mariniguy
Iron
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2026
- Posts
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DHT/Dihydrotestosterone is cope,
Everyone in these forums acts like DHT is the king hormone for building muscle and keeping your bones strong. It isn't. Here's what the actual research says.
DHT and muscle:
Bhasin et al, JAMA 2012 - 102 healthy men, 20 weeks. One group took testosterone only. The other took testosterone plus dutasteride which blocks DHT by 95%.
both groups gained the same amount of muscle at every single dose of testosterone tested. The researchers concluded DHT conversion is not required for testosterone's anabolic effects.
PUBMED
DHT and bone density:
Amory et al, Journal of Urology 2008 - 99 men aged 18 to 55 randomised to dutasteride, finasteride and a placebo pill for 52 weeks. Bone mineral density was measured at baseline, 52 weeks, and 6 months after stopping. The result of this was no significant effect on bone density in any group. Circulating DHT has no clinically meaningful role in maintaining bone mass in normal men.
PUBMED
Matsumoto et al, Journal of Urology 2002 - A 4 year placebo controlled DEXA trial. Same conclusion. Long-term DHT suppression via finasteride did not adversely affect bone mineral density.
PUBMED
Antoniou et al, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2018 - 63,230 men on dutasteride vs finasteride. Dutasteride suppresses DHT far more aggressively than finasteride. No increased fracture risk. No increased osteoporosis. The dutasteride group actually had higher bone density scores. JFL
PUBMED
What DHT is actually useful for:
Penile development. DHT drives external genital masculinisation in utero and during puberty. Topical DHT gel outperformed testosterone enanthate in a 2023 RCT for treating micropenis's with an average gain of 2.37 cm versus 1.82 cm.
PUBMED
Prostate development. DHT is the dominant androgen in prostate tissue. That is why blocking it shrinks an enlarged prostate.
Low DHT and delayed bone fusion:
Liu et al, Frontiers in Pharmacology 2019 - A multicenter study of 141 children with 5-alpha reductase type 2 deficiency. They all produce near zero DHT from birth. Bone age was assessed using the Greulich Pyle atlas across all patients. The finding is that bone age was delayed in 5-alpha reductase deficient children compared to their chronological age. Kids with no DHT were skeletally younger than their actual age. Their growth plates were fusing slower.
PUBMED
The negatives of DHT:
Hair loss is a major one, DHT binds to androgen receptors in scalp follicles and miniaturises them over time which is the mechanism behind male pattern baldness.
PUBMED
Acne and sebum overproduction is the second major one, 5-alpha reductase type 1 which produces DHT, is the dominant isoform in sebaceous glands. Elevated DHT activity in skin directly increases oil production and is a documented contributor to acne.
PUBMED
Summary:
DHT is utter fucking cope and you really don't fucking need it unless you have a micropenis
You will not get more gains, You will not get more bone mass. DHT is destructive after your penis stops growing. Also it is ruining your height gains
Everyone in these forums acts like DHT is the king hormone for building muscle and keeping your bones strong. It isn't. Here's what the actual research says.
DHT and muscle:
Bhasin et al, JAMA 2012 - 102 healthy men, 20 weeks. One group took testosterone only. The other took testosterone plus dutasteride which blocks DHT by 95%.
both groups gained the same amount of muscle at every single dose of testosterone tested. The researchers concluded DHT conversion is not required for testosterone's anabolic effects.
PUBMED
DHT and bone density:
Amory et al, Journal of Urology 2008 - 99 men aged 18 to 55 randomised to dutasteride, finasteride and a placebo pill for 52 weeks. Bone mineral density was measured at baseline, 52 weeks, and 6 months after stopping. The result of this was no significant effect on bone density in any group. Circulating DHT has no clinically meaningful role in maintaining bone mass in normal men.
PUBMED
Matsumoto et al, Journal of Urology 2002 - A 4 year placebo controlled DEXA trial. Same conclusion. Long-term DHT suppression via finasteride did not adversely affect bone mineral density.
PUBMED
Antoniou et al, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2018 - 63,230 men on dutasteride vs finasteride. Dutasteride suppresses DHT far more aggressively than finasteride. No increased fracture risk. No increased osteoporosis. The dutasteride group actually had higher bone density scores. JFL
PUBMED
What DHT is actually useful for:
Penile development. DHT drives external genital masculinisation in utero and during puberty. Topical DHT gel outperformed testosterone enanthate in a 2023 RCT for treating micropenis's with an average gain of 2.37 cm versus 1.82 cm.
PUBMED
Prostate development. DHT is the dominant androgen in prostate tissue. That is why blocking it shrinks an enlarged prostate.
Low DHT and delayed bone fusion:
Liu et al, Frontiers in Pharmacology 2019 - A multicenter study of 141 children with 5-alpha reductase type 2 deficiency. They all produce near zero DHT from birth. Bone age was assessed using the Greulich Pyle atlas across all patients. The finding is that bone age was delayed in 5-alpha reductase deficient children compared to their chronological age. Kids with no DHT were skeletally younger than their actual age. Their growth plates were fusing slower.
PUBMED
The negatives of DHT:
Hair loss is a major one, DHT binds to androgen receptors in scalp follicles and miniaturises them over time which is the mechanism behind male pattern baldness.
PUBMED
Acne and sebum overproduction is the second major one, 5-alpha reductase type 1 which produces DHT, is the dominant isoform in sebaceous glands. Elevated DHT activity in skin directly increases oil production and is a documented contributor to acne.
PUBMED
Summary:
DHT is utter fucking cope and you really don't fucking need it unless you have a micropenis
You will not get more gains, You will not get more bone mass. DHT is destructive after your penis stops growing. Also it is ruining your height gains
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