29 citations
,
November 2022 in “Nature Medicine” This study identified thousands of variant-metabolite associations in the human plasma metabolome, offering insights into the genetic bases of metabolism and potential adverse drug effects.
4 citations
,
March 2022 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This study found an association between finasteride use and increased reporting of suicidality and depression in young patients with androgenetic alopecia, potentially mediated by sexual dysfunction.
8 citations
,
October 2021 in “The international journal of risk and safety in medicine” This paper describes the development of diagnostic criteria for several enduring sexual dysfunction conditions following the use of certain medications, highlighting common sexual and non-sexual symptoms.
40 citations
,
November 2020 in “JAMA Dermatology” This pharmacovigilance study found an increased association of suicidality and psychological adverse events with finasteride use, especially among younger patients using it for alopecia.
15 citations
,
March 2020 in “Anais Brasileiros De Dermatologia” This review discusses post-finasteride syndrome, characterized by persistent symptoms despite discontinuation, and concludes that its existence cannot be confirmed; individualized assessment is advisable for those with a history of depression, sexual dysfunction, or infertility.
17 citations
,
January 2020 in “The World Journal of Men's Health” This article discusses the potential health risks associated with long-term use of finasteride and dutasteride for prostate and hair loss treatments, suggesting risks may include non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic issues.
6 citations
,
January 2020 in “Dermatology” This study suggests that men under 40 who develop persistent sexual side effects and insomnia after using finasteride for alopecia may be at increased risk of suicide.
26 citations
,
December 2019 in “Neurobiology of Stress” This review discusses adverse effects of 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, particularly persistent side effects such as post-finasteride syndrome, and highlights the need for further investigation.
10 citations
,
May 2019 in “International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health” This study found that finasteride treatment in male rats altered steroid hormone homeostasis and caused kidney damage, suggesting potential risks for patients with renal dysfunction on androgen or antiandrogen therapy.
7 citations
,
January 2019 in “The Aging Male” This article discusses post-finasteride syndrome as a distinct syndrome related to prolonged use of 5α-steroid reductase inhibitors, noting persistent side effects even after discontinuation and no new research results are reported.
37 citations
,
September 2018 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” This study found that finasteride treatment in male rats led to enduring effects on depressive-like behavior, hippocampal neurogenesis and neuroinflammation, and gut microbiota composition after withdrawal.
20 citations
,
August 2018 in “The World Journal of Men's Health” This review summarized existing research on finasteride and erectile dysfunction, finding a correlation between finasteride use for benign prostatic hyperplasia and ED, but not strongly for male androgenetic alopecia.
35 citations
,
June 2018 in “Urology” This study of FAERS data suggests that finasteride, particularly at the 1 mg dosage, is associated with a wide range of adverse effects not previously established in long-term studies, especially among younger men.
54 citations
,
May 2018 in “International journal of risk & safety in medicine” This study observed enduring sexual dysfunction reported in 300 cases globally following the use of SSRIs, finasteride, and isotretinoin, with common symptoms like genital anaesthesia and loss of libido.
11 citations
,
January 2018 in “Asian Journal of Andrology” Researchers observed that dutasteride and finasteride caused structural changes in the penises of both control and hypertensive rats, with dutasteride having a more pronounced effect on the corpus cavernosum.
13 citations
,
December 2017 in “CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics” In this study, finasteride was found to inhibit the dopaminergic system and reduce open-field behaviors in adolescent male rats by decreasing dopamine levels and related proteins.
9 citations
,
October 2017 in “Molecular Medicine Reports” This study found that finasteride-induced androgen deficiency in an animal model resulted in tear deficiency and increased inflammatory cytokine expression in the lacrimal gland, potentially aiding in understanding dry eye pathogenesis.
66 citations
,
April 2017 in “International Journal of Andrology” This study found that 5α-reductase inhibitors significantly increase the risk of erectile dysfunction and hypoactive sexual desire in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, compared to placebo.
58 citations
,
April 2017 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” This study found that patients with post-finasteride syndrome exhibited major depressive disorder, severe erectile dysfunction, and neuropathy, alongside altered neuroactive steroid levels in cerebrospinal fluid.
50 citations
,
March 2017 in “PeerJ” This study found that longer exposure to 5α-reductase inhibitors significantly increased the risk of persistent erectile dysfunction, especially in younger men exposed to finasteride.
30 citations
,
September 2016 in “BMJ” This study found that 5-α reductase inhibitors do not significantly increase the risk of erectile dysfunction in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia or alopecia, although duration of benign prostatic hyperplasia may elevate risk.
57 citations
,
July 2016 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This study concluded that 5α-reductase inhibitors were linked to increased sexual dysfunction in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, but not in men with androgenetic alopecia.
31 citations
,
February 2016 in “American Journal of Men's Health” This study found that nearly half of men using finasteride reported clinically significant depression, highlighting the need for psychiatric screening and careful risk assessment by prescribing clinicians.
27 citations
,
January 2016 in “Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry” This study found that the extract of Bidens pilosa L. improved dry eye symptoms associated with androgen deficiency in rats by enhancing tear production, stabilizing the tear film, and reducing lacrimal gland inflammation.
