Finasteride Hair Loss Treatment Linked to Suicide Risk: New Study Reveals Long-Term Brain Effects and FDA Warnings

Finasteride has been associated with chronic brain inflammation and alterations in the hippocampus region.

A study conducted in Israel has discovered that finasteride, a widely used medication for hair loss treatment, may potentially elevate the risk of mood disorders and suicidal ideation. Initially approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in the 1990s, this medication has been connected to prolonged brain inflammation and structural changes in the hippocampus, which plays crucial roles in learning, memory, and emotional regulation. Despite early warnings appearing as far back as 2002, the FDA only incorporated depression as a possible side effect in 2011, with suicidal ideation added much later in 2022.

"The evidence is no longer anecdotal. We are now observing consistent patterns across diverse populations. The consequences may have been truly tragic," stated Dr. Mayer Brezis, a professor at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center and principal author of the research, in an official statement.

During legal proceedings related to a suicide case involving a finasteride user, Dr. Brezis discovered internal FDA documentation revealing that experts had recommended including "suicidal thoughts and behavior" on the drug's labeling as early as 2010.

"The recommendation was rejected by the agency without any disclosure of the internal discussions or rationale behind the final decision," Brezis noted in his publication in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Within a 2010 internal FDA document, Dr. Brezis found extensive sections marked as "confidential" and redacted, including estimates regarding the number of individuals potentially affected by finasteride's adverse effects. Although the FDA had officially recorded only 18 suicides linked to finasteride by 2011, Brezis contends that the actual global figure could reach into the thousands.

The physician also criticized Merck, the original manufacturer of finasteride, for inadequate safety research, and regulatory bodies for not requiring more comprehensive studies. He advocates for suspending finasteride's marketing for cosmetic applications until a thorough safety reassessment can be conducted.

Is there an alternative? Recent research indicates that stevioside, a natural sweetener derived from the stevia plant, can enhance the skin absorption of topical minoxidil, the active component in Rogaine. This combination was evaluated on mice with androgenetic alopecia and demonstrated promising outcomes, stimulating hair follicles to generate new growth.

For this research, scientists developed a dissolvable microneedle patch containing stevioside and minoxidil, which enhanced both the absorption and efficacy of the drug.

"Utilizing stevioside to enhance minoxidil delivery represents a promising advancement toward more effective and natural hair loss treatments, potentially benefiting millions of people worldwide," stated co-corresponding author Lifeng Kang from the University of Sydney in Australia.

Androgenetic alopecia is a common condition affecting approximately 80 million Americans. Statistics indicate that by age 50, over 50% of men and 25% of women will experience noticeable hair thinning or loss.