Avodart(dutasteride) once a month for prevention of hair loss

[auspex]

New to posting on this board. Have been reading everyone's posts for about six months. I must say this is one of the most knowledgeable groups of people I have run across on the internet.

Just wondering if anyone else had heard of using Avodart(dutasteride) once monthly for hair loss prevention?
This was suggested to me by a physician friend of mine. It seems plausable but wondering if anyone has real world feedback.

Thanks

Auspex

Here is some info from Micromedix I found:
AVODART

.2 DURATION
A. SINGLE DOSE:
1. PLASMA DIHYDROTESTOSTERONE REDUCTIONS, ORAL: 3 to 8 weeks (healthy subjects) (Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1998).
a. Time of sustained decreases in plasma 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels after single oral doses of 1 to 40 mg in healthy subjects; duration of DHT suppression was dose-related.

2.3.5 HALF-LIFE
2.3.5.1 PARENT COMPOUND
A. ELIMINATION HALF-LIFE: up to 5 weeks (Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1999; (Prod Info Avodart(TM), 2004).

A. MECHANISM OF ACTION
1. Dutasteride is a dual 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (Anon, 2001; Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1998). The 5-alpha-reductase enzyme is responsible for converting testosterone to 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is considered primarily responsible for signs/symptoms of BPH (Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1998; Makridakis et al, 2000). Two isozymes of 5-alpha-reductase are present in humans, type 1 (mainly in liver and skin) and type 2 (predominant form in the prostate) (Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1999; Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1998).
2. Enzymologic studies have demonstrated that dutasteride is an irreversible competitive inhibitor of 5-alpha-reductase types 1 and 2, which results in significant reductions in circulating DHT levels (Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1998; Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1999a). Data from animal studies have suggested that dutasteride is more potent than finasteride, a selective and irreversible 5-alpha-reductase type 2 inhibitor; greater falls in DHT concentrations were observed with dutasteride (Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1998; Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1999).
3. In healthy subjects (Olsson Gisleskog et al, 1998), dutasteride in single oral doses of 1 milligram (mg) or higher reduced DHT concentrations by 70 to 95%, with levels remaining decreased for 3 to 8 weeks; the degree and duration of DHT suppression were dose-related. After oral finasteride 5 mg, DHT levels were suppressed by approximately 80%, and the duration of suppression was shorter (1 to 2 weeks). This study indicated that the potency of dutasteride was about 3-fold that of finasteride for inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase type 2. Near-full blockade of both isozymes occurred with dutasteride 10 mg or greater

 

[saint808]

i just started it everyday to combat bph and porstate related probs... if i grow an afro or something wierd i will let you know. On paper it looks better than propecia or proscar.

 

[xcelbeyond]

saint808: If that's you in your avatar, doesn't look like you need any

 

[auspex]

Avodart - once monthly

I guess my point was really to see if anyone was using Avodart on a monthly basis. Based on its pharmacokinetics and binding could you get away with once monthly dosing. This would be alot cheaper than Proscar/Propecia daily. Of note is that you could possibly get a starter pack from a urologist/GP and would be covered for 6 months.

For those of you that are worried about hairloss related to DHT, this could be the cheapest route to prevention.

Auspex

 

[Qwert]

Taking it once a month is just plain silly. It's meant for everyday use. If you're going to be that frugal, don't bother using it at all & use the money on a bic razor instead.

 

[Massive G]

I guess my point was really to see if anyone was using Avodart on a monthly basis. Based on its pharmacokinetics and binding could you get away with once monthly dosing. This would be alot cheaper than Proscar/Propecia daily. Of note is that you could possibly get a starter pack from a urologist/GP and would be covered for 6 months.

For those of you that are worried about hairloss related to DHT, this could be the cheapest route to prevention.

Auspex

Interesting link thanks for posting it.
I may Give it a shot perhaps @ EOD or once a week dosing.
I was shedding hair like crazy a month ago, (been clean for over 14 months) I got some nizoral shampoo and 5% minoxidil and have had two hair cuts since then. Turned out it was my scalp being "dirty". I like to use a lot of hair gel for that Godfather look LOL and the 2wice daily shampoos weren't getting it.
also I was told never to use a shampoo with conditioner built in you know the combo as it never gets your hair clean. You should condition after you wash with the shampoo thouroughly if you use it all.
Anyway I have other interests that can be applied to the avodart like BPH prevention etc.

 

[auspex]

Avodart once monthly

Taking it once a month is just plain silly. It's meant for everyday use. If you're going to be that frugal, don't bother using it at all & use the money on a bic razor instead.

Another statement from a person thinking inside the box. Nothing ventured = nothing gained.

This is an interesting response, slightly offensive but intersting none the less. First off, this has nothing to do with being frugal. Money is not the issue for myself but I realize that others have to watch every dime they earn. Back to your statement that "taking it once a month is silly". Please back up this statement with pharmacokinetic studies, clinical trials, or even unpublished data from the manufacturer. Based upon the clinical trials and data, once a month dosing is plausable.
By the way, "It is meant for daily dosing". So was Fosamax(osteoporosis) when it originally came out. Our site was the first to propose once weekly dosing. The company then did dosing trials which showed clinical efficacy. Now their largest sales are in the once weekly regimen. From that data another drug was created called BONIVA which is a once monthly dosage form.

FYI - The package insert of most meds is very conservative with dosing and does not list alternative regimens commonly used in practice. Nor does it include a wide variety of indications which meds are used for.

Auspex

 

[Jarconis]

I just buy finasteride powder from oversea sources, and for about 50 bucks I got a lifetime supply of it...