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.
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 “BJU international” Blocking DHT production more strongly may help control advanced prostate cancer and improve quality of life.
28 citations,
May 2018 in “Scientific reports” Exercise improves insulin sensitivity and hormone regulation in PCOS rats.
27 citations,
January 2017 in “Neuropsychopharmacology” The enzyme 5α-reductase is key in causing psychotic-like effects from sleep deprivation.
25 citations,
November 2015 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,
August 2014 in “Clinical endocrinology” Taking finasteride for benign prostate hyperplasia may increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially at higher doses.
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,
January 2016 in “Annals of Dermatology” Dutasteride is safe and effective for treating hair loss, but may decrease libido.
17 citations,
March 2020 in “Frontiers in Chemistry” Compounds from the plant Mammea siamensis may help treat hair loss.
17 citations,
June 2012 in “European journal of medicinal chemistry” New steroid compounds effectively inhibit 5α-reductase and may treat hair loss.
16 citations,
September 2018 in “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” Plant-based remedies may treat hair loss by reducing inflammation and improving insulin resistance.
15 citations,
July 2016 in “Urologic Clinics of North America” Finasteride and dutasteride are effective for long-term treatment of enlarged prostates but have sexual side effects and a risk of high-grade prostate cancer.
15 citations,
November 2015 in “Pharmacopsychiatry” α-Blockers and 5-ARIs for BPH can cause sexual dysfunction, including erectile and ejaculatory issues.
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.
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,
June 2018 in “Current Urology Reports” Hair loss drugs may cause sexual issues and infertility in men.
13 citations,
January 2017 in “Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin” Certain compounds, especially those with a propionic substituent, could potentially be new treatments for hair loss and similar disorders.
13 citations,
November 2012 in “PubMed” 5α-reductase inhibitors may worsen sexual drive and spontaneous erections but don't worsen existing erectile or ejaculatory problems.
12 citations,
January 2018 in “Pharmacology & pharmacy” Pumpkin seed products may help improve prostate and bladder health by blocking certain enzymes and hormone receptors.
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.
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.
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.