A Review on Finasteride: A 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor, Its Mechanism, Facts, and Benefits

The review discussed finasteride, a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, primarily used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and male androgenetic alopecia. It highlighted that finasteride works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is responsible for male pattern hair loss. While there were concerns about potential male sexual dysfunction due to its effects on testosterone and DHT, some studies reported insignificant or acceptable adverse effects that diminished over time, suggesting that discontinuation of finasteride was often unnecessary.