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Most popular quantity. What is finasteride? Finasteride prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. DHT is involved in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and hair loss. Finasteride is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate). Finasteride is also used to reduce hair loss due to male pattern baldness. Finasteride may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. What should I discuss with my doctor before taking finasteride? Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have liver disease. You may not be able to take finasteride, or you may need a lower dose or special monitoring during treatment. Finasteride is intended for use by men only. Finasteride is not indicated for use by women. Do not take or handle this medication if you are pregnant or are could become pregnant during treatment. Finasteride is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that it is known to cause birth defects in an unborn baby. Women who are or who may become pregnant must not handle crushed or broken finasteride tablets. The medication could be absorbed through the skin. Finasteride is known to cause birth defects in a developing male baby. Exposure to whole tablets should be avoided whenever possible, however exposure to whole tablets is not expected to be harmful as long as the tablets are not swallowed. It is not known whether finasteride passes into breast milk. Finasteride is not intended for use by women. Do not take this medication if you are breast-feeding a baby. How should I take finasteride? Take finasteride exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Finasteride can be taken with or without food. It is important to take finasteride regularly to get the most benefit. Your doctor may perform blood tests or other forms of monitoring during treatment with finasteride. One of the tests that may be performed is called PSA (prostate-specific antigen). This test is used to help detect prostate cancer. Finasteride will reduce the amount of PSA measured in the blood. Your doctor is aware of this effect and can still use PSA to help detect prostate cancer. Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat. What happens if I miss a dose? Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the dose you missed and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose unless otherwise directed. What happens if I overdose? Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected. Symptoms of a finasteride overdose are not known. What should I avoid while taking finasteride? There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activities during treatment with finasteride unless your doctor directs otherwise. What are the possible side effects of finasteride? Stop taking finasteride and seek emergency medical attention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives). Other, less serious side effects have been reported but usually resolve with continued treatment. Continue to take finasteride and notify your doctor if you experience decreased libido (sex drive); decreased volume of ejaculate; impotence (trouble getting or keeping an erection); or breast tenderness or enlargement. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. What drug(s) may interact with finasteride? some blood pressure medications male hormones (example: testosterone) saw palmetto soy isoflavones supplements What is the shelf life of the pills? The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Propecia Frequently Asked Questions.

1. The patent for Proscar & Propecia is expiring on June 19th of this year. Have you heard of any developments with regards to other companies wanting to manufacture the generics? Does Merck itself plan to deliver a generic version?

If you remember few years back when Prilosec (omeprazole) became generic, it became less expensive, but the company who made Prilosec then made Nexium (esomeprozole) which is basically the same class of drug and it was marketed successfully as a replacement. I assume something similar may happen, but that is just a guess. I am not in the know and I don’t have inside knowledge. I believe the patent for Proscar runs out this year, but the patent for Propecia (same drug, just 1mg) is still valid for a few more years.

 

2. Does DHT serve a valuable purpose in the body that is being negated by use of finasteride?

DHT plays a key role in the development and progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Blocking DHT is actually beneficial in preventing prostate cancer according to recent scientific papers which have been published with the 5mg does of finasteride (Proscar).

 

3. It has been stated that blocking the reduction of testosterone into DHT actually increases the amount of testosterone in the body.
a. Do these raised levels persist or does the body adjust?
b. Given its effects on the hormonal system, I often regard finasteride in the same light as certain steroids even though the action of finasteride on the hormonal system is indirect. Nonetheless, should I be concerned with things like HPTA shutdown, normally an issue for steroid users?

Testosterone is converted to DHT which is then converted to other metabolites. Thus, one may argue that blocking DHT formation may increase testosterone. But there are other biochemical pathways for testosterone to be broken down. It has been said that blocking DHT may slightly increase normal estogen levels (yes, men have estrogen hormones which is normal), but there have been no adverse side effects associated with taking a DHT blocker such as Propecia. Finasteride is not a steroid.

 

4. I am a 26 year old male and have been taking Propecia for 7 months. I have a question regarding Propecia treatment and future plans of bearing children. I understand women are not to be exposed to Propecia concerning possible birth defects in born children. Is there any risk to the female through intercourse with a male who is currently using Propecia ie detectable amounts through the semen? I'm simply concerned that my Propecia useage will hinder any hopes of having healthy children.

We don't have any good information on the role of Propecia ingestion in a male and subsequent childbirth. Our first thought would be to be on the safe side and to discontinue Propecia usage several months before insemination.

 

5. I thought I would give Propecia a try as I seem to be losing hair more than ever (I am 52). As you must know, "Propecia prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. DHT is involved in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and hair loss." I've heard that Propecia works, but once you stop taking it, then over a short time, I would lose all the hair that that I would of lost had I not taken
Propecia. I will try your advice on taking a portion of Proscar 5 mg, as I found out that there is no generic and that my drug plan does not cover Propecia and can't afford the $1000/year. I know from your readings that you are against messing with hormones like testosterone, but is this
one OK, I didn't see any cautions against it and I am already taking Prostate Power Rx.

