Hair Loss, Prostate Enlargement Drug Shows Potential Heart Benefits

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Derek Rose)
Hair Loss, Prostate Enlargement Drug Shows Potential Heart Benefits

A drug used for hair loss and prostate enlargement has shown potential benefits for the heart. Taking finasteride could reportedly cut the risk of heart disease.

Finasteride For Heart Disease

In a new study, a research team from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Maryland examined the link between finasteride and heart disease because the medication functions by blocking a protein that causes the hormone testosterone to be activated, and there has previously been some suggestion that testosterone and atherosclerosis are related.

The medication was found to enhance health and lower cholesterol in an analysis of data from male humans and mice. It is commonly recognized that having too much cholesterol raises the risk of heart disease because it promotes atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty deposits build up in blood vessels and obstruct blood flow through the arteries. The condition may also eventually result in heart attacks or strokes.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database, compiled between 2009 and 2016, contained the records used in the study. With a focus on 155 male people 50 or older, the team discovered a connection between finasteride use and cholesterol levels. Given the limited sample size and the lack of information in the records regarding the duration of each patient's medication use, the findings offer a tenuous but fascinating hint of finasteride's possible heart advantages.

"When we looked at the men taking finasteride in the survey, their cholesterol levels averaged 30 points lower than men not taking the drug," said food scientist Jaume Amengual from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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What Is Finasteride?

Finasteride is used to treat adult males who have an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH). Finasteride can be used either on its own or in conjunction with other medications to treat BPH symptoms.

It may also lessen the need for surgery. Benefits of finasteride include a reduction in the urge to urinate, improved urine flow with less straining, a reduction in the sensation that the bladder is not fully emptied, and a decrease in nighttime urination.

Finasteride is not authorized for the prevention of prostate cancer. Instead, this prescription functions by reducing the quantity of DHT, a natural body hormone that stimulates the prostate to expand. It might somewhat raise the chance of getting a severe case of prostate cancer.

Finasteride is available as an oral pill. Typically, it is taken once daily, either with or without meals. One should take finasteride daily at approximately the same time.

It is recommended to pay close attention to the instructions on the label of the prescription and ask a pharmacist or doctor to explain anything you do not understand. Please adhere to the prescribed dosage of finasteride and never take more or less of it. Also, please do not take it more frequently than your doctor has instructed.

BPH patients need to understand that while finasteride may help manage their illness, it won't treat it. It can take up to six months for your symptoms to get better. Take finasteride as prescribed, even if you feel good. Never cease using finasteride without first consulting your physician.