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.
59 citations,
September 1994 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Finasteride reduces scalp DHT levels, potentially treating male pattern baldness.
52 citations,
February 2006 in “Current pharmaceutical design” 5α-reductase inhibitors and alpha-1 adrenergic antagonists together effectively treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, with long-term benefits.
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.
46 citations,
March 2001 in “Journal of endocrinological investigation” 5α-reductase inhibitors, like finasteride and dutasteride, effectively treat BPH, male baldness, and hirsutism, with potential for acne and prostate cancer prevention.
44 citations,
October 2010 in “BJUI” 5-α-reductase inhibitors reduce prostate cancer risk but may cause sexual dysfunction and don't affect high-grade tumor or death rates.
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,
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” The systematic review examined the adverse effects and safety of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (finasteride and dutasteride), commonly used for androgenetic hair loss. Large studies indicated no increase in prostate cancer incidence but a potential rise in high-grade cancer detection without affecting survival rates. Depression was not directly linked, though small studies led to its inclusion as a side effect. Sexual side effects, such as erectile dysfunction and decreased libido, were reported in 3.4-15.8% of men. Limited research on women highlighted risks like birth defects, decreased libido, and other minor side effects. Overall, these inhibitors were well-tolerated but required thorough patient education on potential risks.
32 citations,
May 2013 in “The Journal of Urology” Using finasteride or dutasteride does not increase the risk of male breast cancer.
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.
28 citations,
February 1999 in “Archives of Dermatological Research” Finasteride potentially treats hair loss by reducing DHT production.
28 citations,
September 2000 in “Journal of Medicinal Chemistry” Benzo[c]quinolizin-3-ones are effective nonsteroidal inhibitors of human steroid 5α-reductase 1.
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,
February 2002 in “Planta Medica” Compounds from Angelica koreana roots, especially osthenol, could be effective for treating conditions like prostate disease and hair loss.
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” Finasteride and dutasteride can cause sexual problems like impotence and low libido.
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.
18 citations,
June 2017 in “Journal of the neurological sciences” Using 5 alpha reductase inhibitors may increase dementia risk in the first two years.
16 citations,
August 2014 in “Archives of Pharmacal Research” Special nanoparticles increased skin absorption of hair loss treatments with fewer side effects.
14 citations,
February 1998 in “Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters” Some newly made compounds can block an enzyme linked to hair loss and prostate growth, with one in particular being very selective.
13 citations,
February 2022 in “JAMA Dermatology” Dutasteride is the most effective hair loss treatment after 24 weeks, but finasteride leads to the most hair growth after 48 weeks.
13 citations,
November 2019 in “Scientific reports” Certain drugs change freshwater snail shells to a "banana" shape.
12 citations,
April 2020 in “Medical hypotheses” Men on 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors might have worse COVID-19 outcomes.
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,
August 2019 in “Clinical genitourinary cancer” Taking 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors before bladder removal surgery might make high-grade bladder tumors less aggressive.
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.
8 citations,
June 2017 in “Steroids” New chemical compounds were made that effectively block an enzyme linked to prostate growth.