January 2026 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment” Oral finasteride may cause more sexual side effects than expected, possibly due to negative publicity and reporting bias.
Frontal fibrosing alopecia in men is often misdiagnosed and needs better diagnostic criteria and treatments.
October 2023 in “Georgetown medical review” Finasteride and Dutasteride can improve hair growth in male baldness but may cause temporary sexual dysfunction and possibly affect fertility.
March 2023 in “Revista Chilena de Urología” Post-finasteride syndrome can cause sexual and systemic side effects, and patients should be informed about these risks.
March 2020 in “DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)” Finasteride may help treat female hair loss, but has risks.
October 2017 in “The Journal of Urology” Finasteride reduces the need for prostate surgery but may increase the risk of depression and persistent sexual side effects.
August 2015 in “Dermatología Argentina” Frontal fibrosing alopecia causes hairline recession and eyebrow loss in postmenopausal women.
5-ARI therapy may help prevent prostate cancer progression.
April 2023 in “European urology open science” Urologists should screen for mental health issues before and during finasteride treatment.
July 2018 in “Reactions Weekly” Lower finasteride doses had more side effects; dutasteride caused back pain; more research needed on post-finasteride syndrome.
January 2016 in “Hair transplant forum international” Finasteride's link to health issues like male breast cancer, infertility, and prostate cancer needs more research through placebo-controlled trials to confirm.
2 citations
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July 2006 in “European Urology Supplements” 5α-reductase inhibitors can reduce prostate cancer risk but may increase high-grade tumors, needing more research.
January 2022 in “Archivos españoles de urología” Post-finasteride syndrome is rarely linked to sexual and systemic side effects.
April 2026 in “Brain Sciences” Finasteride may cause depression and suicidal thoughts, especially in young men.
18 citations
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June 2017 in “Journal of the neurological sciences” Using 5 alpha reductase inhibitors may increase dementia risk in the first two years.
15 citations
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January 2017 in “Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology” 5α-Reductase inhibitors can negatively affect male sexual function and, in some cases, significantly reduce sperm count, but these effects may be reversible.
3 citations
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November 2018 in “The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry” Odds Ratios can be misleading; it's better to also present risk and Relative Risks for clarity.
2 citations
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January 2017 in “Annals of Dermatology” Taking 5-alpha reductase inhibitors does not increase breast cancer risk in men.
April 2019 in “The Journal of urology/The journal of urology” Prescriptions for 5-alpha reductase inhibitors dropped significantly after the FDA's safety warning, especially for men with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
January 2019 in “Actas urológicas españolas” Using mirabegron and solifenacin together is safe and more effective for treating overactive bladder than using either drug alone.
66 citations
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April 2017 in “International Journal of Andrology” Men taking 5α-reductase inhibitors for enlarged prostate have a higher chance of experiencing reduced sexual desire and erectile dysfunction.
19 citations
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October 2018 in “PLOS ONE” 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors can slightly improve symptoms of enlarged prostate but have a high risk of sexual side effects.
6 citations
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January 2018 in “Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety” Starting 5-alpha reductase inhibitors does not significantly increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis in older men, but is linked to a higher risk of muscle conditions.
5 citations
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November 2020 in “medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” 5-Alpha-Reductase inhibitors shorten COVID-19 recovery time in men.
4 citations
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April 2020 in “medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” Men taking 5-alpha reductase inhibitors for prostate issues may be less likely to experience severe COVID-19, but it doesn't prevent ICU admission or death.
4 citations
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October 2018 in “International Braz J Urol” Taking 5-alpha reductase inhibitors does not increase the risk of breast cancer in men.
October 2025 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” Conventional treatments like dutasteride and minoxidil are effective for male hair loss, with some alternative treatments also showing promise.
January 2022 in “Galenika Medical Journal” Medications improve quality of life for men with lower urinary tract symptoms.
September 2015 in “Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy” Dutasteride is highly effective for hair loss treatment in Korea, with more side effects than finasteride.
7 citations
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March 2019 in “Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention” Finasteride use is not clearly linked to an increased risk of male breast cancer.