Hair loss and prostate medication may decrease heart disease risk in men

A study published in the Journal of Lipid Research by University of Illinois researchers revealed strong links between finasteride usage and reduced cholesterol levels in men.

The drug finasteride, also known as Propecia or Proscar, treats male pattern baldness and enlarged prostate in millions of men worldwide.It works by blocking the 5-alpha reductase 2 protein found in hair follicles and the prostate gland that activates testosterone.

"When we looked at the men taking finasteride in the survey, their cholesterol levels averaged 30 points lower than men not taking the drug. I thought we'd see the opposite pattern, so it was very interesting," said lead study author Jaume Amengual, assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and the Division of Nutritional Sciences, both part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois.

For the study, Donald Molina Chaves, a doctoral student, tested four levels of finasteride -- 0, 10, 100, and 1000 milligrams per kilogram of food -- in male mice genetically predisposed to atherosclerosis. The mice consumed the drug, along with a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, for 12 weeks. After the experiment levels of cholesterol and other lipids in the mice, along with evidence of atherosclerotic plaques were analysed. He also tested gene expression in the liver, looked at bile acid metabolism, and analysed steroids, triglycerides, immune activity, and more.

In mice taking high finasteride doses, the researcher found reductions in total plasma cholesterol, delayed atherosclerosis progression, lower inflammation in the liver, and related benefits. Men taking 1 milligram or 5 milligram doses of finasteride daily for hair loss and enlarged prostate,showed a reduction in total plasma cholesterol and LDL-C levels.

The findings of the study suggest that the accumulation of finasteride in tissues such as the prostate and the hair follicle inhibits the activity of the 5 alpha-reductase 2protein to block the conversion of circulating testosterone to its active metabolite. As a result, finasteride mitigates the harmful action of the active metabolite in these tissues without causing significant side effects.

References: Patrick McQueen, Donald Molina, Ivan Pinos, Samuel Krug, Anna J. Taylor, Michael R. LaFrano, Maureen A. Kane, Jaume Amengual. Finasteride delays atherosclerosis progression in mice and is associated with a reduction in plasma cholesterol in men. Journal of Lipid Research, 2024; 65 (3): 100507 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100507