African Journal of Biomedical Research

A 29-year-old male on 1 mg Finasteride for 3 months has experienced a significant increase in testosterone and estradiol levels, with no major side effects except slightly oilier skin and increased emotional sensitivity. The user is concerned about these hormonal changes and seeks advice, as their general practitioner is not knowledgeable about the issue.

Saw palmetto, a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, caused unexpected side effects like breast changes and altered semen consistency, which resolved after stopping its use. Concerns about similar side effects with finasteride or dutasteride were expressed, and another user reported low libido and depression from saw palmetto.

Rosemary extract showed high inhibitory activity against DHT, similar to finasteride and dutasteride, but the conversation includes skepticism about its effectiveness in humans since the study was done on mice and rosemary oil is often considered ineffective based on personal experiences. Some suggest trying rosemary oil alongside other treatments, while others emphasize the difference between the extract used in the study and the oil.

A 22-year-old male experienced increased testosterone and estradiol levels after 8 months on finasteride, leading to softer erections and reduced arousal. Suggestions included reducing finasteride dosage, using supplements like L-arginine, L-citrulline, zinc, and possibly tadalafil to improve symptoms.

A 30-year-old man experienced significant hair regrowth and improved libido after using finasteride and dutasteride for androgenetic alopecia, with no adverse effects. He plans to reduce dutasteride dosage when trying to conceive and has been using topical minoxidil since 2015.

Taking Propecia (finasteride) with olive oil is unnecessary because it is water-soluble and already has high bioavailability. Dutasteride tablets should be taken with something fatty like olive oil to improve absorption.