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 “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” This study found that low-level laser therapy was the most effective non-surgical treatment for androgenetic alopecia, although the overall quality of evidence supporting various therapies was generally low.
40 citations
,
April 2018 in “Endocrine” This review discusses post-SSRI sexual dysfunction and post-finasteride syndrome, highlighting unknowns about their true incidence and underlying causes, and reports no new clinical results.
14 citations
,
March 2018 in “Current Drug Delivery” In this study, researchers reviewed literature on topical delivery of finasteride for androgenetic alopecia, finding that liposomal gels with specific additives showed the highest skin permeation rates, suggesting potential for reducing systemic side effects compared to oral formulations.
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.
18 citations
,
June 2017 in “Journal of the neurological sciences” In this study, the use of 5 alpha reductase inhibitors was associated with an increased risk of dementia during the first two years of treatment, but the risk was not significant with longer exposure.
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.
90 citations
,
March 2017 in “JAMA Internal Medicine” In this study, older men using 5α-reductase inhibitors for prostatic enlargement did not show increased risk of suicide, but had elevated risks of self-harm and depression.
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.
8 citations
,
February 2017 in “Clinical Drug Investigation” This paper discusses the adverse effects of finasteride, including sexual dysfunction and depression, and suggests that treatment customization based on individual factors like hand preference and sexual orientation could improve outcomes and reduce these side effects.
27 citations
,
January 2017 in “Neuropsychopharmacology” This study found that acute sleep deprivation enhanced 5α-reductase expression and activity in the rat prefrontal cortex, and finasteride treatment reduced associated psychosis- and mania-like behaviors.
10 citations
,
January 2017 in “Skin Pharmacology and Physiology” This case report describes a 52-year-old man who developed generalized vitiligo two months after stopping finasteride and suggests this may be part of post-finasteride syndrome.
50 citations
,
September 2016 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study found no evidence of androgen deficiency or decreased peripheral androgen action in men with persistent sexual symptoms after finasteride use, but identified links to depressed mood and abnormal brain function.
19 citations
,
September 2016 in “Pharmacotherapy” This study found that the risk of persistent sexual dysfunction was higher in men who stopped using finasteride 1 mg compared to omeprazole users.
32 citations
,
February 2016 in “Journal of Dermatology” This study found that in Japanese male patients with androgenetic alopecia, dutasteride 0.5 mg daily over 52 weeks was associated with improvements in hair growth and appearance, with reported adverse events mostly mild.
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.
43 citations
,
January 2016 in “International Journal of Andrology” This study found that men experiencing long-term symptoms after finasteride use for androgenetic alopecia frequently reported loss of penis sensitivity and anhedonia, among other effects, indicating potential post-finasteride syndrome.
42 citations
,
December 2015 in “International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics” This study found that applying a novel 0.25% finasteride solution to the scalp can effectively reduce scalp DHT levels in men with androgenetic alopecia, potentially reducing systemic side-effects.
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.
22 citations
,
August 2014 in “Clinical endocrinology” This study suggests that the use of finasteride for benign prostate hyperplasia may increase the risk of osteoporosis diagnosis, particularly at higher doses.
50 citations
,
July 2014 in “International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics” This study found that both topical and oral finasteride significantly reduced plasma DHT after one week, with lower finasteride plasma exposure for the topical formulation.
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.
27 citations
,
June 2013 in “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” In this study, 65% of men with persistent sexual side effects after stopping finasteride reported a reduction in alcohol consumption, echoing findings in rodent models.
44 citations
,
January 2013 in “International Journal of Trichology” This study found that 5 mg/day oral finasteride was effective and safe for improving hair outcomes in normoandrogenic postmenopausal women with androgenetic alopecia over 18 months.
19 citations
,
November 2012 in “BJUI” In this study, researchers observed that the sexual effects of dihydrotestosterone deprivation using finasteride may vary by handedness, with right-handed men often experiencing lower sexual function and left-handed men showing no effect or improvement.
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.
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.
41 citations
,
October 2011 in “Journal of Dermatology” This study observed that long-term use of finasteride in Japanese men with androgenetic alopecia was associated with progressive hair regrowth in 87.1% of participants without significant safety concerns.
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.
22 citations
,
December 2010 in “Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology” The authors concluded that finasteride treatment inhibits hippocampal neurogenesis in mice, potentially impacting emotional behaviors and contributing to the pathophysiology of affective disorders.
219 citations
,
October 2009 in “Steroids” 5α-reductase inhibitors, like Finasteride and Dutasteride, help manage benign prostatic hyperplasia.
78 citations
,
December 2008 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” This review highlights that sexual dysfunction associated with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors is recognized in clinical literature, with erectile dysfunction being the most common adverse effect, followed by ejaculatory dysfunction and decreased libido.
49 citations
,
December 2007 in “Fertility and Sterility” This case report describes two infertile patients who experienced significant improvements in sperm concentrations six months after stopping finasteride.
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.
43 citations
,
January 2007 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” This study found that 9 out of 12 women with acne or alopecia showed subjective improvement with finasteride treatment despite having normal free testosterone levels, suggesting a potential role of 5alpha-reductase activity.
99 citations
,
October 2006 in “BMC clinical pharmacology” This preliminary study suggests that finasteride might cause depressive symptoms, indicating the need for cautious prescription in patients at high risk for depression.
44 citations
,
July 2004 in “Archives of Dermatology” In this study, treatment with 1 mg of finasteride was associated with stable sexual function, suggesting that sexual side effects may be less common than indicated in clinical trials.
34 citations
,
January 2004 in “Revista do Hospital das Clínicas” The authors reported that young men with infertility-related conditions experienced improved seminal quality after stopping finasteride, suggesting potential adverse effects on fertility during treatment.
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.
56 citations
,
April 2003 in “Fertility and Sterility” This study found that while cyproterone acetate, finasteride, and spironolactone had similar short-term effects in treating idiopathic hirsutism, spironolactone provided more lasting benefits one year after treatment.
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.
46 citations
,
March 2001 in “Journal of endocrinological investigation” This review discusses the use of 5α-reductase inhibitors, particularly finasteride, for treating conditions like benign prostatic hyperplasia, male baldness, and hirsutism, and reports no new clinical results.
38 citations
,
January 1997 in “Gynecological Endocrinology” This study found that both finasteride and flutamide effectively reduced hirsutism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, decreasing the Ferriman-Gallwey score and hair diameter without significant side effects.
23 citations
,
July 1993 in “Pharmacotherapy” Finasteride treats enlarged prostate and baldness, but may cause limited urinary improvement and sex-related side effects.
147 citations
,
April 1990 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” This study found that finasteride significantly suppresses serum dihydrotestosterone levels at all tested doses in normal male volunteers without significant adverse effects.
