Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) Test

What is a DHT test?

DHT is a particular type of androgen that helps in development of male characteristics. From deep voice to pubic hair, so many male characteristics are built by the help of DHT. This specific type of hormone majorly helps in sexual development of any individual assigned male at birth.

Approximately 10% of testosterone is converted into DHT everyday in the body. It is a fact that just because males produce more testosterone naturally, the amount of DHT in people assigned male at birth is always higher than the amount of DHT in people assigned female at birth. The main objective of performing a Dihydrotestosterone test is to measure the amount of DHT hormone in an individual’s blood.

What is the basic function of DHT?

• DHT helps in the formation of external genitalia of men like scrotum and penis in the fetus. Also, it helps in the formation of the prostate.
• DHT helps in the growth of prostate, body hair, pubic hair, facial hair.

What are the risks of having high DHT levels in the body?

• Large amounts of DHT production may lead to abnormally high prostate growth, which can be the reason for benign prostatic hyperplasia.
• People who are diagnosed with prostate cancer usually have a high amount of DHT in the body.
• When the ovaries of people assigned female at birth start producing excessive amounts of androgens like testosterone, it can be the reason for increased DHT levels that may also lead to polycystic ovary syndrome.
• Increased DHT activity in your hair follicles can be the reason for male pattern hair loss.

What are the risks of having low DHT levels in the body?

• Our body converts testosterone into DHT through the help of a particular type of enzyme named 5-alpha reductase. A genetic mutation can negatively impact the production of 5-alpha reductase, which can also be the reason for low levels of DHT in the body. Genetically male fetuses can be badly affected by 5-alpha reductase deficiency.
• Lower amount of testosterone in the body means low levels of DHT. Low DHT in the body may indicate the presence of hypogonadism in people assigned male at birth, which is caused by abnormally low levels of testosterone.

When to go for a DHT test?

When the primary signs and symptoms of DHT imbalance start to get visible in your body, then the medical experts may suggest you to go for a DHT test. For example, the symptoms of high DHT levels in men may include

• Decreased sex drive
• Infertility
• Hair loss
• Enlarged prostate
• Lack of bone density
• Decreased healing ability

Test preparations

No preparations are needed before appearing for this test. However, it is important to have a clear discussion with the pathologists to know if there are any guidelines that are needed to be followed. Also, mention if you are on medication while appearing for this test. You can easily find a service provider these days who offers the facility of a DHT test near me.

Sample requirements

A specific amount of blood will be fetched from your vein and the test will be performed on that blood sample. The healthcare professional will be fetching the blood sample from your arm using a syringe and then the sample will be carried to the laboratory. Once the test is done, it does not take too long to generate an error free DHT test result.

Result interpretation

The test report will show whether the DHT levels in your blood sample are high, low or normal. You can have a brief consultation with the pathologists or a reliable doctor about the test results as well as further necessary medical actions that should be taken. Fortunately, a DHT test price is truly affordable these days.