Hair Loss & Prostate Drug: Heart Disease Risk Reduced?
Could a common hair loss drug offer a surprising defence against heart disease? Recent research reveals that finasteride,used to treat male pattern baldness adn enlarged prostates,may lower cholesterol levels,possibly reducing cardiovascular risk. The university of Illinois urbana-Champaign’s study indicates a correlation, with tests on mice showing decreased cholesterol and reduced liver inflammation at higher doses. though, limited data and the need for clinical trials are essential. News Directory 3 keeps you informed on the latest health breakthroughs. Uncover the potential implications for men and transgender individuals.discover what’s next …
Hair Loss Drug Finasteride May Cut Heart Disease Risk
Updated June 14, 2025
A common medication for male pattern baldness and enlarged prostates, finasteride, may have an unexpected benefit: reducing cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggest this potential life-saving effect warrants further examination.
The study, published in the Journal of Lipid Research, revealed a correlation between finasteride use and lower cholesterol levels in men who participated in a national health survey from 2009 to 2016. Moreover, tests on mice showed that high doses of finasteride led to reduced plasma cholesterol, delayed the progression of atherosclerosis, and lessened liver inflammation.
Jaume Amengual, an assistant professor at the U. of I., noted the surprising results. “When we looked at the men taking finasteride in the survey, thier cholesterol levels averaged 30 points lower than men not taking the drug,” Amengual said. “I thought we’d see the opposite pattern, so it was very fascinating.”
The survey, however, had limitations. Only 155 of nearly 4,800 respondents, all men over 50, reported using finasteride. Researchers also lacked data on dosage and duration of use.
“This was not a clinical study in which you can control everything perfectly,” Amengual said. “it was more of an observation that led us to say, ‘okay, now we’ve seen this in people. Let’s see what happens in mice.'”
Amengual’s research focuses on atherosclerosis, a condition where cholesterol plaques block arteries, leading to heart attack and stroke. The link between testosterone and atherosclerosis, more prevalent in men, prompted his interest in finasteride, which blocks the activation of testosterone.
“I was reading about this medication one day, and I started to notice that there were not many long-term studies of the implications of the drug,” Amengual said. ”Initially, it was just my own curiosity, based on the fact that hormone levels are known to have an effect on atherosclerosis, hair loss, and prostate issues. So, we decided to dig into it.”
Following the initial findings, doctoral student Donald Molina Chaves studied the effects of varying finasteride doses on mice predisposed to atherosclerosis.The mice consumed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet along with finasteride for 12 weeks.
“Mice that were given a high dose of finasteride showed lower cholesterol levels within the plasma as well as in the arteries,” Molina Chaves said. “There were also fewer lipids and inflammatory markers in the liver.”
While significant effects were observed only at high doses, Amengual clarified that mice metabolize finasteride differently than humans. Human dosages are typically 1 or 5 milligrams daily.
What’s next
Amengual suggests physicians should monitor cholesterol levels in patients taking finasteride or conduct clinical trials to confirm thes findings. He also emphasizes the importance of understanding finasteride’s effects on transgender individuals, who are at a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases and may use the drug for hair loss related to hormone changes.