Very high adrenal androgens + finasteride/dutasteride

[Kitsune Ree]

Hi all,

I have very high levels of adrenal androgens, with DHT greater than 2500 pg/ml (250-990), DHEA at 34 ng/ml (<13), androstenedione at 24.9 nmol/l (1.8 - 11.8), and 17-OHP at 14.94 nmol/l (1.52 - 6.36).

I'm thinking about taking oral dutasteride, but I'm worried that blocking DHT could cause an increase in the conversion of adrenal androgen precursors into estrogens, potentially leading to gynecomastia.

I've seen several endocrinologists who suspect I may have a rare form NCAH, but they don't seem knowledgeable about finasteride or dutasteride.

I've been using topical finasteride for two months without side effects or results, and I previously used ru-58841 for a year with no effect.

I'm hesitant to take dutasteride, but I'm also tired of high DHT ruining my hair and skin.

Any advice?

 

[losingbattle88]

Dutasteride made me bald faster. Same with finasteride .also permanent side effects.

 

[Kitsune Ree]

Dutasteride made me bald faster. Same with finasteride .also permanent side effects.

How long did you use it?

 

[losingbattle88]

How long did you use it?

1.5 years

 

[Kitsune Ree]

1.5 years

Hair should improve after initial shedding. Have you checked your dht levels?

 

[losingbattle88]

Hair should improve after initial shedding. Have you checked your dht levels?

I never had any shedding. dutasteride even reduced it by ALOT, Despite this hair thinned out faster. When I got off dutasteride my hair improved and the thinning slowed down to a snails pace. Go ahead and try dutasteride. My experience with dutasteride is rare.

 

[Kitsune Ree]

I never had any shedding. dutasteride even reduced it by ALOT, Despite this hair thinned out faster. When I got off dutasteride my hair improved and the thinning slowed down to a snails pace. Go ahead and try dutasteride. My experience with dutasteride is rare.

Maybe if DHT is too high, even dutasteride won't help much. My DHT levels have always been very high, far beyond the normal range. I managed to control it with intermittent fasting, but it went back up when I started eating normally again.

 

[losingbattle88]

Maybe if DHT is too high, even dutasteride won't help much. My DHT levels have always been very high, far beyond the normal range. I managed to control it with intermittent fasting, but it went back up when I started eating normally again.

Dht isnt the cause for my hair thinning. If it was the cause dutasteride would have slowed down my thinning but instead it sped it up ten fold. Without dutasteride hair is thinning alot slower. I even tried 2.5mg dutasteride. Even used it topically too. I think the drug caused hormonal imbalance or AR upregulation.

 

[Jakejr]

Don’t obsess over gyno.,
It can be prevented.. but very interesting to me adrenal androgens. Have to research… how did you test for that & what was cost..

 

[Kitsune Ree]

Don’t obsess over gyno.,
It can be prevented.. but very interesting to me adrenal androgens. Have to research… how did you test for that & what was cost..

I believe the cost depends on where you live. In my case, it was affordable. I went to a lab and got a comprehensive hormone blood test panel for about $200.

Then I saw different endocrinologists. High levels of 17-oh progesterone suggested I had a non-classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Basically, my body wasn't making cortisol properly, so it was using alternative pathways to produce DHT instead.

The most common type of NCAH is 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency, but genetic testing didn't show that I had it. There are other, less common types, but genetic tests for these rarer forms aren't easily accessible.

On top of that, I also had high lipid levels and insulin resistance. I'm not sure if the high insulin was causing the excess androgens or if it was the other way around. Probably they aggravate each other.

I was able to lower my androgens by fasting for 16 hours a day. My lipids normalized and insulin went below normal range too. However, it’s not sustainable for me as I am quite slim and have never been overweight.