Dutasteride Side Effects in Men: The Avodart Label Table, Explained

In plain words, those are trouble getting an erection, lower sex drive, changes in ejaculation, and breast tenderness or growth. This page walks through the label's numbers, its other warnings, and how dutasteride compares with finasteride. One thing first: dutasteride is FDA-approved for an enlarged prostate, not for hair loss. Prescribing it for hair is off-label, meaning for a use the FDA has not approved. We give no doses.

Dutasteride side effects: the label's table

The Avodart label pools three 2-year trials in over 4,300 men with an enlarged prostate. Half took dutasteride and half took a placebo, which is a dummy pill. Table 1 of the label gives each side effect by when it started:

Two things stand out. Sexual side effects were most common in the first 6 months, then dropped close to the dummy pill. Breast changes did not follow that pattern. They stayed low but did not fade. The label says breast disorders "Includes breast tenderness and breast enlargement".

These trials were in older men with an enlarged prostate. The average age was 66. Rates in younger men using it for hair may differ.

Can the side effects last after stopping?

The label adds a note under its table. It says these sexual side effects "may persist after treatment discontinuation" and that "The role of dutasteride in this persistence is unknown" (DailyMed: Avodart label). Discontinuation means stopping the drug.

Dutasteride also stays in the body a long time. A 2022 review gives its average half-life as about 5 weeks, against about 4.5 hours for finasteride (Gupta et al. 2022, PubMed). Half-life is the time it takes for half the drug to clear. So any side effect may take longer to fade after you stop.

Other side effects reported after approval

The label also lists reports from men taking Avodart after it reached the market. These include "Depressed mood", "Testicular pain and testicular swelling", "Male breast cancer", and allergic reactions such as rash and swelling (DailyMed: Avodart label).

The label is careful here. Such reports come from an unknown number of users, so they cannot show how often a problem happens or prove the drug caused it. Still, tell your prescriber about low mood, breast lumps or nipple discharge.

PSA, blood donation and pregnancy rules

These are not side effects you feel, but they matter.

• PSA test. PSA is a blood test used to screen for prostate cancer. The label says Avodart "reduces serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration by approximately 50%" (DailyMed: Avodart label). Tell any doctor who orders a PSA test that you take it.
• Prostate cancer grade. In a 4-year trial, high-grade prostate cancer was found in 1.0% of men on Avodart against 0.5% on placebo.
• Blood donation. The label says "Patients should not donate blood until 6 months after their last dose of AVODART."
• Pregnancy. It says "Women who are pregnant or may be pregnant should not handle AVODART capsules due to potential risk to a male fetus."

Dutasteride vs finasteride side effects

Both drugs lower DHT, the hormone behind male pattern hair loss. Dutasteride blocks more of it. The 2022 review says "dutasteride suppresses DHT levels more than finasteride in the serum and scalp" (Gupta et al. 2022, PubMed). It also says both drugs "are associated with sexual dysfunction and neuropsychiatric side effects". Neuropsychiatric means mood and mind effects.

Do stronger effects on DHT mean more side effects? The pooled trials say not by much. A 2019 study that combined the results of three trials found "The two drugs appear to show similar rates of adverse reactions, especially in sexual dysfunction" (Zhou et al. 2019, PubMed). An adverse reaction is a side effect.

The two tables come from different trials in different men. The Avodart trials were in older men with prostate problems. The Propecia trials were in younger men with hair loss. So the rates are not a fair head-to-head test. For finasteride's full list, see our finasteride side effects guide. Our finasteride vs dutasteride guide compares how well each grows hair.

Is dutasteride safe?

For most men in the trials, side effects were uncommon and eased over time. The label's main safety points are the sexual side effects, breast changes, the PSA effect and the long time it stays in the body. It is not for women or children. The label says "AVODART is not indicated for use in women."

Hair loss use is off-label in the US. A 2022 review notes that "Japan and South Korea have approved oral dutasteride" for male pattern hair loss (Gupta et al. 2022, PubMed). Many prescribers start with finasteride, which is approved for hair and leaves the body faster. If dutasteride is suggested, ask why it is the pick for you, and how follow-up will work.

What dutasteride costs

Dutasteride needs a prescription. Happy Head sells plain oral dutasteride from $34 a month on a 6-month supply, checked November 14, 2026. With your own prescription, Cost Plus Drugs lists generic capsules at $0.25 each. Some programs add it to compounded gels, which a pharmacy mixes to order. The FDA says "Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved" (FDA: compounding questions and answers). Our dutasteride for hair loss guide and dutasteride price page list every seller.