November 2023 in “Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy” Finasteride and dutasteride are effective in treating male hair loss but can cause sexual side effects and birth defects.
6 citations
,
May 2020 in “JAMA Ophthalmology” Using 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, drugs for prostate issues and hair loss, may lead to eye abnormalities in men.
Finasteride harms Daphnia magna's reproduction and metabolism.
6 citations
,
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.
July 2025 in “American Journal on Addictions” Using 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may lower the risk of opioid addiction in men taking opioids.
4 citations
,
May 2019 in “The World Journal of Men's Health” Taking 5 alpha reductase inhibitor medication slightly increases the risk of depression, especially as you get older.
14 citations
,
February 2018 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Mice lacking steroid 5α-reductase 2 show less aggression and better impulse control.
34 citations
,
August 2011 in “Journal of Natural Medicines” Puerariae Flos extract may help treat hair loss by blocking a hair loss-related enzyme and promoting hair growth.
21 citations
,
January 2020 in “General and Comparative Endocrinology” Lack or blocking of SRD5a, a key component in hormone creation, can lead to conditions like pseudohermaphrodism and affect hair growth, bone mass, muscle strength, and reproductive health. More research is needed on its regulation from fertilization to adulthood.
June 2024 in “Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety” Finasteride harms Daphnia magna's reproduction, growth, and metabolism.
124 citations
,
March 2012 in “JAMA” Testosterone's muscle-building effects do not require its conversion to DHT.
67 citations
,
February 1997 in “Teratology” Finasteride, when given in high oral doses to pregnant monkeys, caused genital abnormalities in male fetuses, but not in female fetuses or those exposed to intravenous finasteride.
33 citations
,
May 2013 in “Andrologia” Some herbs show promise as antiandrogenic agents.
28 citations
,
February 1999 in “Archives of Dermatological Research” Finasteride potentially treats hair loss by reducing DHT production.
14 citations
,
February 1998 in “Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters” Some newly made compounds can block an enzyme linked to hair loss and prostate growth, with one in particular being very selective.
12 citations
,
November 2024 in “Plants” Phytosterols may help manage prostate issues but are less effective than synthetic drugs.
3 citations
,
January 2022 in “Precision medicine and clinical omics” Beta-sitosterol and stigmasterol might help prevent hair loss by blocking a specific enzyme.
Solanum nigrum may help treat hair loss.
March 2016 in “The Journal of Urology” The discovery of 5α-reductase deficiency in guevedoces led to the development of important urologic medications.
September 2024 in “Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may help protect the brain and gut in Parkinson's disease.
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.
7 citations
,
July 1995 in “PubMed” Finasteride, a drug that changes testosterone to a different hormone, was studied and its effects over time were modeled successfully.
1 citations
,
March 1997 in “Journal of Chromatography B: Biomedical Sciences and Applications” Researchers developed a method to measure different forms of a drug that could help treat prostate issues and hair loss, and found how these forms behave in animals.
March 2023 in “Translational Andrology and Urology” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, like finasteride and dutasteride, are used for prostate issues, hair loss, and excessive hair growth, may help with COVID-19, but can cause sexual and mental health side effects, and their use in preventing prostate cancer needs more examination.
68 citations
,
April 2002 in “Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine” Natural 5AR inhibitors effectively improve mild to moderate hair loss in men.
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.
38 citations
,
October 2014 in “Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity” 5-alpha reductase deficiency leads to male sexual development issues and treatments like finasteride help with prostate enlargement and hair loss.
27 citations
,
October 2001 in “Journal of Medicinal Chemistry” Researchers found new potential but less potent rat enzyme inhibitors using a 3D model.
25 citations
,
November 2015 in “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” Certain Chinese herbs, especially Cacumen platycladi, can promote hair regrowth and reduce hair loss-related hormone levels in mice.
13 citations
,
November 2012 in “PubMed” 5α-reductase inhibitors may worsen sexual drive and spontaneous erections but don't worsen existing erectile or ejaculatory problems.