29 citations
,
July 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Rats had lasting erectile problems after stopping a certain medication.
22 citations
,
August 2014 in “Clinical endocrinology” Taking finasteride for benign prostate hyperplasia may increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially at higher doses.
19 citations
,
January 2016 in “Annals of Dermatology” Dutasteride is safe and effective for treating hair loss, but may decrease libido.
10 citations
,
October 2018 in “Sexual medicine reviews” Men using hair loss drugs like finasteride may experience sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction, but it's unclear who will be affected and when. Treating depression and sexual symptoms is suggested, as these men often have higher rates of both. More research is needed to understand why these side effects occur.
6 citations
,
May 2020 in “JAMA Ophthalmology” Using 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, drugs for prostate issues and hair loss, may lead to eye abnormalities in men.
4 citations
,
March 2020 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” Plumbago zeylanica extract helps hair growth and reduces a hair loss-related enzyme.
2 citations
,
March 2018 in “Current Opinion in Urology” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can cause sexual, neurologic, endocrine, and cardiovascular side effects, but these are rare and usually stop after ending treatment.
35 citations
,
June 2018 in “Urology” The review suggests younger men taking 1 mg finasteride report more side effects, including sexual, skin, metabolic, and psychological issues.
33 citations
,
January 2016 in “Skin appendage disorders” The document concludes that sexual and psychiatric side effects from 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are reported, but more high-quality research is needed to understand how often they occur.
31 citations
,
January 2017 in “Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology” Low testosterone and 5α-reductase inhibitors can harm men's metabolic and sexual health; testosterone therapy may help, but discussing 5α-RIs' side effects is important.
28 citations
,
May 2018 in “Scientific reports” Exercise improves insulin sensitivity and hormone regulation in PCOS rats.
17 citations
,
December 2018 in “The World Journal of Men s Health” Long-term use of dutasteride can cause permanent erectile dysfunction in rats.
15 citations
,
July 2016 in “Urologic Clinics of North America” Finasteride and dutasteride are effective for long-term treatment of enlarged prostates but have sexual side effects and a risk of high-grade prostate cancer.
13 citations
,
November 2012 in “PubMed” 5α-reductase inhibitors may worsen sexual drive and spontaneous erections but don't worsen existing erectile or ejaculatory problems.
3 citations
,
August 2020 in “Urology Journal” Using 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may increase the risk of mild depression.
2 citations
,
May 2019 in “PubMed” Oral finasteride and dutasteride may negatively affect erectile function in rats.
1 citations
,
February 2024 in “Pharmacognosy Journal” Fenugreek seed extract boosts testosterone and improves male reproductive health without heart side effects.
December 2023 in “Research Square (Research Square)” 12-Methoxy carnosic acid from rosemary might be a good natural treatment for hair loss.
28 citations
,
May 1986 in “Clinics in endocrinology and metabolism” New compounds may soon be tested to treat excessive hair growth in women.
59 citations
,
September 1994 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride reduces scalp DHT levels, potentially treating male pattern baldness.
49 citations
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October 2017 in “Nutrients” Equisetum debile extract, especially the ethyl acetate type, may be a promising natural ingredient for anti-hair loss products.
30 citations
,
August 1992 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride doesn't affect hormone levels in normal men.
22 citations
,
September 1994 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride reduces dihydrotestosterone, increases testosterone, and may treat hirsutism in women.
17 citations
,
March 2020 in “Frontiers in Chemistry” Compounds from the plant Mammea siamensis may help treat hair loss.
11 citations
,
May 1996 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” The main enzyme found in pubic skin that could be targeted to treat excessive hair growth is 5 alpha-R2.
2 citations
,
July 2025 in “Discover Chemistry.” Alstonia boonei phytochemicals show promise as alternative treatments for BPH with fewer side effects than current drugs.
2 citations
,
November 2018 in “Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education” The developed model can predict effective 5-alpha-reductase enzyme inhibitors.
January 2026 in “Yonsei Medical Journal” Finasteride and dutasteride have little effect on Type 2 Diabetes risk.
31 citations
,
September 2008 in “International Journal of Andrology” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors may cause a low incidence of erectile dysfunction that decreases over time.
12 citations
,
January 2018 in “Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology” The new particle system could be a promising treatment for diseases related to the 5-α reductase enzyme.