Finasteride General Description

Finasteride is a 5-a reductase inhibitor. This drug acts as an enzyme that is responsible for the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. The active agent significantly reduces the level of dihydrotestosterone, which suppresses adverse androgenic effects caused by its high concentration.

The drug quickly takes effect; one tablet of 1 mg of the active substance reduces the level of dihydrotestosterone by 65% in a single day. It is used in medicine to treat various diseases. At first, Finasteride was produced in the United States under the brand name “Proscar” and was prescribed to patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. In the late 90s, it was used to eliminate baldness. 

Nowadays the drug is also available under the name “Propecia”, but it contains 1/5 of Proscar in one tablet. It is commonly used not only in medicine, but also in sports for minimizing the negative side effects of steroids with a high androgen index.
Previously, many sports organizations banned the use of Finasteride for competing athletes as the drug is able to conceal the usage of anabolic-androgenic substances. Since 2005, the drug was a part of the list of banned substances by the World Anti-Doping Agency, but in 2009 it was removed from the list.

Finasteride Benefits

Due to its chemical properties, Finasteride has almost no effect on the levels of other hormones in the body. The active agent does not bind to androgen receptors and produces no estrogenic, androgenic, antiandrogenic or anti-estrogenic effects. It does not affect the concentration of cortisol, hormones that stimulate the thyroid gland function, or thyroxine. The increase in the concentration of FSH and LH is insignificant and the drug does not affect the functioning of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. In extremely rare cases a decrease in the concentration of dihydrotestosterone results in disturbed sexual functions. 

Finasteride is characterized by increases in the concentration of natural testosterone by 15%.
Finasteride is very popular among athletes that use steroids. Dihydrotestosterone metabolites can produce many adverse androgenic reactions caused by the use of testosterone. A high concentration of dihydrotestosterone in the body may lead to various unpleasant phenomena, e.g. oily skin, hair loss, acne and others. By suppressing the production of dihydrotestotosterone, it becomes possible to stabilize the concentration of natural male sex hormone and eliminate side reactions caused by the use of potent androgens.
The positive effects of Finasteride include its ability to:

• suppress high concentration of dihydrotestosterone in the blood;
• eliminate androgenic adverse reactions like oily skin, which leads to acne, excessive hair growth throughout the body, hair loss and other symptoms;
• increase endogenous testosterone levels in the body.

Finasteride is most effective in combating hair loss. Acneiform rashes, hair growth throughout the body and on the face can not be eliminated with the same efficiency, but a decrease in the dihydrotestosterone concentration provides a beneficial effect on the suppression of such reactions. The drug is especially recommended for athletes that experience baldness, as this can further turn into a severe problem or even become irreversible. 

Using Finasteride to eliminate androgenetic alopecia (hair loss) is necessary for men only. The drug slows down future hair loss and guarantees about 30% improvement of the state of hair follicles and the formation of new ones after six months of therapy.
Finasteride cannot be used for post-cycle therapy. It’s often used during an androgenic steroids cycle that has resulted in adverse reactions in the form of baldness and others. It is not advisable to use the drug after the cycle.

Finasteride Possible Side Effects

Adverse reactions related to Finasteride are extremely rare, but can manifest in the form of sexual debility, decreased ejaculate volume, premature ejaculation, disturbed genital function, gynecomastia, erectile dysfunction, pain in the testicles. If such adverse reactions occur, it is necessary to reduce the dosage or completely discontinue the drug cycle. 

Despite the interrupted use, the beneficial effects of taking Finasteride persist. The drug is very rarely used by women as female athletes prefer to refrain from taking androgenic steroid drugs that produce virilescence symptoms. Finasteride is not able to stop the processes of alopecia in women. The drug’s active agent may cause birth defects in the fetus, so pregnant women and women who may become pregnant in the future should avoid any contact with broken down or fragmented tablets, since the drug can enter the body through the skin.

Finasteride Administration and Dosage

The optimal dosage of Finasteride is 1 mg per day. It was proven in medical practice that a single tablet of 1 mg is enough for a potent effect. If pronounced androgenic reactions persist after a few days of use, then users can increase the daily dosage to 5 mg (it’s possible to start using Proscar, as its tablets contain 5 mg of Finasteride). 

In order to eliminate baldness, Finasteride is used for at least 6 months. In sports it is sufficient to use the drug throughout the steroid cycle.
The dosage of the drug should be maintained at the minimum necessary level. This is due to the fact that dihydrotestosterone has a positive effect on the reproductive and nervous systems when used in moderation. Severe suppression of dihydrotestosterone levels leads to sexual dysfunctions and a decrease in strength performance obtained after using testosterone.

Most often, Finasteride is used in conjunction with anabolic-androgenic steroids – testosterone esters (Cypionate, Enanthate or Sustanon), Methyltestosterone, Halotestin. The duration of use is equal to the duration of the potent androgens cycle. Users can extend the cycle up to one year.