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.
9 citations
,
March 1991 in “Endocrinology” Using two drugs together, Flutamide and 4-MA, is more effective for blocking male hormones than using each one alone.
8 citations
,
June 1995 in “Helvetica Chimica Acta” Compound 15a was effective in inhibiting 5α-reductase.
6 citations
,
June 2022 in “Journal of Clinical Medicine” Tamsulosin with Serenoa repens is as effective as with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors but causes fewer side effects.
6 citations
,
December 2016 in “Journal of Dermatology” Dutasteride effectively and safely treats male hair loss for over a year.
5 citations
,
November 2015 in “Journal of Enzyme Inhibition and Medicinal Chemistry” Certain derivatives are more effective 5α-reductase type 2 inhibitors than finasteride.
4 citations
,
August 2021 in “Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, like finasteride and dutasteride, may cause depression, but more research is needed to understand why.
4 citations
,
October 2018 in “International Braz J Urol” Taking 5-alpha reductase inhibitors does not increase the risk of breast cancer in men.
3 citations
,
January 2022 in “Pharmaceutics” Nanostructured delivery systems could potentially improve hair loss treatment by targeting drugs to hair follicles, reducing side effects and dosage, but the best size, charge, and materials for these systems need further investigation.
3 citations
,
January 2022 in “Precision medicine and clinical omics” Beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol might help prevent hair loss by blocking a specific enzyme.
3 citations
,
April 2021 in “Journal of Medicinal Chemistry” Finasteride may affect PNMT, causing side effects.
2 citations
,
June 2022 in “Molecules” Connarus semidecandrus Jack extract promotes hair growth and thickness, reduces prostate cancer cell growth, and could potentially be used as a treatment for hair loss.
2 citations
,
May 2019 in “PubMed” Oral finasteride and dutasteride may negatively affect erectile function in rats.
2 citations
,
January 2019 in “Annals of Dermatology” Melandrium firmum extract helps mice grow hair by blocking a hair loss enzyme and changing hair growth genes.
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.
2 citations
,
August 2016 in “British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology” The document concludes that women should not use 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors due to the risk of birth defects and limited effectiveness.
2 citations
,
December 2004 in “PubMed”
1 citations
,
June 2025 in “European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology” Finasteride may increase the risk of suicidality and depression, especially in younger people.
1 citations
,
February 2024 in “Pharmacognosy Journal” Fenugreek seed extract boosts testosterone and improves male reproductive health without heart side effects.
1 citations
,
April 2022 in “Applied sciences” Bitter melon extract may help prevent hair loss and can be used in cosmetic products.
1 citations
,
June 2021 in “Singapore Medical Journal” Dutasteride and finasteride can help increase hair growth gene expression but need further improvement.
1 citations
,
September 2016 in “Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may cause sexual side effects, breast complications, and other health risks in men with hair loss.
April 2026 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” Oral 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors for hair loss don't increase heart risk.
January 2026 in “Frontiers in Natural Products” Combining shikimic acid and Prunus mume extract may effectively treat acne naturally.
August 2025 in “ACS Omega” New compounds show promise as nonsteroidal treatments for hair loss.
5α-reductase inhibitors help treat prostate enlargement and hair loss but may cause side effects, requiring careful use.
July 2025 in “Saudi Journal of Medicine and Public Health” 5α-reductase inhibitors effectively treat enlarged prostate and hair loss but require careful use due to possible side effects.
July 2025 in “American Journal on Addictions” Using 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may lower the risk of opioid addiction in men taking opioids.
June 2025 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” Dutasteride 0.5 mg/day is the most effective treatment for male pattern hair loss.
June 2025 in “Pharmaceuticals” Finasteride use may increase suicidality risk, especially in young men.