34 citations
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July 2011 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment” Curcuma aeruginosa extract combined with minoxidil effectively treats male-pattern baldness.
34 citations
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February 1993 in “Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology/The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology” Certain 4-azasteroids are effective at blocking the enzyme that processes testosterone in human skin and could help treat acne, excessive hair growth, and male pattern baldness.
15 citations
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October 2016 in “Steroids” Researchers developed a new method to find substances in herbs that can block a specific enzyme linked to hair loss.
11 citations
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January 2000 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” LY320236 is a strong blocker of two enzymes that change testosterone into dihydrotestosterone and might help treat conditions related to male hormones.
71 citations
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November 2012 in “Expert Opinion on Drug Safety” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can cause sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction and reduced sexual desire, sometimes lasting after stopping the drug.
57 citations
,
July 2016 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” 5α-reductase inhibitors increase the risk of sexual dysfunction, especially in men with enlarged prostate.
51 citations
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May 2013 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Certain drugs that block specific enzymes can help treat prostate diseases.
36 citations
,
November 2020 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors may reduce COVID-19 symptoms in bald males.
35 citations
,
April 2013 in “Sexual medicine reviews” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors slightly increase the risk of sexual and mood side effects, and breast growth in men.
34 citations
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September 2013 in “Urology” Long-term use of a certain medication can worsen erectile function in aged rats by damaging penile muscle cells.
33 citations
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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
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September 2008 in “International Journal of Andrology” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors may cause a low incidence of erectile dysfunction that decreases over time.
22 citations
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August 2014 in “Clinical endocrinology” Taking finasteride for benign prostate hyperplasia may increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially at higher doses.
19 citations
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April 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Dutasteride works better than finasteride for hair loss, with both being safe to use.
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.
17 citations
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December 2018 in “The World Journal of Men s Health” Long-term use of dutasteride can cause permanent erectile dysfunction in rats.
13 citations
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November 2019 in “Scientific reports” Certain drugs change freshwater snail shells to a "banana" shape.
13 citations
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November 2012 in “PubMed” 5α-reductase inhibitors may worsen sexual drive and spontaneous erections but don't worsen existing erectile or ejaculatory problems.
10 citations
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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.
2 citations
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May 2019 in “PubMed” Oral finasteride and dutasteride may negatively affect erectile function in rats.
1 citations
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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.
January 2026 in “Yonsei Medical Journal” Finasteride and dutasteride have little effect on Type 2 Diabetes risk.
September 2025 in “Consilium Medicum” 5α-reductase inhibitors help manage symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia and may also prevent prostate cancer and treat hair loss.
90 citations
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March 2017 in “JAMA Internal Medicine” Men over 66 taking medication for prostate enlargement have a higher risk of depression and self-harm, especially in the first 18 months of treatment.
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.
49 citations
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January 2004 in “Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology/The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology” Selective non-steroidal inhibitors of 5α-reductase type 1 can help treat DHT-related disorders.
44 citations
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October 2010 in “BJUI” 5-α-reductase inhibitors reduce prostate cancer risk but may cause sexual dysfunction and don't affect high-grade tumor or death rates.
32 citations
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May 2013 in “The Journal of Urology” Using finasteride or dutasteride does not increase the risk of male breast cancer.
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
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June 2018 in “Current Urology Reports” Hair loss drugs may cause sexual issues and infertility in men.