Why a Custom Supplement Beat Finasteride & Dutasteride | 23-Year-Old Bodybuilder Case

Описание: In this genetic hair loss case study, Dr Ray Nettles shows how a 23-year-old bodybuilder with a bald father, early thinning across all 5 zones, low testosterone, very high DHT and extremely low estrogen uses a Biochemical Report Card and a custom enzyme-regulating supplement instead of generic finasteride or dutasteride to change his hair and hormone signal.

He flew to California with his father and brother for one big question:
“Am I going to end up as bald as my dad… and can a capsule really change my genetics?”

In this episode of Q&A with Dr Ray Nettles, Dr Ray and Tracey walk through his case from pattern photos to blood work using a full Biochemical Report Card (BRC). Despite a clean lifestyle, professional training and a family nutrition business, this young athlete already had 7 years of thinning across all 5 zones of hair loss – classic genetic miniaturization, not immune patches.

🔬 What Dr Ray finds in his labs:
• Nutrition actually looks good – strong protein levels, excellent A1C, improving HDL (“good fat”)
• The real problem is in the hormone axis:
– Total testosterone ~452 (low for a 23-year-old – you’d expect closer to ~800)
– Free testosterone ~13.8 (barely acceptable)
– DHT ~41 (very high relative to free T)
– Estrogen extremely low (under 5) – below the healthy range for men
• The ratio of free testosterone to DHT is roughly 1:3, creating a negative hair signal that tells follicles to miniaturize.
• On top of that, he has two enzyme defects:
– 5-alpha reductase (driving too much T → DHT)
– Aromatase (estrogen too low, impacting mood and emotional energy)

🧠 Why a “perfect” lifestyle wasn’t enough
Even with great diet, supplements and training, his DNA and enzymes were pushing his chemistry in the wrong direction. Dr Ray explains why:
• You can’t “out-gym” a genetic enzyme defect
• Hair loss isn’t about surface products – it’s about the signal in your bloodstream
• That signal is created by hormone ratios and enzymes, not just raw hormone levels

💊 Custom supplement vs generic finasteride/dutasteride
The family had researched finasteride and dutasteride and wanted to understand the difference. Dr Ray breaks down:
• Why finasteride’s short half-life (about 6 hours) means it doesn’t cover a full day of enzyme activity
• Why generic dutasteride only targets one enzyme defect, and can leave the second defect unaddressed
• How an incomplete approach can create negative side effects that last for weeks
• How a custom enzyme-regulating supplement, based on his blood work, can:
– Lower DHT to a healthy range
– Protect and improve free testosterone
– Normalize estrogen so mood, motivation and emotional “spark” come back
– Flip the hair signal from shrink to grow

🧪 Key concepts in this episode:
• Genetic hair loss in your early 20s – what patterns to look for in photos
• The 5 zones of hair loss and what it means when all of them are thinning
• The difference between thinning (miniaturization) and missing follicles
• Why enzyme regulation is different from just “more or less hormones”
• How very low estrogen in men can affect relationships, empathy and emotional connection
• Why two brothers with the same bald dad can still have different enzyme defects – and need different formulas

As Dr Ray shows in this case, the goal isn’t to “fix your genes” – it’s to change the biochemical signal they’re sending to your hair, skin, muscle and brain.

🕒 Timestamps (approximate):
00:00 – Intro: revisit the Australian family case from Melbourne
01:00 – Dad’s story: totally bald, tried everything, doesn’t want that for his two sons
02:30 – “How can a capsule repair their genes?” – the father’s big question
04:00 – Pattern review: all 5 zones thinning, 7 years of miniaturization, no missing patches
06:30 – Why this points to pure genetic hair loss, not immune-related hair loss
08:00 – Biochemical Report Card: nutrition, A1C, protein and HDL
10:00 – Hormone axis: total T, free T, DHT and estrogen
12:00 – Two enzyme defects: 5-alpha reductase and aromatase
14:00 – Why finasteride’s half-life and generic dutasteride can be a problem
17:00 – How a custom supplement can regulate both enzyme defects at once
20:00 – Fixing the signal: turning a 1:3 free T:DHT ratio into a positive hair signal
23:00 – Emotional side: how low estrogen showed up in his relationships and mood
26:00 – Why his brother’s case is different (and coming in a future episode)

✅ Next steps:
• Subscribe for more case studies, BRC reviews and deep dives on genetic vs immune hair loss
• Comment with #AskDrRay and your age, pattern and how long you’ve noticed hair loss
• Learn more about Biochemical Report Cards and custom enzyme-regulating supplements: https://www.stopandregrow.com

genetic hair loss
going bald like dad
precision medicine for hair loss
finasteride vs dutasteride
dutasteride side effects
DHT and hair loss
low testosterone in young men
low estrogen in men
5 alpha reductase defect
miniaturization vs missing follicles