Daily Mail: Urgent Alert for Men Taking Finasteride
Men taking the common hair loss drug finasteride, famously used by Donald Trump, have been warned about the risk of serious psychiatric and sexual side effects. Health officials urge stopping finasteride immediately if depression or suicidal thoughts develop. The drug may also cause low libido and erectile dysfunction, with some effects persisting even after stopping the medication.
This alert follows a safety review by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in response to a rise in reported serious side effects, including depression and insomnia. The exact number of users in the UK is unclear as finasteride is not prescribed for hair loss on the NHS and is available only privately.
Originally developed by Merck & Co in the 1980s to treat an enlarged prostate, finasteride works by blocking the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can cause the prostate to grow and lead to hair loss.
Read the full article from Daily Mail: Urgent Alert for Men Taking Finasteride