58 citations
,
January 2013 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Obese women with PCOS show a male-like pattern in certain fat tissue gene expressions.
44 citations
,
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.
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.
32 citations
,
March 2019 in “Climacteric” Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) can harm women's sexual health, and they may benefit from hormone therapy and counseling.
32 citations
,
February 2016 in “Journal of Dermatology” Dutasteride safely promotes hair growth and reduces hair loss, with mild side effects.
24 citations
,
October 2016 in “Oncotarget” Finasteride has a higher risk of reproductive side effects than minoxidil.
20 citations
,
August 2018 in “The World Journal of Men's Health” Finasteride may increase erectile dysfunction risk in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
17 citations
,
September 2020 in “Journal of Endocrinological Investigation” Post-finasteride patients show changes in gut bacteria, possibly causing various symptoms.
15 citations
,
December 2021 in “Nature Communications” Androgens in female meerkats influence aggression and dominance, affecting social dynamics and offspring behavior.
14 citations
,
January 2019 in “Skin appendage disorders” PFS might be a delusional disorder with potential to become mass psychogenic illness.
13 citations
,
September 2018 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Finasteride effectively stops hair loss in most patients, but concerns about rare sexual side effects exist.
13 citations
,
June 2018 in “Current Urology Reports” Hair loss drugs may cause sexual issues and infertility in men.
12 citations
,
January 2015 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology” Negative expectations can cause adverse effects in dermatology treatments, like with finasteride for baldness, and careful communication can help reduce these nocebo responses.
11 citations
,
September 2012 in “Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada” Testosterone therapy seems safe for short-term use in postmenopausal women with low sexual desire, but more research on long-term effects is needed.
10 citations
,
December 2014 in “PubMed” Finasteride, a hair loss drug, may cause sexual dysfunction and depression, but these effects are usually temporary and the drug is generally safe. More research is needed.
8 citations
,
July 2018 in “Current Sexual Health Reports” Finasteride can cause lasting sexual dysfunction, depression, and other side effects, needing more research for treatment.
8 citations
,
February 2017 in “Clinical Drug Investigation” Finasteride can cause sexual dysfunction and depression, which may persist and require hormonal treatment.
7 citations
,
June 2020 in “Translational Andrology and Urology” Finasteride for hair loss may cause lasting sexual, genitourinary, mental, and anti-androgenic side effects in young men.
7 citations
,
March 2018 in “Dermatology and therapy” Finasteride is considered the best treatment for hair loss, despite side effects.
6 citations
,
December 2013 in “Medical Journal of Australia” Bald men are not more virile and may have fewer sexual partners.
5 citations
,
November 2020 in “JAMA Dermatology” Finasteride may cause side effects; more research needed.
5 citations
,
January 2020 in “Skin appendage disorders” Oral dutasteride works better for hair loss, but has more sexual side effects; intralesional dutasteride is a possible alternative.
4 citations
,
June 2024 in “BMC Women s Health” PCOS increases sexual pain and distress in infertile Iranian women.
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
,
October 2021 in “Asian Journal of Andrology” Medications for hair loss and prostate issues can significantly increase the risk of sexual side effects and other negative symptoms.
1 citations
,
April 2025 in “Journal of Clinical Medicine” Hair loss in alopecia areata can negatively affect sexual quality of life.
1 citations
,
January 2020 in “Skin appendage disorders” Finasteride is safe for hair loss treatment and doesn't increase high-grade prostate cancer risk.
February 2026 in “Journal of Psychosexual Health” Finasteride can cause long-lasting sexual dysfunction even after stopping the drug.
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.
August 2025 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Finasteride, dutasteride, and silodosin have the highest risk for causing sexual dysfunction.