Finasteride, a drug widely used to treat male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement, has been identified as having the potential to improve heart health by lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. This finding adds a surprising new dimension to the drug’s known benefits.
This interesting research by University of Illinois Highlights from findings from Urbana-Champaign National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey It was held between 2009 and 2016.
More than hair: Finasteride has the potential to protect your heart.
A previous study found that men who used finasteride had significantly lower cholesterol levels than those who did not.
Further experiments in mice confirmed these findings, showing a reduction in plasma cholesterol, a delay in atherosclerosis and a decrease in liver inflammation, among other positive effects.
James Amenguallead study author and assistant professor at Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition The College of Agriculture, Consumers and Environmental Sciences expressed their surprise at the results.
“When we looked at the men taking finasteride in the survey, their cholesterol levels were on average 30 points lower than men not taking the drug.” I thought we were going to see the opposite pattern, so it was very interesting,” he said.
Exploring the limitations in finasteride research
The study, however, suffered from limitations due to its observational nature and the small sample size of men over 50 who confirmed using finasteride.
Despite these challenges, the findings prompted further investigation into the drug’s effects in mice, in order to understand the mechanisms behind these observations.
“This was not a clinical study where you can really control everything,” Amengual said. “Well, it was more of an observation that led us to say that we have now seen this in humans. Let’s see what happens to mice.
The curiosity about finasteride stems from its mechanism of action – by inhibiting the protein that activates testosterone, a hormone suspected of having a role in atherosclerosis.
Finasteride, testosterone and heart health
This link between testosterone and cardiovascular disease led the team to investigate finasteride’s potential beyond hair loss and prostate health.
“I was reading about this drug one day, and I began to notice that there were not many long-term studies about the implications of the drug. At first, it was just my own curiosity, which is based on the fact that hormone levels have an effect on atherosclerosis, hair loss and prostate issues,” Amengual said. “So we decided to dig it up.”
Donald Molina ChavezA doctoral student working with Amengual performed experiments on mice prone to atherosclerosis. The mice were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet with varying amounts of finasteride.
Molina Chaves said, “Mice that were given high doses of finasteride showed lower levels of cholesterol in the plasma as well as in the arteries.” “Also, there were some fatty deposits and signs of inflammation in the liver.”
The high doses tested showed a significant reduction in cholesterol levels and signs of inflammation in the liver, although Amengual stated that such doses are not suitable for human use.
“It’s a surprisingly high level of medicine. But we use rats as models, and they are extremely resistant to anything that could kill any of us. “It’s not so wild when you think about it.”
Implications for transgender health
The study’s implications go beyond men with hair loss or prostate problems. Amengual points to the potential benefits of finasteride for transgender individuals with hormonal transitions who are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
This finding suggests that finasteride may provide a protective measure for many audiences, including the transgender community.
However, Amengual stresses that like any drug, finasteride carries risks and it’s important to consult a healthcare provider for personalized recommendations.
“In the last decade, doctors have started to prescribe this drug to individuals who are transitioning from male to female or from female to male. In both cases, hormonal changes can cause hair loss,” he said.
“Interestingly, transgender people are also at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. So this drug may have beneficial effects in preventing cardiovascular disease not only in cis men, but also in transgender individuals.”
This study opens the door for further research, including clinical trials, to confirm finasteride’s cholesterol-lowering effects.
As the medical community continues to explore this unexpected benefit, finasteride is emerging not only as a treatment for common men’s health issues, but also as a promising partner in the fight against heart problems and cardiovascular disease.
The future of finasteride: hair, prostate and heart health
In conclusion, this remarkable study has unveiled a new facet of finasteride, which has been labeled by many as a “miracle drug” and is commonly used to treat male pattern baldness and prostate enlargement.
By demonstrating its potential to significantly lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, this research opens up exciting new possibilities for the use of finasteride in healthcare.
Beyond its established uses, finasteride can now be considered a viable option for heart disease prevention, not only for men suffering from hair loss and prostate issues, but also for the transgender community, who are at increased risk of heart-related health problems. .
This discovery paves the way for further research and clinical trials, indicating the need to re-evaluate existing drugs for new benefits.
The full study is published in Journal of Lipid Research.
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