoid down regulation of endogenous androgen production by the body, adverse psychiatric effects and any other side-effects, while simultaneously benefiting from the effects of additional androgen supplementation when needed. due to its neurosteroid effects, I am wondering if short term DHT would help me during short term high anxiety/High stress situations.
 
Neuroprotection said:
I’ve never used steroids and I have no real knowledge about how to use them. however, my advice when using DHT would be to use it sparingly and at relatively low doses. by taking long breaks, you should be able to avoid down regulation of endogenous androgen production by the body, adverse psychiatric effects and any other side-effects, while simultaneously benefiting from the effects of additional androgen supplementation when needed. due to its neurosteroid effects, I am wondering if short term DHT would help me during short term high anxiety/High stress situations.
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Probably the best way to do this would be applying testosterone gel to the scrotum. The skin of the scrotum features the highest expression of 5-alpha reductase of any dermal tissue, resulting in an unusually high conversion rate of testosterone to DHT. Within a handful of hours DHT concentrations multifold (I think most commonly somewhere in the 300-500% mark, depending on dose and initial DHT blood concentration).

Problem is, when I tried this, I began experiencing rapid hair loss. It was quite alarming. Luckily when I stopped, the hair grew back, for the most part.

Also, I wouldn't really describe the effect as anxiolytic, though it was a bit motivating. And of course, if you are trying to induce androgenic effects to the body (voice change like you alluded to, etc), you'll need to apply it regularly as these androgenic effects take time to manifest.
 
negrogesic said:
Probably the best way to do this would be applying testosterone gel to the scrotum. The skin of the scrotum features the highest expression of 5-alpha reductase of any dermal tissue, resulting in an unusually high conversion rate of testosterone to DHT. Within a handful of hours DHT concentrations multifold (I think most commonly somewhere in the 300-500% mark, depending on dose and initial DHT blood concentration).

Problem is, when I tried this, I began experiencing rapid hair loss. It was quite alarming. Luckily when I stopped, the hair grew back, for the most part.

Also, I wouldn't really describe the effect as anxiolytic, though it was a bit motivating. And of course, if you are trying to induce androgenic effects to the body (voice change like you alluded to, etc), you'll need to apply it regularly as these androgenic effects take time to manifest.
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Thank you very much for that advice. I might get some blood work done as my chronic fatigue might actually be partly due to low testosterone. if that is the case, then regular androgen replacement might not be A bad idea. Also, a motivation boost would definitely help me as I’m extremely lazy and can’t seem to focus on any mental task for more than a few minutes.
 
The reason why DHT isn't used directly is because your testosterone production will shut down, canceling out any benefits the direct DHT is giving you. A lot of newbie PED users make this mistake. "Hi I've been taking anavar for 3 weeks and I'm starting to feel like shit. What's going on?" Meanwhile, no testosterone replacement has been attempted on or off cycle.

DHT also has a more narrow range of effect than testosterone. DHT targets specific tissues, while T targets a wider range of tissues. T is both anabolic and androgenic, while DHT is more androgenic than anabolic. DHT is also much stronger, so its risks are higher long-term, i.e. prostate enlargement, hair loss, increased virilization, etc.

By using testosterone, you can control the conversion level into DHT by using a 5-alpha reductase med like finasteride. However, if you directly take DHT or an analog (as is the case with many performance enhancing drugs), there's no easy way to really block its effects if it becomes too much. For example, if you're on a high dose of T and start losing your hair, you can take a 5AR to block conversion to DHT. However, if you take DHT analogs directly, there's nothing you can take to save your hair from the DHT excess.

This is why a lot of bodybuilders blast pure testosterone before they bother adding anything else. You can experience major quality of life improvements (if you're lacking in T) and performance enhancement from T alone.

In terms of neurosteroid effect, both T and DHT have that impact. DHT will be stronger. They both have impacts on neurotransmitter levels, which is why men who blast DHT analogs tend to experience mood, sexual and personality changes... but if the levels are too high, it won't be sustainable and there will be a "come down" when the analog must eventually be stopped. And you must stop it eventually otherwise you'll destroy your body. Anabolics have dopaminergic and serotonergic effects. What goes up, must come down. There are no exceptions to this rule in the drug world.

There's also no point in taking DHT directly (or an analog) if you're not already running a test base because your endogenous testosterone production will shut down. Once you're shutdown, if you aren't taking T, you will feel utterly horrible, and the deficit will now cancel out any good effects you're getting from the added DHT. So because you need to be taking a T base in order to do this properly, you might as well just start with that.
 
