DHT boosting foods: 15 must-eat foods for high DHT

Foods that increase DHT can easily be sprinkled into your diet.

I’m going to share with you 7 dietary DHT boosting guidelines and then give you my list of 15 foods that can help to increase DHT.

In this article, I want to answer “What do I have to eat to increase my DHT?” by giving you 15 foods, or more like principles and categories to help guide you on your journey to maximizing your DHT.

Top 7 DHT boosting foods guidelines

#1 Eat carbs

Carbs, and especially insulin release, increase DHT production. But it’s not only the insulin that’s important, people on a low-carbohydrate diet have less DHT than people on a high-carb diet (R).

Make sure you eat enough carbs if you want to maximize your DHT.

Low-carb diets lower DHT by:
– lowering insulin
– lowering NADPH pic.twitter.com/TQWlspAQ5u

— Hans Amato || testosterone optimization (@HansAmato) July 10, 2023

#2 Eat high-protein foods

High protein foods like milk, yogurt, eggs, meat, organ meat, shellfish, etc., are really high in vitamins and minerals that will help to stimulate 5-alpha reductase and increase DHT.

#3 Eat saturated fat

Saturated fats help to increase testosterone and stearic acid (a specific saturated fatty acid) has been shown to directly stimulate 5-AR and increase DHT (R).

As you can see in the graph below, 100 is neutral and then 120+ is an increase in DHT (induced by stearic acid).

#4 Eat nutrient-dense foods

Vitamins and minerals, from nutrient-dense foods, are what will make the biggest impact on your total testosterone and DHT levels. Create a strong foundation with diet first, then add supplements.

#5 Avoid foods that lower your DHT

Specific foods can lower DHT, such as beta-sitosterol-rich nuts, “medicinal” mushrooms, soy, etc. Be sure to avoid those.

➡️Foods that inhibit 5AR and lower DHT

#6 Eat foods that will boost testosterone

DHT is created from testosterone, so having more testosterone will mean more DHT. Certain foods, like onions or ginger, might directly stimulate testosterone production.

➡️20 best testosterone-boosting diet plan foods

➡️Make this food swap for higher testosterone

➡️Testosterone-boosting breakfast: top 5 recipes

#7 Avoid food that causes inflammation for you

Chronic inflammation is one of the most destructive things to health, androgens and longevity. Elevated inflammatory markers, such as IL-6 and CRP, have significant inhibitory effects on the synthesis of DHT by inhibiting 5-AR (R). Oxidative stress also has similar inhibitor actions (R, R). 

Common dietary offenders are gluten, lectins, nightshade, dairy and high FODMAP.

15 foods that will boost DHT

#1 Rice

Insulinogenic foods, such as rice, are able to increase insulin and IGF-1 and lower cortisol and this potent combo increases DHT production.

Research also found that men who ate more carbs had higher DHT than those on a lower-carb diet.

Other insulinogenic foods, such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn (tortillas), bananas (fried or in smoothies work great) are also a good source carbs, magnesium, vitamin B6, manganese, vitamin A and potassium, all of which have a positive effect on testosterone levels, which can be converted to DHT.

#2 Bone broth

Bone broth, which is rich in glycine, is a potent activator of 5-alpha reductase type 1 and can increase allopregnanolone in the brain. Additionally, by acting on the NMDA receptor, it’s also able to boost 5α-reductase mRNA and DHT levels.

Gelatin or glycine supplementation will also suffice if you don’t have the time or means to create lots of bone broth for daily use.

#3 Sorghum

Sorghum, a grain originally from Africa, is able to increase DHT production. However its fiber can cause gut irritation, so making a tincture or using is as a syrup might be better options.

Sorghum is also a goitrogenic food, which in excess can inhibit thyroid function, so use with discretion.

#4 Tobacco

Tobacco, although not a food, can be chewed which allows the nicotine to be absorbed in your mouth. Nicotine boosts DHT by inhibiting the enzyme, 3α-HSD, which is the enzyme that breaks DHT down into 3α-androstanediol, a weaker androgen.

So nicotine gum or nicotine patches might be a better option, as they won’t stain your teeth brown and you don’t have to go round spitting everywhere in public.

#5 Kiwis

Who would have thought that kiwis could be androgenic?

Kiwis are rich in vitamin C, which boosts oxytocin and oxytocin, in turn, increases DHT.

Additionally, eating two kiwis before bed improves sleep quality and we all know how important sleep is. Better quality sleep leads to high levels of DHT.

Other fruits that are high in vitamin C are oranges, pineapples, acerola cherries, mango, papaya, etc.

Lastly, fructose is able to lower SHBG, and SHBG actually binds with the highest affinity to DHT and not testosterone. Lowering SHBG will increase DHT availability for androgen receptor binding action.

#6 Salt

Salt is a potent inhibitor of the catecholamine noradrenaline. Noradrenaline increases both estrogen and lowers DHT, by increasing aromatase and blocking the 5-alpha reductase by 72% and 39% respectively.

