70 citations,
June 1993 in “Biochemistry” Finasteride slowly binds to 5-alpha-reductase, affecting enzyme stability and inhibitor potency.
67 citations,
February 1997 in “Teratology” Finasteride, when given in high oral doses to pregnant monkeys, caused genital abnormalities in male fetuses, but not in female fetuses or those exposed to intravenous finasteride.
47 citations,
January 2003 in “Current opinion in urology” A new drug, dutasteride, is at least as effective as the older drug, finasteride, for treating enlarged prostate and may have additional uses.
36 citations,
November 2020 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors may reduce COVID-19 symptoms in bald males.
34 citations,
February 1992 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride and minoxidil together promote hair growth better than either alone.
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.
33 citations,
October 1994 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride reduces hair growth and is safe for women with excessive hair.
32 citations,
July 2016 in “PubMed” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are generally safe but can cause sexual side effects and require patient education on risks.
29 citations,
July 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Rats had lasting erectile problems after stopping a certain medication.
22 citations,
August 2014 in “Clinical endocrinology” Taking finasteride for benign prostate hyperplasia may increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially at higher doses.
22 citations,
January 2001 in “Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin” Some new progesterone derivatives are better at blocking testosterone conversion than a common drug.
22 citations,
September 1994 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride reduces dihydrotestosterone, increases testosterone, and may treat hirsutism in women.
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.
19 citations,
April 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Dutasteride works better than finasteride for hair loss, with both being safe to use.
19 citations,
October 2018 in “PLOS ONE” 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors can slightly improve symptoms of enlarged prostate but have a high risk of sexual side effects.
18 citations,
June 2017 in “Journal of the neurological sciences” Using 5 alpha reductase inhibitors may increase dementia risk in the first two years.
15 citations,
January 2017 in “Experimental Neurology” Finasteride reduces movement issues in Parkinson's disease rats.
15 citations,
December 2006 in “Clinical interventions in aging” 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors like finasteride may lower prostate cancer risk and improve cancer screening.
15 citations,
June 1995 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride doesn't affect erections much, but may decrease libido in men.
12 citations,
April 2020 in “Medical hypotheses” Men on 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors might have worse COVID-19 outcomes.
11 citations,
August 2014 in “Current Urology Reports” Medications for enlarged prostate can cause sexual side effects like reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, and ejaculatory problems.
11 citations,
May 1996 in “The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism/Journal of clinical endocrinology & metabolism” The main enzyme found in pubic skin that could be targeted to treat excessive hair growth is 5 alpha-R2.
10 citations,
August 2014 in “Skin research and technology” Sleep, testosterone levels, and a specific enzyme activity affect skin oil production in women.
10 citations,
October 1992 in “Hormone and Metabolic Research” Finasteride safely lowers DHT levels without affecting hormone levels, helping with conditions like enlarged prostate, acne, and hair loss.
9 citations,
July 2011 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Hair loss drugs like finasteride may cause lasting sexual and mood side effects, and more research is needed to understand these risks.
7 citations,
January 2013 in “European Urology” 5-Alpha reductase inhibitors may prevent prostate cancer but are not widely used due to concerns about trial relevance and potential risks, and more research is needed to confirm long-term benefits.
6 citations,
December 2016 in “Journal of Dermatology” Dutasteride effectively and safely treats male hair loss for over a year.
5 citations,
November 2020 in “medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” 5-Alpha-Reductase inhibitors shorten COVID-19 recovery time in men.
5 citations,
May 2020 in “Dermatologic Therapy” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors might worsen lung recovery in COVID-19 patients, suggesting a pause in their use.
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.