TLDR Progesterone boosts alcohol's effect on brain, finasteride counters it.
The study found that progesterone enhances the effects of ethanol on mesocortical dopamine neurons in rats, potentially contributing to alcohol addiction. This effect was antagonized by finasteride, a drug commonly used to treat hair loss. The study suggests a potential role for progesterone and finasteride in the regulation of alcohol addiction.
14 citations,
April 2002 in “Brain Research Protocols” Quickly get finasteride from tablets using easy methods.
47 citations,
July 2009 in “Journal of Biological Chemistry” Finasteride helps treat hair loss and prostate enlargement by blocking a specific enzyme.
June 2024 in “Georgetown medical review” Finasteride treats hair loss but may cause low libido, erectile issues, and depression.
58 citations,
April 2017 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Post-finasteride patients show changed neuroactive steroid levels, possibly causing erectile dysfunction and depression.
50 citations,
March 2017 in “PeerJ” Using finasteride or dutasteride may cause long-lasting erectile dysfunction.
27 citations,
June 2013 in “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” Finasteride use may lead to less alcohol consumption in men with lasting sexual side effects.
24 citations,
December 2013 in “Sexual medicine reviews” Finasteride can cause sexual problems and depression in young men.