What is the appropriate dosing for Finasteride?

From the FDA Drug Label

Finasteride tablets may be administered with or without meals. 2.1 Monotherapy The recommended dose of finasteride tablet is one tablet (5 mg) taken once a day [see CLINICAL STUDIES (14.1)]. 2.2 Combination with Alpha-Blocker The recommended dose of finasteride tablet is one tablet (5 mg) taken once a day in combination with the alpha-blocker doxazosin [see CLINICAL STUDIES (14.2)]. The appropriate dosing for Finasteride is:

• 5 mg taken once a day for monotherapy 1
• 5 mg taken once a day in combination with an alpha-blocker, such as doxazosin 1

From the Research

Appropriate Dosing for Finasteride

The appropriate dosing for Finasteride is as follows:

• For male androgenetic alopecia (AGA), the recommended dose is 1 mg/day 2, 3, 4
• For female pattern hair loss, a dose of 5 mg/day has been shown to be effective in some studies 5
• Topical finasteride has also been studied, with doses ranging from 0.25% to 1% solution or gel, and has been shown to be similar in efficacy to oral finasteride 1 mg/day 6

Efficacy of Different Doses

• Studies have shown that finasteride 1 mg/day is effective in promoting hair growth and preventing further hair loss in men with male pattern hair loss 2, 3, 4
• A dose of 5 mg/day has been shown to be effective in women with female pattern hair loss 5
• The efficacy of topical finasteride has been shown to be similar to oral finasteride 1 mg/day 6

Safety and Tolerability

• Finasteride is generally well tolerated, with common side effects including sexual dysfunction, such as decreased libido and erectile dysfunction 2, 3, 4
• Topical finasteride has been shown to reduce the potential for systemic side effects, with side effects localized to the application site 6