Dihydrotestosterone (DHT; more precisely 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT), also called androstanolone (INN)) is a hormone from the group of androgens (male sex hormones). It is an active metabolite (intermediate or breakdown product) of testosterone and is actually a more potent androgen because it binds more strongly to the androgen receptor than testosterone.
Dihydrotestosterone is formed in the adrenal gland, ovaries (ovaries) and testes (testes) from testosterone – with the help of 5-α -reductase. It acts on the androgen receptors and is of importance for the body hair of male type, beard growth and the function of the sebaceous glands. Also the decrease of head hair in case of genetic disposition are processes controlled by DHT. Furthermore, DHT is responsible for external virilization (masculinization) and also for the growth and differentiation of the prostate. Dihydrotestosterone is broken down in the liver.
The procedure
Material needed
- Blood serum
Preparation of the patient
- Not necessary
Disruptive factors
- Not known
Indications
- Suspected 5-α-reductase deficiency (most common genetic cause of hermaphroditic genitalia in male individuals).
- Suspected androgen-induced diseases in women.
- Pseudhermaphroditism – conditions in which the chromosomal sex and gonadal sex (the internal sex organs) do not match the appearance of the genitals (the genital sex), as well as the secondary sexual characteristics. In this context, one also speaks of androgyny. Clinically, it comes to the appearance of a virilized (masculinized) female or a deficient virilized (masculinized) male genitals.
Normal value
| Normal value in ng/dl | 16-108 |
Interpretation
Interpretation of elevated values
- Congenital adrenocortical hyperplasia (renal cortical enlargement).
- PCO syndrome (polycystic ovary syndrome) – symptom complex characterized by hormonal dysfunction of the ovaries (ovaries).
- Hirsutism – male type of hair in women.
- Testicular tumors
- Adrenocortical tumors
- Ovarian tumors (ovarian tumors)
- Pubertas praecox (premature puberty, or premature appearance of secondary sexual characteristics) – in girls under 8 years of age and in boys under 9 years of age.
Interpretation of lowered values
- 5-α-reductase deficiency
- Hypogonadism (gonadal hypofunction).
- Erectile dysfunction (ED; erectile dysfunction).
- Klinefelter syndrome (47,XYY; 48,XXYY; 48,XXXY; 49,XXXYY; 49,XXXXY) – genetic disorder in boys that, due to an underactivity of the gonads, leads to, among other things, tall stature, sterility and lack of male hair.
- Liver cirrhosis – connective tissue remodeling of the liver, which leads to functional limitations.
- Pseudohermaphroditism masculinus (synonym hermaphroditism testicularis) – Incomplete masculinization (feminization) in individuals with normal male genotype (hereditary factors).
- Therapy with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, estrogens.
Notice. The determination of testosterone has the same informative value in all of the above indications except for the genetic defect and can therefore be preferred.
