69 citations
,
July 2015 in “Pharmacotherapy” This study found that low-dose finasteride use in young men was associated with higher reporting of persistent sexual dysfunction, with some cases linked to suicidal ideation.
20 citations
,
June 2015 in “Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation” This study found that long-term finasteride therapy in men with BPH worsened erectile dysfunction and reduced testosterone levels, while these effects were not observed with tamsulosin.
36 citations
,
June 2014 in “PLOS ONE” This study found that men with persistent sexual side effects after using finasteride for androgenetic alopecia had higher androgen receptor expression in certain tissues compared to those who never used the drug.
81 citations
,
June 2014 in “American Journal of Men's Health” This study highlights that adverse effects from finasteride may persist in men after discontinuation, indicating a potential "post-finasteride syndrome.
2152 citations
,
November 2013 in “Urologia Internationalis” This study reviews the significant prevalence of organic etiologies, especially vascular causes, in erectile dysfunction among men under 40 and emphasizes thorough evaluation and consideration of treatment options like exercise and PDE-5 inhibitors.
73 citations
,
July 2013 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This study observed that androgenic alopecia patients taking finasteride had altered neuroactive steroid levels and persistent depression symptoms even after stopping the treatment.
134 citations
,
August 2012 in “The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry” This study found that former finasteride users with persistent sexual side effects reported significantly higher rates of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts compared to controls.
112 citations
,
July 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” In this study, 96% of men with persistent sexual side effects from finasteride reported continued dysfunction after discontinuation, suggesting these effects may endure long-term.
14 citations
,
May 2012 in “Endocrine Research” This study found diverse responses to the androgen dihydrotestosterone in rodent tissues, with most androgen-regulated processes being specific to particular tissues.
185 citations
,
March 2011 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This study found that 94% of healthy men reported low libido and 92% reported erectile dysfunction as persistent sexual side effects after using finasteride for male pattern hair loss, with these effects lasting on average 40 months post-discontinuation.
223 citations
,
December 2010 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This review discusses persistent adverse effects of 5α‐reductase inhibitors, like diminished libido and erectile dysfunction, in some patients and highlights the need for patient discussions before therapy, especially for androgenetic alopecia.
225 citations
,
July 2007 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” In this study, patients informed about finasteride's potential sexual side effects reported a significantly higher occurrence of these side effects, suggesting a nocebo effect.
195 citations
,
February 2007 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” In this study, administering 5alpha-reductase inhibitors reduced dihydrotestosterone levels and was associated with mild, reversible decreases in semen parameters in healthy men.
408 citations
,
May 2004 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” This study found that dutasteride more effectively reduced serum dihydrotestosterone levels than finasteride in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
88 citations
,
October 2002 in “Journal of Dermatology” In this study, 19 patients treated with finasteride for androgenetic alopecia developed moderate to severe depression, which resolved after stopping the medication, suggesting an association between finasteride and mood disturbances.
104 citations
,
October 1999 in “The Journal of Urology” This study concluded that daily treatment with 1 mg finasteride did not affect spermatogenesis or semen production in young men and had small, reversible effects on prostate volume and serum PSA.
370 citations
,
September 1999 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” This article discusses the treatment of androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata with finasteride and minoxidil but reports no new clinical results.
180 citations
,
September 1999 in “British Journal of Dermatology” This review discusses the psychological and social impacts of androgenetic alopecia and suggests that medical treatments can have some positive psychological effects, highlighting the condition's moderate stress and impact on body image.
1040 citations
,
October 1992 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” In this study, 5 mg of finasteride per day significantly improved urinary symptoms and reduced prostate volume in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, but increased the risk of sexual dysfunction.
