TLDR Finasteride effectively reduces prostate size and lowers surgery risk in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
The review discussed the use of finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common condition in aging men that can lead to serious complications. Finasteride works by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, reducing prostate size and lowering the risk of acute urinary retention and BPH-related surgery, particularly in men with enlarged prostates (>25 mL). The article evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of finasteride, its potential for combination therapy, and its impact on prostate cancer risk.
37 citations
,
April 2008 in “The Cochrane library” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors can lower prostate cancer risk but may increase high-grade tumors and cause sexual side effects.
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.
225 citations
,
July 2007 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Knowing about finasteride's sexual side effects increases reported dysfunction.
99 citations
,
October 2006 in “BMC clinical pharmacology” Finasteride may cause slight depression and anxiety.
1707 citations
,
December 2003 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Combination therapy of doxazosin and finasteride safely and effectively reduces benign prostatic hyperplasia progression risk.
1054 citations
,
February 1998 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Finasteride reduces urinary issues and surgery need in men with enlarged prostates by over 50%.
728 citations
,
August 1996 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Terazosin and finasteride effectively treat BPH, but combining them adds no extra benefit.
1040 citations
,
October 1992 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Finasteride effectively treats BPH but may increase sexual dysfunction risk.
August 2016 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” April 2013 in “The FASEB Journal” Dutasteride showed some prevention of prostate issues but also had limitations, especially with high-grade tumors.
1 citations
,
November 2010 in “Anticancer Research” Finasteride and dutasteride both increase chromogranin A levels similarly.
20 citations
,
January 2004 in “PubMed” Dutasteride reduces DHT more than finasteride, but both drugs improve BPH symptoms similarly.
