Three big Qs before I start finasteride

[Losingit80]

Hi everyone,

I've been on the sidelines on this forum for sometime but have waited long enough and am about to take the plunge on treating my hair loss. I'm 34 and am approx NW2 but have started to see some thinning in the crown area over the last year and want to put a stop to it. I have purchased both finasteride and minoxidil but have not been brave enough to start them yet. I have a few Qs about side effects with finasteride that I would appreciate your help with:

1) affect on muscle mass/working out? Is there any evidence that it does have an impact? Has anyone noticed any detrimental affects?

2) brain fog? My job requires me to be sharp and focused throughout the day - I'm concerned that if I get the brain fog it could hurt my performance. Any help/insight here would be appreciated (anyone experienced it, how long does it last?)?

3) gynecomastia - I read somewhere that the risk is around 1 in 250 but have not actually every come across anyone reporting it (which is surprising given you usually here about the bad stuff before the good).

Thanks in advance - awesome forum

 

[zzzzz]

1) affect on muscle mass/working out? Is there any evidence that it does have an impact? Has anyone noticed any detrimental affects?

Negligible/almost nothing. I myself work out and my gains after starting dutasteride were better than before starting. This is not due to the dutasteride almost certainly but no one has ever complained about it hurting their gains or strength ever that I have heard.

2) brain fog? My job requires me to be sharp and focused throughout the day - I'm concerned that if I get the brain fog it could hurt my performance. Any help/insight here would be appreciated (anyone experienced it, how long does it last?)?

Brain fog is probably BS

3) gynecomastia - I read somewhere that the risk is around 1 in 250 but have not actually every come across anyone reporting it (which is surprising given you usually here about the bad stuff before the good).

Yes 1/250 is right I was going to say that as soon as I saw the wod gyno. Here is the table for adverse effects. Notice finasteride sides - placebo sides = .4% chance of finasteride induced gyno (1 in 250). This table is from a study by the FDA. Sorry I just realized gyno isn't in this table but there was also a table on that study that included gyno I think and it was .8% for finasteride and .4% for placebo

 

[Losingit80]

Thanks, really helpful.

Anyone else's insights would be appreciated.

 

[g31]

I have a question, that has probably been asked many times. But I'm still very confused; Is it almost a fact that your sexuality will be affected in one way or another with Finasteride? to a greater or lesser extent? but most likely, will it be affected anyway? Or most people really don't get any problems? Because when I read here, most people reports side effects, but the official label claims that only 2% gets sexual sides effects. (Sorry for using your post to make my question)

 

[zzzzz]

I have a question, that has probably been asked many times. But I'm still very confused; Is it almost a fact that your sexuality will be affected in one way or another with Finasteride? to a greater or lesser extent? but most likely, will it be affected anyway? Or most people really don't get any problems? Because when I read here, most people reports side effects, but the official label claims that only 2% gets sexual sides effects. (Sorry for using your post to make my question)

No. For most there is no change in libido/ability to get an erection/anything.

I am on dutasteride, which is much more powerful than finasteride. I have the DHT levels of an 8 year old girl. I have seen no change in anything

My DHT levels are 5-10 times lower than most could get to by just taking finasteride

 

[g31]

Ah, that's good. Thanks.

 

[eenrak]

I have the DHT levels of an 8 year old girl.

Lol

 

[Spanishlad]

My DHT levels are 5-10 times lower than most could get to by just taking finasteride

Is that true????

 

[zzzzz]

Is that true????

yes, my DHT was in the bottom of the normal range to begin with (like 22 where normal range is 18-72 for my age range) and dutasteride lowers that by greater than 10 times, so my DHT levels now are about 2. Normal range for prepuscent females is under 3. Most guys who take finasteride will be at about 50 to start, and then finasteride will cut that by 2/3rds, so they will be at about 15-18 after finasteride.

 

[eenrak]

yes, my DHT was in the bottom of the normal range to begin with (like 22 where normal range is 18-72 for my age range) and dutasteride lowers that by greater than 10 times, so my DHT levels now are about 2. Normal range for prepuscent females is under 3. Most guys who take finasteride will be at about 50 to start, and then finasteride will cut that by 2/3rds, so they will be at about 15-18 after finasteride.

Wow, that's crazy how aggressive your hairloss is, when you had low natural dht levels.. However, it's awesome to know that despite how aggressive it is, treatments today can stop or reverse it.

 

[xRedStaRx]

Wow, that's crazy how aggressive your hairloss is, when you had low natural dht levels.. However, it's awesome to know that despite how aggressive it is, treatments today can stop or reverse it.

I keep saying this countless times, but here it goes again.

Blood DHT levels don't mean anything.