A recent study has found that finasteride, a drug commonly used to treat hair loss and benign prostate issues, may also play a significant role in reducing cardiovascular disease risk. This promising discovery, made by a team of scientists led by Dr. Jaume Amengual at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, suggests that a medication usually prescribed for cosmetic or prostate health reasons could have broader health benefits, specifically for heart health.
Four Interesting Key Facts
- Finasteride reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol.
- It also reduced fatty deposits in the arteries of genetically modified mice.
- Data showed that men using finasteride had lower cholesterol levels compared to those not taking the drug.
- The safety profile of it is well established, making it a promising candidate for repurposing to help prevent cardiovascular disease, pending further clinical trials.
Finasteride is a drug that most people associate with hair loss treatment, specifically male pattern baldness. But the research, recently published in the Journal of Lipid Research, indicates that the benefits of finasteride might extend beyond its usual purposes. Dr. Patrick McQueen, one of the study’s authors, explains, “We initially started studying finasteride because of its effect on hormones, but soon realized it could have significant benefits for cardiovascular health as well.”
The problem the researchers were trying to address is a major one: cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death worldwide. CVD is primarily driven by atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty deposits build up in the arteries, leading to blockages that can result in heart attacks or strokes. Many treatments aim to reduce cholesterol or improve heart function, but there is still a need for more effective methods to prevent or delay the progression of atherosclerosis itself.
How Finasteride Helps the Heart
The study focused on how finasteride affects atherosclerosis in mice that were genetically modified to be prone to this condition. These mice were given finasteride along with a Western-style diet that is typically high in fats and cholesterol. The researchers discovered that finasteride significantly reduced the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries, which are the hallmark of atherosclerosis. More importantly, it also appeared to reduce the cholesterol levels in the blood—one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Amengual notes, “Our findings show that finasteride not only reduces cholesterol levels but also decreases the progression of atherosclerosis. This could potentially make it an effective tool in preventing cardiovascular disease in humans.” By reducing inflammation and the accumulation of harmful cells in arterial walls, finasteride appeared to help stabilize arterial plaques, making them less likely to rupture and cause heart attacks or strokes.
Benefits Beyond Baldness
What makes this finding so intriguing is that finasteride is already widely used and has a well-understood safety profile. Since its approval by the FDA, finasteride has been one of the most prescribed medications for treating benign prostate hyperplasia and hair loss. The idea that a commonly prescribed drug could be repurposed to help prevent heart disease could have significant implications for public health.
The study also analyzed data from human patients, using information gathered from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The researchers found that men who reported using finasteride had lower levels of cholesterol compared to those who weren’t taking the drug. This correlation further supports the potential of finasteride as a means of managing cardiovascular health.
Dr. Donald Molina, another lead researcher, explained, “It’s rare to see a drug that’s primarily used for one condition have such a promising effect on another major health issue. We believe that the cholesterol-lowering effects seen in both mice and humans suggest that finasteride could be a valuable addition to current heart disease prevention strategies.”
What Does This Mean for You?
For those who are already taking finasteride for hair loss or prostate issues, this new research might be welcome news. While the researchers caution that more clinical trials are needed to fully understand the effects on cardiovascular health, these initial findings open up an exciting avenue of exploration. Finasteride could one day become part of a broader preventative treatment plan for people at risk of cardiovascular disease.
The next steps for this research include larger clinical trials that will assess whether these benefits can be seen consistently in people. If these studies confirm the results seen in mice and the human data analysis, it could lead to a new use for a drug that many people are already taking—potentially saving thousands of lives each year by preventing heart attacks and strokes.
“The potential is really exciting,” says Dr. Amengual. “We are looking at a drug that’s already well-known and relatively inexpensive, which means the pathway to making a difference in people’s lives could be much faster compared to developing a brand-new medication.”
As we await further studies, these findings bring a sense of optimism that advancements in cardiovascular health could come from the most unexpected of places—like a medication sitting on the bathroom shelf of those hoping to combat hair loss. It’s a reminder of how interconnected the body’s systems are and how medicines designed for one issue can sometimes help solve another.
