16 citations
,
September 2014 in “International Journal of Biological Markers” This study found that the less common CAG-rs4045402 and GGN-rs3138869 polymorphisms were more frequent in patients with post-finasteride syndrome and androgenetic alopecia, suggesting a genetic predisposition to AGA development.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
29 citations
,
July 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” In this study using a rat model, discontinuing dutasteride improved some relaxant responses but did not fully restore erectile function, indicating a potential time-dependent detriment of the drug.
25 citations
,
February 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” In this study, oral finasteride treatment for four weeks reduced the weight of the corpus cavernosum in rats but did not significantly affect erectile function.
34 citations
,
June 2011 in “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” This study suggests that neurosteroids and compounds acting on GABA(A) receptors, like THIP, may modulate ethanol intake by influencing drinking patterns.
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.
36 citations
,
February 2011 in “Fertility and Sterility” This case report suggests that discontinuing low-dose finasteride in a 48-year-old man led to a significant reduction in sperm DNA fragmentation index, indicating a possible link between finasteride and sperm DNA damage.
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.
49 citations
,
July 2008 in “Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research” This study found that finasteride dose-dependently blocked the acquisition of ethanol drinking in mice and maintained reduced consumption even after treatment ended.
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.
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.
23 citations
,
January 2007 in “Archives of Andrology” This study reported that semen quality improved in three young men after discontinuing long-term finasteride use, although meiotic abnormalities persisted.
215 citations
,
November 2006 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” This study found that dutasteride increased scalp hair growth in men with male pattern hair loss, particularly at a 2.5 mg dose, and was more effective than finasteride over 24 weeks.
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.
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.
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.
