35 citations,
June 2018 in “Urology” The review suggests younger men taking 1 mg finasteride report more side effects, including sexual, skin, metabolic, and psychological issues.
35 citations,
May 2013 in “Sexual medicine reviews” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors slightly increase the risk of sexual and mood side effects, and breast growth in men.
35 citations,
May 1986 in “Clinics in endocrinology and metabolism” The exact cause of increased 5α-reductase activity leading to hirsutism in women is still unknown.
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.
34 citations,
July 2011 in “Journal of Dermatological Treatment” Curcuma aeruginosa extract combined with minoxidil effectively treats male-pattern baldness.
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,
November 2013 in “The Journal of Urology” Using finasteride or dutasteride does not increase the risk of male breast cancer.
31 citations,
September 2008 in “International Journal of Andrology” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors may cause a low incidence of erectile dysfunction that decreases over time.
30 citations,
September 2016 in “BMJ” Taking 5-α reductase inhibitors for prostate enlargement or hair loss does not significantly raise the risk of erectile dysfunction.
30 citations,
August 1992 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride doesn't affect hormone levels in normal men.
29 citations,
July 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Rats had lasting erectile problems after stopping a certain medication.
29 citations,
July 2009 in “Journal of Dermatology” 5% minoxidil works better for hair growth than 1% minoxidil.
28 citations,
October 2017 in “Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy” Combining electrodynamic microneedle with 5% minoxidil improves hair growth and reduces hair loss in Chinese men.
28 citations,
August 2014 in “Cancer Causes & Control” Taking 5α-reductase inhibitors does not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer in men.
28 citations,
September 2000 in “Journal of Medicinal Chemistry” Benzo[c]quinolizin-3-ones are effective nonsteroidal inhibitors of human steroid 5α-reductase 1.
28 citations,
February 1999 in “Archives of Dermatological Research” Finasteride potentially treats hair loss by reducing DHT production.
28 citations,
May 1986 in “Clinics in endocrinology and metabolism” New compounds may soon be tested to treat excessive hair growth in women.
27 citations,
October 2001 in “Journal of Medicinal Chemistry” Researchers found new potential but less potent rat enzyme inhibitors using a 3D model.
25 citations,
June 2018 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology” Combined microneedling and minoxidil improves hair growth more than minoxidil alone.
25 citations,
January 2016 in “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” Certain Chinese herbs, especially Cacumen platycladi, can promote hair regrowth and reduce hair loss-related hormone levels in mice.
22 citations,
November 2014 in “Clinical endocrinology” Taking finasteride for benign prostate hyperplasia may increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially at higher doses.
22 citations,
December 2008 in “International Journal of Dermatology” A mix of 5-aminolevulinic acid and iron ion can speed up hair growth.
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.
22 citations,
May 1986 in “Clinics in endocrinology and metabolism” Certain finger length ratios and body hair patterns may predict side effects from birth control pills 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.
21 citations,
January 2017 in “Dermatology Online Journal” The review examined the sexual side effects of 5-α-reductase inhibitors, specifically finasteride and dutasteride, which were commonly used to treat androgenetic alopecia and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Both drugs effectively reduced dihydrotestosterone levels but were associated with increased incidences of sexual dysfunction, including impotence, decreased libido, and ejaculation disorders. The study compared the sexual side effects of finasteride and dutasteride, as well as the effects at different dosages, providing a comprehensive analysis of the existing medical literature on this topic.
20 citations,
October 2018 in “The Journal of Urology” Men taking 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors before or after bladder cancer diagnosis had a lower risk of dying from the disease.