May 2024 in “Brazilian Journal of Hair Health” Finasteride and dutasteride may help prevent hair loss but could cause side effects like sexual dysfunction and psychological issues.
November 2023 in “Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology” Some people experience lasting sexual, psychological, and sleep problems after using finasteride or SSRI antidepressants, possibly due to similar underlying causes.
251 citations,
October 2014 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” The guidelines advise against using testosterone and DHEA in women for most conditions due to safety and effectiveness concerns, but suggest considering testosterone for postmenopausal women with low sexual desire.
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,
June 2014 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Dutasteride helps hair growth in those unresponsive to finasteride, but may cause more sexual dysfunction.
36 citations,
January 2014 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Testosterone may help increase sexual events for women with low libido due to antidepressants.
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.
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.
14 citations,
March 2001 in “Psychiatric Services” Older men should openly discuss sexual health with doctors to improve their quality of life.
13 citations,
June 2018 in “Current Urology Reports” Hair loss drugs may cause sexual issues and infertility in men.
11 citations,
September 2012 in “Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada” Testosterone therapy seems safe for short-term use in postmenopausal women with low sexual desire, but more research on long-term effects is needed.
10 citations,
January 2019 in “Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism” Testosterone therapy may slightly increase sexual desire in women with HSDD but lacks broad recommendation due to safety concerns and limited approval.
8 citations,
February 2017 in “Clinical Drug Investigation” Finasteride can cause sexual dysfunction and depression, which may persist and require hormonal treatment.
8 citations,
December 2016 in “Revista Medica De Chile” Finasteride can cause sexual dysfunction, sperm changes, and affect bone density and metabolism.
6 citations,
December 2013 in “Medical Journal of Australia” Bald men are not more virile and may have fewer sexual partners.
5 citations,
January 2020 in “Skin appendage disorders” Oral dutasteride works better for hair loss, but has more sexual side effects; intralesional dutasteride is a possible alternative.
2 citations,
October 2021 in “Asian Journal of Andrology” Medications for hair loss and prostate issues can significantly increase the risk of sexual side effects and other negative symptoms.
2 citations,
March 2018 in “Current Opinion in Urology” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can cause sexual, neurologic, endocrine, and cardiovascular side effects, but these are rare and usually stop after ending treatment.
February 2023 in “Frontiers in Endocrinology” Too much male hormone in mothers can negatively affect the sexual behavior of both male and female baby mice.
March 2004 in “Current Sexual Health Reports” Testosterone's role in women's sex drive is unclear and needs more research, as low levels don't always mean less sexual interest and high levels can cause side effects.
December 2022 in “Scholars journal of applied medical sciences” Dutasteride 0.5mg improves hair growth in 78% of people with hair loss, but may cause sexual problems in some.
January 2020 in “Advances in Sexual Medicine” Female pattern hair loss does not significantly affect sexual dysfunction.
134 citations,
August 2012 in “The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry” Former finasteride users with persistent sexual side effects have higher rates of depression and suicidal thoughts.
20 citations,
April 2021 in “Journal of Womens Health” Testosterone can help premenopausal and postmenopausal women with low sexual desire, but its long-term safety is unclear and it's not widely approved for this use.
8 citations,
October 2021 in “The international journal of risk and safety in medicine” The document sets criteria for diagnosing long-term sexual dysfunctions caused by certain medications.
5 citations,
June 2004 in “The Journal of The British Menopause Society” Testosterone therapy can improve sexual satisfaction and mood in surgically menopausal women when used with estrogen, but its long-term safety and effects on naturally menopausal and premenopausal women are unclear.
December 2016 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” Finasteride for hair loss may cause erectile dysfunction due to tissue fibrosis, and various factors contribute to female sexual dysfunction.
506 citations,
March 2005 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism” Testosterone therapy improves physical function, strength, and body composition in older men with low testosterone levels.
90 citations,
December 2007 in “Current Oncology” Non-hormonal treatments should be used first for sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal breast cancer patients on aromatase inhibitors, with hormones as a second option.