Testosterone works in different ways, including direct interaction with its receptor, conversion to other hormones for specific effects on genitalia, hair, bones, and muscle, and changes in body fat and sexual function when low.
January 1998 in “Current Therapeutics” Different causes of hair loss require specific treatments, and most men and women will experience some form of hair thinning as they age.
May 2017 in “Urology and andrology” Finasteride and dutasteride, used for prostate issues and hair loss, can cause side effects like sexual dysfunction and mental issues, which may continue even after stopping the medication, a condition called post-finasteride syndrome, for which there's currently no cure.
33 citations,
January 2016 in “Skin appendage disorders” The document concludes that sexual and psychiatric side effects from 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are reported, but more high-quality research is needed to understand how often they occur.
22 citations,
August 2014 in “Clinical endocrinology” Taking finasteride for benign prostate hyperplasia may increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially at higher doses.
10 citations,
October 2018 in “Sexual medicine reviews” Men using hair loss drugs like finasteride may experience sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction, but it's unclear who will be affected and when. Treating depression and sexual symptoms is suggested, as these men often have higher rates of both. More research is needed to understand why these side effects occur.
4 citations,
June 2015 in “Journal of Genetics/Journal of genetics” Genetic differences within ethnic groups may affect prostate cancer treatment effectiveness.
2 citations,
March 2018 in “Current Opinion in Urology” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can cause sexual, neurologic, endocrine, and cardiovascular side effects, but these are rare and usually stop after ending treatment.
November 2023 in “Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy” Finasteride and dutasteride are effective in treating male hair loss but can cause sexual side effects and birth defects.
21 citations,
March 2018 in “JEADV. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology/Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors may help stabilize or slow down hair loss in some frontal fibrosing alopecia patients, but more research is needed to confirm their effectiveness and safety.
6 citations,
May 2020 in “JAMA Ophthalmology” Using 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, drugs for prostate issues and hair loss, may lead to eye abnormalities in men.
4 citations,
August 2021 in “Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, like finasteride and dutasteride, may cause depression, but more research is needed to understand why.
2 citations,
December 2021 in “International Journal of Andrology” Most legal cases about 5α-reductase inhibitors, drugs for hair loss and prostate issues, complain about side effects and delayed cancer diagnosis, with most lawsuits settled out of court.
September 2024 in “Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors may help protect the brain and gut in Parkinson's disease.
3 citations,
June 2017 in “Reproductive biomedicine online” A certain mutation in the fetal alpha 5-reductase gene is linked to a higher risk of late miscarriage.
117 citations,
March 2013 in “Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” No effective treatment for frontal fibrosing alopecia was found, but oral 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors had the best response; for lichen planopilaris, topical corticosteroids were commonly used but had a high relapse rate.
45 citations,
May 2012 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Too much AKR1C3 enzyme causes resistance to finasteride by increasing testosterone.
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.
16 citations,
September 2018 in “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” Plant-based remedies may treat hair loss by reducing inflammation and improving insulin resistance.
2 citations,
April 2017 in “Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas” Best treatment for Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia is 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors and intralesional corticosteroids.
3 citations,
February 2013 in “PubMed” 5α-reductase inhibitors like finasteride and dutasteride can help treat skin disorders stimulated by androgens, such as hair loss and acne.
March 2024 in “Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine” Alpha-blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are main treatments for BPH, with new support for phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors and beta-3 agonists.
Fructus Psoraleae may help treat hair loss by inhibiting 5-α reductase and affecting the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway.
November 2017 in “JAMA internal medicine” Women also use 5α-reductase inhibitors for hair loss and hirsutism.
13 citations,
January 2015 in “Steroids” The study created a model to help design new inhibitors for steroidal 5α-reductase enzymes.
45 citations,
September 2000 in “Archives of dermatology” The study found that the enzyme linked to acne is present in the same areas of both acne-affected and normal skin.
7 citations,
July 2022 in “Pharmaceuticals” Pumpkin Seed Oil in niosomes may help treat hair loss and improve hair growth.
22 citations,
January 2006 in “International Journal of Andrology” Taking oral testosterone with finasteride or dutasteride doubles testosterone levels, and food slightly affects it.
20 citations,
January 2003 in “Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin” The new progesterone derivatives effectively inhibit 5α-reductase and bind to the androgen receptor.
May 2004 in “Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease” Vitamin E affects liver metabolism, enhancing stress resistance, reducing blood clotting, and altering hormone processing.