33 citations
,
January 2016 in “Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology” This review discusses the use of finasteride for androgenetic alopecia and highlights that while it is considered safe, there is concern regarding its sexual side effects, which reverse upon discontinuation.
33 citations
,
December 2015 in “Neuroendocrinology” This study found that subchronic finasteride treatment in male rats altered neuroactive steroid levels and steroid receptor expression in the brain, with some changes persisting after drug withdrawal.
49 citations
,
September 2015 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” This study suggests that the 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride modulates sensorimotor gating in rats by affecting D1 and D3 receptors, but not D2 receptors, with varying effects based on genetic strain.
111 citations
,
August 2015 in “Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders” 5α-reductase inhibitors may cause persistent sexual dysfunction and depression, needing more research on long-term effects.
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.
33 citations
,
April 2015 in “Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity” This review discusses the potential persistent adverse effects associated with 5α reductase inhibitor treatment for androgenetic alopecia but provides no new clinical results; it emphasizes the importance of discussing these risks with patients.
44 citations
,
April 2015 in “PubMed” This study reports that clinical trials of finasteride for androgenic alopecia provide insufficient and systematically biased safety data, with most participants unrepresentative of those in pivotal trials that led to FDA approval.
93 citations
,
September 2014 in “Diabetes” This study found that male 5αR1 knockout mice and obese Zucker rats treated with finasteride showed increased insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis, potentially implicating 5α-reductase activity in metabolic liver disease development.
15 citations
,
September 2014 in “JAMA Dermatology” This discussion highlights the use of minimal incision extraction for lipoma removal, noting that it is a favored technique among dermatologists due to its efficiency, despite some hesitance with larger lipomas.
61 citations
,
April 2014 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” This study reports that men with androgenic alopecia experience altered neuroactive steroid levels associated with persistent depression symptoms even after stopping finasteride treatment.
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.
54 citations
,
September 2013 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that discontinuing finasteride led to a significant increase in sperm counts for most men with reduced fertility, though hormone levels and other semen parameters remained unchanged.
34 citations
,
September 2013 in “Urology” Long-term use of a certain medication can worsen erectile function in aged rats by damaging penile muscle cells.
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.
218 citations
,
December 2011 in “Advances in Urology” This review discusses the biochemical properties and clinical significance of 5 alpha-reductase isozymes and reports no new clinical results.
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.
38 citations
,
December 2010 in “Fertility and Sterility” In this case report, a male patient's semen parameters improved after discontinuing a 1-mg dose of finasteride, suggesting that stopping the medication may benefit infertile men with previous sperm production issues.
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.
45 citations
,
August 2010 in “Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation” This study found that SRD5a-3 is a highly efficient enzyme for converting hormones into androgens, with dutasteride being a much more potent inhibitor of SRD5a-3 than SRD5a-2.
32 citations
,
May 2010 in “Pharmacopsychiatry” This article investigates whether finasteride influences adult hippocampal neurogenesis related to depression and reports no new clinical findings; the authors suggest further research on its neurosteroid inhibition.
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.
137 citations
,
March 2006 in “Cns Drug Reviews” This review explores finasteride's effects on neuroactive steroid levels and their potential influence on disorders like depression and alcohol withdrawal but reports no new clinical findings.
26 citations
,
November 2005 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings” TrichoScan effectively measures hair growth improvements in people using minoxidil.
235 citations
,
September 2004 in “The Journal of urology/The journal of urology” This review discusses the role of dihydrotestosterone in benign prostatic hyperplasia and reports no new results; the authors highlight 5alpha-reductase inhibitors as a well-established treatment option.
155 citations
,
December 2003 in “British Journal of Dermatology” In this study, the researchers did not confirm previously reported links between AGA and smoking or benign prostatic hypertrophy, but found potential associations with alcohol consumption and lean body mass at age 21 that merit further investigation.
30 citations
,
December 1999 in “International Journal of Dermatology” In this study, men with AGA who took finasteride 5 mg daily for 24 months showed a significant increase in hair counts compared to those who received a placebo.
46 citations
,
October 1999 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This study found that finasteride at 1 mg/day was the most effective dose for treating male pattern hair loss, with similar efficacy to 5 mg/day and better results than lower doses.
125 citations
,
January 1999 in “Drugs” This study found that oral finasteride 1 mg/day promotes hair growth and prevents further hair loss in a significant proportion of men with male pattern hair loss over two years.
581 citations
,
October 1998 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” In male pattern hair loss, this study found that finasteride 1 mg daily significantly slowed hair loss and increased hair growth over two years compared to placebo.
1054 citations
,
February 1998 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” In this study, men with benign prostatic hyperplasia who took finasteride for four years experienced reduced urinary symptoms, fewer surgeries, less acute urinary retention, increased urinary flow rates, and decreased prostate volume.
136 citations
,
March 1996 in “Journal of the American Chemical Society” This study explains finasteride's high potency and specificity as a mechanism-based inhibitor for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia by detailing its interaction with human type 2 steroid 5α-reductase.
143 citations
,
October 1988 in “Clinics in Dermatology” This review discusses the histopathology of male-pattern baldness and highlights ongoing disputes over several aspects, including sebaceous gland size and follicle loss, reporting no new clinical findings.