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Foreigner said:
The reason why DHT isn't used directly is because your testosterone production will shut down, canceling out any benefits the direct DHT is giving you. A lot of newbie PED users make this mistake. "Hi I've been taking anavar for 3 weeks and I'm starting to feel like shit. What's going on?" Meanwhile, no testosterone replacement has been attempted on or off cycle.

DHT also has a more narrow range of effect than testosterone. DHT targets specific tissues, while T targets a wider range of tissues. T is both anabolic and androgenic, while DHT is more androgenic than anabolic. DHT is also much stronger, so its risks are higher long-term, i.e. prostate enlargement, hair loss, increased virilization, etc.

By using testosterone, you can control the conversion level into DHT by using a 5-alpha reductase med like finasteride. However, if you directly take DHT or an analog (as is the case with many performance enhancing drugs), there's no easy way to really block its effects if it becomes too much. For example, if you're on a high dose of T and start losing your hair, you can take a 5AR to block conversion to DHT. However, if you take DHT analogs directly, there's nothing you can take to save your hair from the DHT excess.

This is why a lot of bodybuilders blast pure testosterone before they bother adding anything else. You can experience major quality of life improvements (if you're lacking in T) and performance enhancement from T alone.

In terms of neurosteroid effect, both T and DHT have that impact. DHT will be stronger. They both have impacts on neurotransmitter levels, which is why men who blast DHT analogs tend to experience mood, sexual and personality changes... but if the levels are too high, it won't be sustainable and there will be a "come down" when the analog must eventually be stopped. And you must stop it eventually otherwise you'll destroy your body. Anabolics have dopaminergic and serotonergic effects. What goes up, must come down. There are no exceptions to this rule in the drug world.

There's also no point in taking DHT directly (or an analog) if you're not already running a test base because your endogenous testosterone production will shut down. Once you're shutdown, if you aren't taking T, you will feel utterly horrible, and the deficit will now cancel out any good effects you're getting from the added DHT. So because you need to be taking a T base in order to do this properly, you might as well just start with that.
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Thank you so much for this informative reply. to be honest, the information you provided me has really benefited me because my knowledge of androgens/steroids is very limited. furthermore, you’ve given me a sense of direction if I ever do choose to use androgens. in such case, as you suggested, I’ll probably just stick to low dose medical grade testosterone which should do the job just fine
 
Neuroprotection said:
Thank you so much for this informative reply. to be honest, the information you provided me has really benefited me because my knowledge of androgens/steroids is very limited. furthermore, you’ve given me a sense of direction if I ever do choose to use androgens. in such case, as you suggested, I’ll probably just stick to low dose medical grade testosterone which should do the job just fine
Click to expand...

You're welcome.

You should know there is no "low dose" testosterone. Any external dose will shut down your entire body's testosterone production. This is why they call it testosterone replacement therapy, because it always replaces what's in your body. The minimum starting dose is 100mg injected IM per week. Some doctors do less than this, but it's because they don't know wtf they're doing. Once your own testosterone is shutdown, replacing it with a dose that is lower than your natural level will lead you to feeling even worse than before you started.

For example, I take 100mg every 4 days. This maintains my free T at 1000. Every man is different... some take my dose but every 6 days, some take 75 every 3 days. It's variable. The goal is to be feeling good and have the full range of male functions and have a free T of 1000 or lower. This will be testosterone replacement therapy. Bodybuilders use more, pushing their free T above 1000, which is not sustainable long-term. So bodybuilders will "blast" T (make their free T levels higher than 1000), and then "cruise" at a more TRT dose (1000 or less).

When you first start TRT, it takes some months to get dialed in. Three months is suggested. If you know nothing, it's better to work with a doctor. TRT clinics are better. Other doctors tend to not know what they're doing. For instance, it's very common for guys to say that their doctor is giving them 100mg every two weeks. That is an absurdly low dose and will lead to low T health problems. There is a huge bias in the mainstream medical industry against giving men testosterone.

This is all to say... that if you start taking testosterone, you must take the minimum replacement dose + any extra that brings your symptoms into optimal range. For example, if you have erectile dysfunction and low energy due to low T, then you start at 100mg of T per week and see if that corrects the problem. Wait some weeks. If it doesn't work, try every 6 days, then every 5 days, while also keeping your free T at 1000 or less. I doubt you will need to dose more than every 5 days for TRT. Make sure you get blood work before you start ANY hormones, to know your baseline. Then after you start TRT, get tested again in about 6 weeks, and then again at 3 months. Those readings + changes in your symptoms will tell you if it's working. Once you find the sweet spot, stay at that dose and interval long-term.

Those are the basics.
 
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