Saltless food is like listening to a conversation you have no interest in; absolutely bland.

#7 Spinach

Spinach is a great source of bio-available magnesium and magnesium is essential for energy and steroid production. Magnesium also increases the enzyme 17β-HSD, which increases the conversion of 5α-Androstanedione / 3α-Androstanediol / 3β-Androstanediol to DHT.

If you’re not into leaves, like goats or giraffes, simply cook the leaves and drink the watery broth. Cut the leaves in strips, pack them tightly in a pot, barely cover the leaves with boiling water and then boil it all for 10 minutes. After that, discard the leaves and drink the broth. According to Dr Raymond Peat, even an ounce of this broth is enough for getting magnesium.

I once had a whole cup of this broth and it knocked me out hard. It’s like the Mike Tyson of sleep remedies. It’s definitely something you can have before bed.

#8 Raw milk

Raw milk contains a host of different hormones, including 5-alpha reduced steroids, so drinking milk can increase DHT levels (R). Milk is also great for raising low IGF-1 levels.

But it won’t blow your DHT through the roof however, as milk consumption only increases DHT slightly over time (R).

#9 Espressos

Regular coffee consumption boosts testosterone and DHT levels and caffeine supplementation at doses of 2-4mg/kg/day is able to boost DHT by 57% (R). The dose would be 160mg-320mg per day for an 80kg man, which is easily obtainable with 3 cups of coffee a day or 2-3 espressos.

Espressos are also a highly concentrated source of magnesium and I get a much more relaxing effect from espressos than regular coffee. Espressos also contain a low amount of liquid so it would not interfere with digestion.

#10 Raisins

Boron, a mineral found in relatively high amounts in raisins are able to increase testosterone and DHT.

For its DHT boosting benefits, you have to take 10-12mg daily as 2.5mg daily had no effect on androgen levels (R).

1 cup of raisins contains 9mg of boron (R), so you might have to eat a lot daily to get a good amount of boron. Alternatively, use a supplement.

#11 Red meat

Powerful DHT boosting compounds, such as creatine, zinc, iron, vitamin B6 and selenium are found in red meat. It’s not for no reason that they say eat red meat to “beef” up.

Red meat contains 350mg of creatine per 100g (R), so you’ll have to eat about 1.4kg of red meat to get 5g of creatine. Perhaps not the best strategy, but supplementation comes in handy here.

Oysters, liver and kidney are great sources of selenium, even better than red meat. Selenium is involved in the conversion of T4 to T3, which greatly increases steroidogenesis. DHT levels are significantly elevated in hyperthyroidism as T3 potently stimulates the 5-AR enzymes.

#12 Cocoa butter

Saturated fat is both androgenic and anabolic. Saturated fat consumption increases testosterone whereas polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) lowers testosterone and DHT. PUFAs directly inhibit the 5-AR enzyme.

Cocoa butter is also abundant in the saturated fat, stearic acid, which promotes mitochondrial fusion. Bigger is not always better, but in this case, it is. Bigger mitochondria are able to produce more energy and a high energy state is essential for optimal androgen levels.

Good sources of saturated fat and stearic acid are from the fat of grass-fed cows, sheep, goats, milk, butter, bison, buffalo and other wild game.

Sources of PUFAs that should be avoided are from most nut and seed oils, such as safflower, sunflower, flax, sesame, peanut, soy, canola, cashew butter, almond butter, hemp, etc. Most plant sources of fat (except macadamia and coconuts) are very high in PUFAs and are best avoided. Animal sources are much safer, except commercially raised animals, especially poultry.

#13 Mangosteen

Mangosteen, a rather odd and rare fruit, contains powerful anti-aromatase polyphenols. If you block the aromatase, you’ll end up with more testosterone (because less is aromatized and because estrogen is a powerful inhibitor of LH secretion) and thus more testosterone will be converted to DHT.

Other good foods to inhibit estrogen are oranges and white button mushrooms.

#14 Alfalfa sprouts

Alfalfa sprouts are able to increase the enzyme 5-AR and boost DHT levels.

Dismally, alfalfa contains phytoestrogens, such as coumestrol, which activate the estrogen receptor alpha with about 80% potency compared to estradiol. But it also contains other phytoestrogens such as isoliquiritigenin, loliolide, and (4S,6S)- and (4R,6S)-4-hydroxy-6-pentadecyltetrahydropyr-2-one, which actually inhibit estradiol-induced ERα activation (R). With that being said, I think a little per day (50g as per the study) should be fine.

#15 Chicken necks or whole small fish

By eating chicken necks or whole small fish, you consume their thyroid and get a small amount of thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones, especially T3, significantly increase 5-AR and boost DHT levels.

Summary – DHT boosting foods

Be sure to check out my complete guide on how to maximize DHT as well.

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