Avodart and Hair Loss

Avodart is the brand name for dutasteride, which is called as second-generation dihydrotetosterone (DHT) inhibitor. It is a new medicine produced by the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. Avodart was originally developed for treating prostrate enlargement known as benign prostatic hyperplasia but it has passed the stage 2 of FDA for treating hair loss in men. It offers exciting possibilities to cure male pattern baldness.
During the GlaxoSmithKline’s clinical trial of the drugs, dutasteride beneficial effects on treating hair loss became very apparent. It was approved by FDA as a drug for the treatment of benign prostrate hyperplasia and produced on the market with a brand name as Avodart in 2003. This new medicine helps patient in improving urinary symptoms and also reduce the risk of acute urinary retention.

Avodart, miracle drug for hair loss?

Dutasteride acts on both types 1 and 2 of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. After deeply examining it, it is found that its use can reduce 93% in the conversion of testosterone into DHT in the body, which is comparatively higher than most medicines for hair loss treatment. DHT is a hormone produced in the body, which is responsible for hair loss as well as enlargement of prostrate. Avodart lowers the level of DHT production substantially in the body. There is also unconfirmed report of undergoing dutasteride testing.

In the meantime, some physicians have started prescribing avodart or the dutasteride as an off label medicine for treating hair loss in men because of its ability to inhibit DHT. Though the FDA does not yet approve it, avodart is known for its ability to retain or grow hair. Till now, the FDA has approved only two drugs but it is found that dutasteride is more effective comparatively. It is expected that dutasteride will be on the market for the treatment of hair loss very soon if approved.

Avodart, better than Finasteride

Though not approved yet, most people have started using dutasteride for treating hair loss. With a prescription, 0.5 mg of dutasteride cost around $2 to $3 per dose. After 6 months of treatment, the hair count increases by about ~96 hairs compared to ~72 hairs when treated with 5 mg of finasteride. Finasteride is the conventional drug approved by FDA for treating hair loss. With a dose of 2.5 mg, the hair count increases significantly by ~108 hairs which is 1.5 times more than using 5mg of finasteride. However, with the fact that dutasteride remains inside our body for a longer period of time; there are still unknown questions about increased side effects as compared to finasteride.