December 2020 in “Current Sexual Health Reports” Finasteride can have lasting negative effects on brain function and behavior by disrupting neurosteroid production.
223 citations,
December 2010 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Some patients taking finasteride or dutasteride may have ongoing sexual problems and depression even after stopping the medication.
153 citations,
March 2017 in “Endocrine” Male pattern baldness involves genetics, hormones, and needs better treatments.
151 citations,
May 2014 in “American Journal of Clinical Dermatology” Effective treatments for male pattern baldness include oral finasteride and topical minoxidil, while topical minoxidil is best for female pattern baldness.
112 citations,
July 2012 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Finasteride may cause long-lasting sexual side effects.
110 citations,
August 2015 in “Neuropsychopharmacology” High-dose dutasteride reduces PMDD symptoms by stabilizing neurosteroid levels.
99 citations,
October 2006 in “BMC clinical pharmacology” Finasteride may cause slight depression and anxiety.
90 citations,
March 2017 in “JAMA Internal Medicine” Men over 66 taking medication for prostate enlargement have a higher risk of depression and self-harm, especially in the first 18 months of treatment.
81 citations,
June 2014 in “American Journal of Men's Health” Finasteride can cause lasting sexual, emotional, and cognitive issues, with varying severity.
77 citations,
June 2015 in “Nature Reviews Urology” Some common medications can harm male fertility, but many effects can be reversed.
69 citations,
July 2015 in “Pharmacotherapy” Low-dose finasteride may cause lasting sexual dysfunction and suicidal thoughts in young men.
59 citations,
November 2018 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Lower levels of certain brain chemicals are linked to worse PTSD symptoms in men.
54 citations,
May 2018 in “International journal of risk & safety in medicine” Antidepressants, 5α-reductase inhibitors, and isotretinoin can cause long-lasting sexual dysfunction.
40 citations,
November 2020 in “JAMA Dermatology” Finasteride may cause suicidal thoughts and mental side effects, especially in young people with hair loss.
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,
April 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,
June 2012 in “Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology” Finasteride reduces gambling symptoms in Parkinson's patients.
34 citations,
November 2011 in “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” Three drugs change mice's alcohol drinking patterns by affecting GABAA receptors.
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.
31 citations,
January 2017 in “Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology” Low testosterone and 5α-reductase inhibitors can harm men's metabolic and sexual health; testosterone therapy may help, but discussing 5α-RIs' side effects is important.
31 citations,
November 2014 in “Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science” A natural steroid in the body may protect against eye damage in glaucoma.
30 citations,
October 2015 in “Journal of Ethnopharmacology” Herbal compounds like ricinoleic acid, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, and hinokiflavone may be safe and effective for treating hair loss.
27 citations,
May 2015 in “Neuropharmacology” Dutasteride protects dopamine neurons in Parkinson's mice, but Finasteride doesn't.
27 citations,
June 2013 in “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research” Finasteride use may lead to less alcohol consumption in men with lasting sexual side effects.
26 citations,
September 2018 in “Neurobiology of Disease” Finasteride and dutasteride reduce unwanted movements from Parkinson's disease treatment by normalizing certain brain signals.
24 citations,
July 2018 in “Drug Design Development and Therapy” NTF gel improves finasteride delivery for hair loss treatment, reducing side effects.
24 citations,
July 2016 in “Revue Neurologique” Gilles de la Tourette syndrome is treatable, with behavioral therapy as a recommended first option and other treatments available for more severe cases.
24 citations,
December 2013 in “Sexual medicine reviews” Finasteride can cause sexual problems and depression in young men.
23 citations,
October 2018 in “Expert Opinion on Drug Safety” Consider benefits and risks of new alopecia treatments for safety.
22 citations,
January 2008 in “Physiological Research” Steroid sulfatase is important for activating hormones that affect memory, brain function, and certain diseases, and could be a target for treating hormone-related disorders.