5-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a steroid similar to testosterone and androstenedione, which belong to a vlase called androgens. DHT is a C19 steroid and possesses androgenic activity. The bulk of androgen production takes place mainly in the Leydig cells of the testes. Androgens circulate in the blood bound to proteins, especially sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and albumin. A trace amount of these steroids circulate in the unbound form in the blood and are referred to as the free fractions. DHT has at least three times the binding affinity for SHBG than testosterone. In males about 70% of DHT is derived from peripheral conversion of testosterone, while in females most of the DHT is derived from androstenedione. The major organ to neutralize androgens is the liver. Therefore in the liver the steroid hormones undergo structural modifications that are generally regarded as prerequisites for their biological inactivation. Some metabolites are formed and some are returned to the circulation
- References to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)