What it is, why we use it, and what to know before you start.
Find Your ProtocolBecause dutasteride blocks more DHT. Your body makes DHT with two enzymes, Type I and Type II 5-alpha reductase. Finasteride blocks Type II only. Dutasteride blocks both.
In a head-to-head trial, 0.5mg dutasteride lowered serum DHT by 94.7%, compared with 70.8% for 5mg finasteride (Clark et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2004). In a 917-man trial, dutasteride 0.5mg also grew more hair than finasteride 1mg over 24 weeks (Gubelin Harcha et al., J Am Acad Dermatol, 2014). Why dutasteride →
Not in the U.S. Oral dutasteride (brand name Avodart) is FDA approved for an enlarged prostate, and prescribing it for hair loss is off-label, which is legal and common. It is approved for male pattern hair loss in South Korea and Japan.
Yes, and there’s no washout period. Most men take their last finasteride dose and start dutasteride the next day. Tell the physician in your intake what you’re taking, and they’ll confirm the starting dose. Switching and dosing →
One medication. Zero compromise. Dutasteride One™ is our oral dutasteride protocol: commercial-grade 0.5mg dutasteride softgels on their own, not compounded and not mixed with anything else.
The “One” means one medication, not 1mg. You take 0.5mg, 1.5mg or 2.5mg a day (1, 3 or 5 softgels), set by your physician. Dutasteride One™ →
Yes. Dutasteride One™ ships as commercial-grade 0.5mg dutasteride softgels from approved manufacturers, not custom-compounded powder capsules. Your prescription label shows the exact manufacturer.
Yes. Avodart is a liquid-filled soft gelatin capsule with dutasteride dissolved in an oil-based fill, and so are ours. Dutasteride barely dissolves in water, so the liquid-filled softgel is how it’s made to absorb properly. Inactive ingredients can differ between manufacturers, so check your label.
No. Commercial dutasteride only comes as a 0.5mg liquid-filled softgel. Higher doses mean more softgels: 1.5mg is 3 a day and 2.5mg is 5 a day.
No, on purpose. A single pill combining the two would have to be compounded, and compounded drugs aren’t FDA-reviewed for safety, effectiveness or quality the way commercial medications are. We’d rather you take commercial-grade dutasteride softgels plus a separate minoxidil prescription than represent a compounded capsule as the real thing.
Many men on TRT do. Testosterone replacement gives your body more testosterone to convert into DHT, which can speed up hair loss. Dutasteride blocks that conversion. List your TRT and dose in your intake so the physician can factor it in; men on TRT often discuss a higher dose. The 2.5mg dose →
Most men should talk to their surgeon and physician about it. A transplant moves hair, but it doesn’t stop DHT from shrinking the native hair around the grafts. Christopher Ball, one of our patients, did a year of dutasteride and minoxidil before his FUE transplant. His story →
Most men see hair loss stabilize in 3 to 6 months, with regrowth showing between 6 and 12 months. Hair grows in slow cycles, so taking it every day matters more than anything else.
DHT comes back within months, and so does the hair loss. Dutasteride works only while you take it.
Most men don’t have problems, but some do. Known side effects include lower libido, erection problems, less ejaculate, and breast tenderness or enlargement. Some men report low mood. These can persist after stopping. Tell your physician right away if you notice anything. Full drug safety information →
A long time. Its half-life is about 5 weeks (FDA Avodart label), so it builds up to a steady level over a few months and takes months to clear after you stop. That’s one reason you can’t donate blood while on it or for 6 months after your last dose.
Yes. Dutasteride lowers PSA, the prostate cancer screening number, by about half, so tell any doctor who checks it. Tell an eye surgeon before cataract surgery. Women who are or may become pregnant shouldn’t handle the capsules.