Natural DHT Blockers

A brown bottle of pills labeled 'Stinging Nettle Root' with a white cap and white label. The pills are visible through the bottle.

Natural DHT blockers are plant-derived supplements commonly used for hair loss, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or to reduce androgen-related effects without prescription medication. Commonly cited examples include saw palmetto, stinging nettle root, reishi mushroom, pumpkin seed oil, pygeum africanum, beta-sitosterol, green tea extract, zinc, black seed oil (Nigella sativa), and curcumin (turmeric extract).

  • This page summarizes anecdotal reports and community observations, not medical evidence. Reports may be incomplete, biased or inaccurate and are not medical advice or recommendations. “Risk” here refers to how frequently severe or prolonged symptom worsening is reported, not to proven causation or population-wide probability. Individual responses vary widely, and absence of issues in some users does not rule out significant reactions in others.

  • Within PFS/PSSD/PAS communities, "natural DHT blockers" are discussed in relation to their potential interactions with 5-alpha-reductase and androgen signaling pathways. Examples often discussed include reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) (reported 5-alpha-reductase–inhibitory activity in lab research and anti-androgen–type effects in some animal models), pumpkin seed oil (studied for hair loss, including a 24-week randomized trial in men with androgenetic alopecia), and stinging nettle root (used for urinary/prostate complaints, with literature discussing possible hormonal mechanisms, though the specifics remain debated and appear extract-dependent). These mechanisms may interact with pathways involving 5-alpha-reductase activity and androgen signaling that are often discussed in relation to PFS / PSSD / PAS. (pubmed) (pmc1) (sciencedirect) (pmc2)

  • Reports of Severe and Sometimes Lasting Worsening (for PFS/PSSD/PAS):

    Among individuals who already have PFS/PSSD/PAS, "natural DHT blockers" (including reishi, pumpkin seed oil, and stinging nettle root) are approached with significant caution as they are frequently cited in community reports as preceding symptom worsening, with accounts describing both acute exacerbations and longer-lasting declines in baseline. Although the severity and duration of these reactions vary between individuals, reports within this subgroup show a largely consistent direction toward worsening rather than improvement. Because these products vary widely by extract type, dose, and stacking with other androgen-modulating ingredients, outcomes appear highly variable. In light of this pattern, many within the community view "natural DHT blockers" as carrying a meaningful risk for those with established PFS/PSSD/PAS, even in the absence of controlled data.

    For individuals without these conditions, these supplements are widely used and tolerated by many, but there are still reports of sexual, mood, or energy-related side effects in a subset of users.

    Evidence basis: Anecdotal reports (online forums, self-reports); mechanistic and clinical literature on specific ingredients; no controlled studies examining PFS/PSSD/PAS-specific outcomes for these supplements as a category.

  • Crash / Baseline Drop (Reported)

    (Anecdote 1 Link)

    Crash / Baseline Drop (Reported)

    (Anecdote 2 Link)

Public comments reflect individual experiences and opinions. They are not medical advice and may not be accurate or representative.

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