TLDR Finasteride treats enlarged prostate, shrinks it, improves urination, but may cause sexual dysfunction and isn't for women or children.
The document discusses the use of finasteride in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by reducing DHT levels, resulting in prostate shrinkage and improved urinary flow rate and symptoms. It is well-tolerated, but can cause sexual dysfunction in a small proportion of patients. The recommended oral dosage is 5mg daily, but it is not indicated for use in women or children due to its dysmorphogenic effects on male offspring. Clinical trials showed that it was effective in reducing symptoms and improving urinary flow, but the improvement was slight compared to surgical intervention. Concerns about its potential to mask the detection of prostate cancer have not been confirmed by clinical trials.
48 citations,
November 1992 in “Clinical Endocrinology” Long-term finasteride use doesn't change bone density or metabolism.
1040 citations,
October 1992 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Finasteride effectively treats BPH but may increase sexual dysfunction risk.
30 citations,
August 1992 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride doesn't affect hormone levels in normal men.
17 citations,
March 1992 in “PubMed” 
143 citations,
August 1991 in “Endocrinology” Androgens, like testosterone, are crucial for early testicular descent in rats.
19 citations,
May 1991 in “Journal of Chromatography B: Biomedical Sciences and Applications” Reliable method detects finasteride in human plasma at low doses.
122 citations,
July 1990 in “Teratology” Finasteride exposure in pregnancy causes genital abnormalities in male rats.
147 citations,
April 1990 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride safely lowers DHT levels without affecting testosterone.
55 citations,
March 1990 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride may treat baldness but less effective for those with 5α-reductase deficiency.
193 citations,
August 1985 in “Endocrinology” Different animals have unique versions of the enzyme that changes testosterone into another hormone, which is important for creating effective treatments for prostate and hair loss conditions.
1040 citations,
October 1992 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Finasteride effectively treats BPH but may increase sexual dysfunction risk.
