Switching To Dutasteride - What Dosage?

[shwareb]

Hey guys I’ve been on finasteride 1mg/day for 8 months now with moderate success (and no sides) and after reading about Dutasteride I’ve decided to switch to it instead because it promises superior results with comparable sides. I’ve got a prescription from a Doctor but he was kinda clueless on the subject and didn’t give me dosage instructions. I’m thinking about taking it at 0,5 mg/day, aka one avodart capsule a day. Is this a good strategy? I’m 24 years old turning 25 in November if that makes any difference.

This is how my hair looks like today:

 

[shwareb]

Also do I need to keep taking finasteride for some time when I switch or can I drop the finasteride directly once I consume my first pill of dutasteride?

 

[ButWhyTho]

The usual dose for BPH ( Benign prostate hyperplasia) with duta is .5 mg per day. It's the same dose for AA (Androgen Alopecia). I'm not sure if it's due to convenience or efficacy.
I tried to look for studies online that try different dosages but couldn't find one. There's plenty of studies with the .5 dose.
There's a lot of anecdotal stories in this forum about trying different doses. Some add duta (.5) once a week while continuing to take finasteride. Some take duta every other day. Some just take it every day. It would be nice to figure out the optimal dose that has the best effect and least side effects...
Please let me know what you decide to do and update in a couple months. Your hair loss looks exactly like mine, and I've been contemplating on adding duta as well.

 

[shwareb]

The usual dose for BPH ( Benign prostate hyperplasia) with duta is .5 mg per day. It's the same dose for AA (Androgen Alopecia). I'm not sure if it's due to convenience or efficacy.
I tried to look for studies online that try different dosages but couldn't find one. There's plenty of studies with the .5 dose.
There's a lot of anecdotal stories in this forum about trying different doses. Some add duta (.5) once a week while continuing to take finasteride. Some take duta every other day. Some just take it every day. It would be nice to figure out the optimal dose that has the best effect and least side effects...
Please let me know what you decide to do and update in a couple months. Your hair loss looks exactly like mine, and I've been contemplating on adding duta as well.

I will probably start 0,5mg/day then. Can I make the switch directly or do I need to keep taking Finasteride with the Dutasteride for some time?

 

[ButWhyTho]

I will probably start 0,5mg/day then. Can I make the switch directly or do I need to keep taking Finasteride with the Dutasteride for some time?

Hopefully someone's who on it can chime in. Most likely you don't need to continue finasteride while on duta. Since duta is just a stronger version of a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor.

Here's a study:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/27549867/

BACKGROUND: Finasteride and dutasteride are inhibitors of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase which inhibits the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Dutasteride inhibits both type I and type II 5-alpha-reductase while finasteride inhibits only the type II enzyme. As both isoenzymes are present in hair follicles, it is likely that dutasteride is more effective than finasteride.

METHODS: Men with androgenetic alopecia between 18 and 40 years of age were randomized to receive 0.5 mg dutasteride or 1 mg finasteride daily for 24 weeks.


So essentially the drug works to lower serum and scalp DHT levels to a greater degree than finasteride. It probably doesn't make sense to take both.

 

[shwareb]

Hopefully someone's who on it can chime in. Most likely you don't need to continue finasteride while on duta. Since duta is just a stronger version of a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor.

Here's a study:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/27549867/

BACKGROUND: Finasteride and dutasteride are inhibitors of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase which inhibits the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Dutasteride inhibits both type I and type II 5-alpha-reductase while finasteride inhibits only the type II enzyme. As both isoenzymes are present in hair follicles, it is likely that dutasteride is more effective than finasteride.

METHODS: Men with androgenetic alopecia between 18 and 40 years of age were randomized to receive 0.5 mg dutasteride or 1 mg finasteride daily for 24 weeks.


So essentially the drug works to lower serum and scalp DHT levels to a greater degree than finasteride. It probably doesn't make sense to take both.

Ah thanks man! I was just worried cause I heard some folks here talk about dutasteride not starting to work until some time has passed so that it can build up in your system and that I should take finasteride in the meantime as well. Didn’t really make sense to me though haha...

 

[shwareb]

Man I hate this Doctor and his anti-dutasteride preaching. Dude just answer the question smth....

 

[shwareb]

Got some dutasteride! Will start 0,5mg/day this evening! Wish me luck!

 

[ButWhyTho]

Gl bro.
It is prescribed for AA in Japan and S. Korea I believe.