Avodart: Off-label treatment for hair loss

Avodart is a new hair loss treatment that seems to give renewed hope to people with genetic hair loss. It works in a similar way to propecia by inhibiting dihydrotestosterone (DHT). But, is this a suitable drug to resolve your hair loss problem?

An overview on Avodart

GlaxoSmithKline, manufacturer of Avodart, was granted FDA clearance in 2002. The common misconception is that Avodart is a hair loss medication, actually it is not.

Dutasteride, the generic name for Avodart, is originally a treatment for BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia), an ailment where the prostate glands are somehow enlarged. BPH is not cancerous and are common in men ages 50 years old and above. Some of the symptoms of this ailment include incontinence, frequent urination and urinary retention.

FDA approved of Avodart as a medication for BPH as it suppresses the production of 5AR (5-alpha reductase). 5AR are said to convert testosterone to 5 alpha- DHT (dihydrotestosterone). DHT are androgens that are responsible for male hair loss and the growth of prostrate.

Keep in mind that Avodart is originally made to treat BPH. If you are using it as an off-label hair loss treatment, then proceed with caution.

For every 0.5mg capsule of Avodart it includes the following active ingredients: · mono-di-glycerides · caprylic/capric acid · butylated hydroxytoluene. · BSE-free bovine gelatin · glycerin · yellow ferric oxide

Avodart has a half life of five weeks. As such, recommended dosage is once a week or once a month. Consultation with your doctor for proper dosage is a must. Avodart can actually be used as a topical solution and applied directly to the skin. Although this white-yellowish powderish compound is not soluble in water, it can be dissolved with ethanol, methanol and polyethylene glycol.

Avodart Side effects

There are a number of side effects that are possibly related to the intake of Avodart. Note the following probable side effects: · impotence · decrease in sex drive · tender and enlarged breasts · decreased semen production during sex

The serious concern of taking Avodart is the duration of its side effects because the half-life of this drug is over 240 hours. There are even cases where a patient’s DHT levels are do not return back and reach only 25% of its normal level even after of discontinued use of about a year. Other related symptoms of taking Avodart may take some time to be resolved.

Avodart Precautions

Just like any type of medication, a consultation with your doctor would serve you best. Since Avodart is a drug for men; women and children should never take them. Make sure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients of Avodart or to 5α-reductase inhibitors. Men with liver problems are also not advised to take Avodart. Anyone who is under Avodart medication is not allowed to donate blood in the span of six months.

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