223 citations
,
December 2010 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Some patients taking finasteride or dutasteride may have ongoing sexual problems and depression even after stopping the medication.
195 citations
,
February 2007 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Dutasteride and finasteride may reduce sperm count and volume but don't affect movement or shape; effects are reversible after stopping.
110 citations
,
August 2015 in “Neuropsychopharmacology” High-dose dutasteride reduces PMDD symptoms by stabilizing neurosteroid levels.
108 citations
,
September 2002 in “The Journal of clinical investigation/The journal of clinical investigation” Lowering testosterone speeds up wound healing in male mice.
87 citations
,
December 2016 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” Cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors may develop alopecia, but some hair regrowth is possible with treatment.
86 citations
,
March 1993 in “Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology” Finasteride affects male rat genitalia development, causing abnormalities during specific pregnancy days.
76 citations
,
March 2005 in “Journal of Molecular Medicine” Certain mice without specific receptors or mast cells don't lose hair from stress.
72 citations
,
April 2008 in “The Journal of urology/The journal of urology” Dutasteride and finasteride do not significantly affect bone density, blood fats, or blood production, but slightly lower PSA levels and minimally impact sexual function in healthy young men.
59 citations
,
September 1994 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride reduces scalp DHT levels, potentially treating male pattern baldness.
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.
54 citations
,
May 2018 in “International journal of risk & safety in medicine” Antidepressants, 5α-reductase inhibitors, and isotretinoin can cause long-lasting sexual dysfunction.
37 citations
,
September 2018 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Finasteride treatment in male rats causes long-lasting effects on depression-like behavior, brain cell growth, inflammation, and gut bacteria composition.
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.
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.
35 citations
,
October 2004 in “Biology of Reproduction” PNU157706 reduced rat sperm movement and fertility without affecting offspring health.
32 citations
,
June 2017 in “Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences” Chitosan-coated nanoparticles improve skin delivery of hair loss treatments with fewer side effects.
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.
29 citations
,
September 2014 in “Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity” Finasteride and dutasteride effectively treat hair loss in men and women, but may cause side effects like low libido and depression.
25 citations
,
January 2021 in “Journal of drugs in dermatology” Sonidegib and vismodegib are similarly effective for advanced basal cell carcinoma, but sonidegib might have a slightly better safety profile.
22 citations
,
November 2018 in “Breast Cancer Research and Treatment” The medications 5α-reductase inhibitors and spironolactone are generally safe for breast cancer patients on endocrine therapies and do not significantly increase breast cancer risk.
22 citations
,
August 2014 in “Clinical endocrinology” Taking finasteride for benign prostate hyperplasia may increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially at higher doses.
20 citations
,
May 2018 in “The Journal of Urology” Men taking 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors before or after bladder cancer diagnosis had a lower risk of dying from the disease.
19 citations
,
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.
16 citations
,
September 2018 in “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” Plant-based remedies may treat hair loss by reducing inflammation and improving insulin resistance.
15 citations
,
March 2007 in “Hormones and Behavior” Finasteride boosts morphine's pain relief, stops tolerance, and reduces withdrawal in rats.
14 citations
,
February 2011 in “Drug Metabolism and Disposition” Ketoconazole increases finasteride's effectiveness and lifespan in the body.
13 citations
,
June 2018 in “Current Urology Reports” Hair loss drugs may cause sexual issues and infertility in men.
13 citations
,
November 2014 in “Toxicology Letters” Finasteride affects UGT1A4 enzyme, but not enough to cause issues when combined with other drugs.
11 citations
,
September 2008 in “European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics” Finasteride helps reduce pain and inflammation in animals.
10 citations
,
May 2019 in “International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health” Finasteride may cause kidney damage.