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    Did you mean 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor?
    Glossary 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor

    blocks enzyme converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT)

    A 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor is a type of medication that blocks the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which is responsible for converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). By reducing DHT levels, these inhibitors can help treat conditions like male pattern baldness and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

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      learn Dutasteride

      5-alpha reductase inhibitor that blocks both enzyme types, a stronger DHT blocker than finasteride

      learn Finasteride

      Popular 5-alpha reductase inhibitor that lowers DHT, taken as a pill or used topically

      learn Fluridil

      • How is Fluridil different from other DHT blockers like finasteride? Fluridil is a topical androgen-receptor blocker applied to the scalp, while finasteride is an oral 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor that lowers DHT throughout the body. Finasteride is FDA-approved and far better studied; Fluridil rests on one 43-man trial and is not licensed as a hair-loss medicine, so its long-term safety and effect size are unknown.

      learn Saw Palmetto

      Palm-berry extract taken as a supplement

      learn Rosemary

      Herb whose oil is used in hair care