BODY PHARM DUTASTERIDE(0.5MG DUTASTERIDE/TAB=50TABS)

DRUG CLASS: HORMONE INHIBITORS(ORAL) 

AVERAGE REPORTED DOSAGE: MEN 0.5-1 MG DAILY 

One study discovered that dutasteride was approximately three times more potent than finasteride in inhibiting type 2 5AR and 100 times more potent in inhibiting type 1 5AR. After studying the mechanism of action of two drugs, dutasteride was found to be theoretically more effective than finasteride in treating AGA

Dutasteride vs Finasteride for Hair Loss
If you’ve ever looked into medications for treating hair loss, you’ve likely heard of finasteride and dutasteride.

Finasteride and dutasteride belong to a class of medications called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, or 5-ARIs.

They work by preventing your body from converting testosterone into a different type of androgen hormone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT.

DHT is strongly linked to hair loss, with research showing that it’s the main hormone responsible for male pattern baldness.

While finasteride and dutasteride both block DHT, there are some medical and legal differences that you should be aware of before you consider using either medication to slow down hair loss and prevent your male pattern baldness from worsening.

Below, we’ve explained what medications like finasteride and dutasteride are, how they work as hair loss treatments and the type of results you can expect from treatment.

We’ve also shared several key differences between finasteride and dutasteride, including each medication’s availability and legal status as a hair loss treatment in the United States.Finasteride vs. Dutasteride: How They Work

Finasteride and dutasteride are both medications that block the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) within your body.

Dihydrotestosterone is a type of androgen, or male sex hormone. It’s created as a byproduct of testosterone by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase.

Only a small amount of your testosterone is converted into DHT, with most of your circulating testosterone left unaffected.

During prenatal development, childhood and adolescence, DHT plays a major role in producing your male sex characteristics.

It’s responsible for everything from your genitals to the body and facial hair that you develop as a teen.

As an adult, DHT is less essential for your everyday wellbeing. However, it still produces certain effects in your body.

If you’re genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness, DHT can bind to androgen receptors in your scalp and cause your hair follicles to gradually stop producing new hairs.

Over time, this can result in a receding hairline, thinning of your hair around the crown (the area at the top of your head) and near-total hair loss.

We’ve explained this process and its effects on your hairline in more detail in our guide to DHT and male pattern baldness.

Finasteride and dutasteride both work by blocking the effects of 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT.

By blocking 5 alpha-reductase, these medications reduce DHT levels throughout your body and slow down, stop or reverse the effects that DHT can have on your hair.

Although finasteride and dutasteride work in the same way, there are a few differences between the two medications when it comes to effectiveness, side effects and legal status.

We’ve listed these below, along with more information on how each medication works and what you can expect from each as a hair loss treatment.

Finasteride Was Developed and Patented First
Between finasteride and dutasteride, finasteride is the older drug. Finasteride was developed in the 1970s, patented in the 1980s and approved by the FDA in the 1990s, initially as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, or prostate enlargement) as Proscar®.

That’s right -- finasteride, the male pattern baldness medication, was originally approved by the FDA to treat BPH.

This is because BPH, like male pattern baldness, is caused by the effects of DHT.

In 1997, finasteride was approved under the brand name Propecia® as a treatment for hair loss in men.

When used for hair loss, it’s prescribed at a lower dose (1mg per day) than the stronger 5mg version that’s used to treat BPH.