Ever heard of Dutasteride (Avodart)?

I was browsing through a few hair loss forums the other day, and during a thread on the subject of Finasteride (branded as Propecia), I came across a drug called Dutasteride, which is branded by the name of Avodart. 

Now, I must confess, I hadn't ever heard of this drug, that apparently can be used to treat hair loss very effectively. So, I Googled it straight away to see what information I could dig up on this mysterious pill.

Dutasteride is considered an effective hair loss treatment for hair loss and thinning hair, but not without its potential side-effects. Dutasteride, unlike Finasteride, is not FDA-approved. Therefore it cannot market itself as a treatment for pattern baldness. 

Dutasteride is actually a medication used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), but side-effects included new hair growth on patients suffering from Alopecia. I guess you could put this product in the same category as other hair loss treatments that were kind of discovered accidently. 

Dutasteride was developed by GlaxoSmithKline and is a 5α-reductase inhibitor which prevents the conversion of the androgen sex hormone testosterone into the more potent dihydrotestosterone (DHT). 

Side-effects? 

Now, with all that said, it's time to look at the negatives - the side-effects!  Unfortunately the side-effects are similar to that of Finasteride, which is the reason I have never actually tried Propecia, so this has kind of burst my happy bubble, somewhat!

Typical side-effects that you can expect to experience from taking Dutasteride will include sexual dysfunction, prostate cancer risks, and severe skin irritations. 

If, like me, you aren't keen on risking the side-effects, you are probably best off avoiding Dutasteride and opting for something more natural, without the risk of any nasty surprises.

I'll bring you guys more on this pill once I get a further understanding of the research, testing and results.