Side effects of Propecia that some people notice include a reduced sex drive, perhaps slight loss of vitality or the 'magic of life,' perhaps increased abdominal girth, and unknown long term side effects. Hair loss could return full force once the Propecia is stopped. It is a difficult decision, and each person needs to determine the benefits versus risks for themselves.

 

6. I want to report an interesting Propecia side effect. I came across your web page while researching side effects of Propecia use. I've been on Propecia drug for 7 weeks exactly, and I do not notice any sexual or physical side effects at all. However, I do notice one mental side effect -- tripping over words. Normally, when I spoke before taking Propecia medication, it was usually pretty fast, witty, and it came across very smoothly. I never thought about speaking. Now, I seem to be thinking much more and I'm tripping over words. Also, I don't seem to come up with dry humor as quickly. Interesting, I also started drinking a lot of soymilk since starting Propecia as well as using saw palmetto / pygeum, and soy protein powder. I also stopped regular milk intake. I'm at a crossroads here. It seems I have to choose between hair loss and speech.
If I stop Propecia, (I've been taking it for 7 weeks), will the side effects go ahead completely? Also theoretically, if I was taking Propecia for 15 years, would the side effects go away completely if stopped then?

It is possible that a Propecia side effect could include memory or cognitive impairment due to disruption of optimal testosterone / DHT function in brain tissue. I suspect Propecia side effects would reverse completely if stopped after only a few weeks of use, but my best guess is that some Propecia side effects would persist if this product is taken for more than a decade or two.

7. What causes hair loss?

There is much debate on this topic. While the link between certain forms of hair loss and the immune system is well-accepted, there is also evidence for a connection between the immune system and pattern loss (androgenic or androgenetic Alopecia). In line with this, it appears that male hormones--especially DHT--trigger an autoimmune response in pattern loss, initiating an attack on the hair follicle that can be observed microscopically. This results in destructive inflammation that gradually destroys the follicle's ability to produce terminal hair. The reason for this could be that androgens somehow alter the follicle, causing it to be labeled as a foreign body. A possibly related factor is that elevated androgens also trigger increased sebum (oil) production, which can favor an excessive microbial and parasitic population, also leading to inflammation. In any case, hair progressively miniaturizes under the withering autoimmune attack, so that with each successive growth cycle it gets shorter and thinner until it finally turns into tiny unpigmented vellus hair (peach fuzz).

In men, balding typically follows the classic horseshoe pattern known as male pattern baldness or MPB, though diffuse thinning can also occur. It has been noted that both the number of androgen receptors and the level of 5-alpha reductase, which converts testosterone to DHT, are higher in susceptible areas than in the rest of the scalp. Women's hair loss tends to be diffuse but is also primarily hormonally driven.

The story of balding is, however, not the story of androgens alone. Rather pattern loss appears to have multiple contributing factors once the process is underway. For instance, damage to blood vessel linings can inhibit a growth factor they ordinarily produce: endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) or nitric oxide (NO). Minoxidil probably works in part by mimicking this growth factor. Similarly it has been noted that severe baldness is strongly correlated with heart disease and even diabetes, so there appears to be some common etiology outside of the strictly androgen paradigm for pattern loss. There are likely other factors as well.

8. How effective is Finasteride?

Finasteride is not a miracle treatment, but it works reasonably well for many people. Results tend to be slow, and it appears to be much better at retaining than regrowing hair. But as treatments go, it's fairly effective. Recent longer term results indicate that it continues to work well for responders (i.e., the majority of users) a few years into treatment. Like all treatments discussed here, it is typically best used as part of a multifaceted program.

9. What kind of side effects can you get with Finasteride or other systemic DHT inhibitors?

A: Finasteride is the best documented of the DHT inhibitors and most people notice no side effects from it. Some people do, however, experience a reduction in libido or notice more watery semen. Some get some noticeable hyperandrogenicity, as evidenced by increased facial oil, pimples or unusually high libido. Testicular ache is occasionally noted, probably due to increased testosterone output, and the body takes time to adjust to this. (Increased T levels--15% on average in finasteride users--are likely in large part a compensatory response to reduced DHT.) Most often any side effects dissipate within 2 or 3 months. If they do not, things should return to normal after discontinuing finasteride, although this may take a couple of weeks, as finasteride has a relatively long biological effect, although a short serum half-life.

10. Is it true that the herb saw palmetto is better than Finasteride (Proscar/Propecia) and has no side effects?

Saw palmetto has been used successfully in prostate enlargement. Accordingly it may have utility in pattern loss, though it has not been formally tested for this. Saw palmetto and finasteride are not really equivalent, since saw palmetto has a much broader range of anti-hormonal activity than finasteride. As for side effects, these are certainly possible with saw palmetto, though everyone will respond uniquely. It must be borne in mind that saw palmetto is as much a chemical concoction as finasteride; it was merely produced in Nature's laboratory instead of a conventional one. Like anything, if it's potent enough to cause a biochemical change in the body--especially involving hormones--it's potent enough to cause side effects in some people. Saw palmetto may be useful topically.

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