110 citations,
August 2016 in “Drugs” Minoxidil is the only FDA-approved topical drug for treating male or female pattern hair loss, and other medications like finasteride and dutasteride can also increase hair growth.
109 citations,
July 1984 in “Circulation” Minoxidil helps heart function but doesn't improve exercise ability and may cause complications.
104 citations,
October 1999 in “The Journal of Urology” Finasteride doesn't harm male fertility or sperm quality, but may slightly reduce ejaculate volume.
104 citations,
November 1978 in “JAMA” The Protein-Sparing Modified Fast is effective for rapid weight loss and maintaining it, but requires medical supervision and can have side effects.
99 citations,
October 2006 in “BMC clinical pharmacology” Finasteride may cause slight depression and anxiety.
96 citations,
October 1981 in “Drugs” Minoxidil effectively treats severe hypertension but may cause side effects, so careful monitoring is needed.
93 citations,
January 1996 in “Clinical Pharmacokinectics” Finasteride helps regrow hair and shrink prostate by reducing DHT, with some sexual side effects.
90 citations,
August 2002 in “European journal of endocrinology” Metformin improves hair growth and menstrual frequency in women with PCOS and hirsutism.
89 citations,
November 2014 in “International Journal of Nanomedicine” Using nanostructured lipid carriers to deliver spironolactone could improve treatment for hair loss.
89 citations,
December 2006 in “Lancet Oncology” Taking 1 mg/day finasteride for hair loss significantly lowers PSA levels in men, which may affect prostate cancer screening.
88 citations,
August 2019 in “Nature communications” Researchers found a specific immune receptor in patients that causes severe skin reactions to a drug.
86 citations,
July 1993 in “Drugs” Finasteride treats enlarged prostate, shrinks it, improves urination, but may cause sexual dysfunction and isn't for women or children.
86 citations,
September 1977 in “BMJ” Minoxidil effectively controls blood pressure in severe cases, but has serious side effects and causes hair growth in women.
85 citations,
February 1989 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Children with loose anagen hair have easily pluckable hair due to root sheath problems, and it might improve without treatment.
81 citations,
July 2012 in “Translational Psychiatry” Memantine may slightly improve memory in people with Down syndrome, but more research is needed.
80 citations,
December 2017 in “International Journal of Dermatology” Low-dose oral minoxidil and spironolactone combo effectively reduces hair loss and improves hair density in women.
78 citations,
December 2011 in “Clinical toxicology” Excessive selenium from a supplement caused toxicity but patients recovered with care.
78 citations,
May 1989 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” Spironolactone effectively reduces hair growth in women with hirsutism and is generally well-tolerated.
77 citations,
June 2015 in “Nature Reviews Urology” Some common medications can harm male fertility, but many effects can be reversed.
77 citations,
July 2007 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Methotrexate is a key, cost-effective drug for skin conditions, but requires careful monitoring for side effects.
74 citations,
August 2006 in “Journal of clinical gastroenterology” Shen-Min, a hair growth supplement, likely caused acute hepatitis in a woman, improving after she stopped taking it.
74 citations,
April 2005 in “Dermatologic Clinics” Minoxidil and finasteride are effective for male hair loss, minoxidil for female hair loss, and various treatments like corticosteroids work for alopecia areata; treatment should be tailored to the individual.
72 citations,
July 2014 in “American journal of clinical dermatology” Some treatments, like corticosteroids and sensitizing agents, can help with alopecia areata, but more high-quality research is needed.
71 citations,
September 2007 in “Cancer” Prostate cancer prevention includes diet changes, supplements, and medications, with more answers expected soon.
70 citations,
July 2020 in “Pharmacological Reports” Cepharanthine, a Japanese hair loss drug, shows promise as a COVID-19 treatment but needs more testing.
69 citations,
July 1997 in “Der Urologe” Sabal and Urtica extract works as well as finasteride for treating BPH, with fewer side effects.
68 citations,
April 2002 in “Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine” Natural 5AR inhibitors effectively improve mild to moderate hair loss in men.
67 citations,
February 2015 in “Life Sciences” Some plant-based treatments can help with benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms, but more research is needed to confirm their safety and effectiveness.
67 citations,
October 2005 in “Annals of Oncology” Fulvestrant is a well-tolerated new treatment for advanced breast cancer that may delay chemotherapy.
65 citations,
February 2015 in “Neuro-Oncology” Alisertib was found to be an effective and tolerable treatment for children with recurrent brain tumors.