Finasteride News and Research

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Finasteride is a synthetic antiandrogen which acts by inhibiting type II 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is used as a treatment in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in low doses, and prostate cancer in higher doses. Finasteride competitively binds to and inhibits steroid type II 5-alpha-reductase in the prostate gland, liver, and skin, thereby interfering with the enzymatic conversion of testosterone to 5-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and reducing serum DHT levels. The reduction in serum DHT levels results in diminished stimulation of androgen receptors in the nuclei of prostate cells and, so, diminished prostate cell proliferation.

Finasteride may offer life-saving benefits beyond hair loss treatment

The drug finasteride, also known as Propecia or Proscar, treats male pattern baldness and enlarged prostate in millions of men worldwide.

20 Feb 2024

Effective treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms linked to lower mortality risk in older men

Effective treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men aged 50 or older is associated with a lower risk of death over the next few years reports a study in the October issue of The Journal of Urology, an Official Journal of the American Urological Association.

11 Sep 2023

The efficacy and safety of anti-androgens in the management of hormonal and clinical features of PCOS

The safety and efficacy of anti-androgens in managing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

1 Sep 2023

How did media attention impact minoxidil hair loss treatment prescribing patterns?

Researchers investigated changes in oral minoxidil prescribing.

11 May 2023

Mark Cuban's cost-plus drug pricing model offers significant savings to patients

A new drug company founded by entrepreneur Mark Cuban could save patients $1.29 billion a year based on 2020 Medicare Part D expenditures on just the nine most popular urological drugs, according to a study published in the Journal of Urology.

10 Feb 2023

Can prostaglandin E2 injection improve hair growth?

A new study demonstrated that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) stimulates hair follicle growth.

9 Nov 2022

New signaling molecule may offer a therapeutic treatment for common form of hair loss

University of California, Irvine-led researchers have discovered that a signaling molecule called SCUBE3 potently stimulates hair growth and may offer a therapeutic treatment for androgenetic alopecia, a common form of hair loss in both women and men.

30 Jun 2022

New treatment approaches offer hope to minimize hair thinning in middle-aged women

Hair loss in middle-aged females is common, affecting up to two-thirds of women after menopause. The exact reasons remain unclear, although evidence suggests a hormonal and genetic predisposition.

22 Sep 2021

Low-level laser treatment can stimulate hair follicles and hair growth, expert finds

A world-renowned hair loss expert from Chula has discovered that low-level laser treatment can stimulate hair follicles and hair growth.

20 Sep 2021

New evidence shows link between finasteride and suicidality

In the last decade, concerns have emerged around finasteride, a drug used for treating male-pattern baldness and prostate gland enlargement.

11 Nov 2020

Prostate drugs linked to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Researchers say patients should continue to take the drugs, which are commonly prescribed to older men, but warn they may need additional health checks.

11 Apr 2019

Baldness treatment using a medication for osteoporosis

According to researchers, a drug used to treat patients with osteoporosis may soon be helpful in treating baldness. The study was published in the latest issue of the journal PLOS Biology this week.

9 May 2018

Common factors that could change your PSA test results

Most men in their 50s, who face an increasing risk of prostate cancer as they age, are familiar with the common screening exam known as the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. But many are less familiar with how the test works and why different factors, such as prescription medications and infections, can influence the test results.

28 Oct 2017

Popular prostate drug has negative impact on men's overall health, study suggests

Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with the commonly prescribed Avodart (Dutsteride) may put men at an increased risk for diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and worsening erectile dysfunction.

22 Jun 2017

Use of 5ARIs for prostatic enlargement not linked to increased suicide risk in older men

Using 5α- reductase inhibitors was not associated with increased suicide risk in a group of older men but risks for self-harm and depression were increased during the 18 months after medication initiation, although "the relatively small magnitude of these risks should not dissuade physicians from prescribing these medications in appropriate patients," according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

20 Mar 2017

Prolonged exposure to male hormone blockers increases risk of persistent erectile dysfunction

Men with longer exposure to the drugs finasteride and dutasteride had a higher risk of getting persistent erectile dysfunction than men with less exposure, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

9 Mar 2017

Men who use finasteride to treat benign prostate enlargement experience worsening ED

Men with benign prostate enlargement who used finasteride (also known as proscar and propecia) to treat their condition, experienced worsening erectile dysfunction (ED) that did not resolve with continued treatment. In addition, they experienced a reduction in their testosterone levels leading to hypogonadism (little to no production of sex hormones).

14 Jun 2015

Healthy men participating in Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial are most likely to undergo biopsy

Healthy men participating in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial who actively participate in all steps of the clinical trial are most likely to undergo a biopsy, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention - a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

14 Aug 2014

Men with chronic inflammation in non-cancerous prostate tissue may have nearly twice risk of prostate cancer

Men who show signs of chronic inflammation in non-cancerous prostate tissue may have nearly twice the risk of actually having prostate cancer than those with no inflammation, according to results of a new study led by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

18 Apr 2014

Study: Chronic inflammation associated with aggressive prostate cancer

The presence of chronic inflammation in benign prostate tissue was associated with high-grade, or aggressive, prostate cancer, and this association was found even in those with low prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.