Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), Free, LC/MS/Dialysis

For males: Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a potent androgen made from testosterone. It drives many androgen effects such as facial/body hair and can contribute to male-pattern hair loss and prostate growth.

For females: Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a potent androgen made from testosterone in small amounts. Elevated DHT activity can contribute to acne, unwanted hair growth, and female-pattern hair thinning. It’s sometimes checked in hyperandrogenism workups, along with testosterone and DHEA-S.

The percentage of total Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that is free (unbound to proteins). This is measured using equilibrium dialysis and represents the biologically active fraction of DHT. The free percentage helps assess androgen bioavailability and can be useful when interpreting total DHT levels, especially when binding protein levels are abnormal.

Free Dihydrotestosterone (Free DHT) refers to the unbound fraction of DHT that is not bound to proteins (SHBG or albumin) and is directly available to tissues. Free DHT is measured using equilibrium dialysis with LC/MS-MS, which is considered the gold standard method. This measurement is particularly useful when assessing androgen activity, especially in cases where binding protein levels may be abnormal. Free DHT levels correlate with biological activity and can be more clinically relevant than total DHT in certain contexts.