Finasteride Use Does Not Lead to Depression or Suicide: Insights From a Large-Scale Cohort Study and Mendelian Randomization Analysis

This study examined the potential link between finasteride use and the risk of depression or suicide using a large-scale cohort from the UK Biobank and Mendelian randomization analysis. The cohort included 1,586 finasteride users and 461,347 controls, with additional data from 388,894 individuals, including 2,010 finasteride users. The study found no significant causal relationship between finasteride use and increased risk of depression or suicide, providing reassurance for its use in treating androgenetic alopecia. Despite a slight, non-significant increase in depression risk after adjusting for covariates, the findings suggest that finasteride does not contribute to mental health risks. The study calls for further investigation into other factors related to finasteride use to fully understand any potential mental health risks.