Finasteride, a hair loss medication, reduces sexual desire in men who take it.

the verdict

INSUFFICIENT LEANING

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7 sources for · 0 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Is it true that Finasteride, a hair loss medication, reduces sexual desire in men who take it?

Unclear. Several peer-reviewed reviews and cohort studies report that finasteride is associated with sexual adverse events, including decreased libido, in men treated for hair loss; the strongest of these is a systematic review of placebo-controlled trials reporting sexual adverse events in roughly 2-7% of treated men versus 1-4% on placebo. No retrieved item settles the general claim at full strength, and none contradicts it.

Verdict: PARTIAL LEAN · 7 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 2 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

Evidence for · 7

Drugs and sexual desire

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Drugs and sexual desire. (n.d.). en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drugs_and_sexual_desire

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More for · 6

Does Finasteride reduce hair loss?

2012

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Does Finasteride reduce hair loss?. (2012). skeptics.stackexchange.com. https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/9945/does-finasteride-reduce-hair-loss

Finasteride for hair loss: a review.

2022

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Gupta, A. K., Venkataraman, M., Talukder, M., & Bamimore, M. A. (2022). Finasteride for hair loss: a review.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1080/09546634.2021.1959506

Persistent Sexual Side Effects of Finasteride for Male Pattern Hair Loss

2011

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Irwig, M. S. & Kolukula, S. (2011). Persistent Sexual Side Effects of Finasteride for Male Pattern Hair Loss. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02255.x

Sexual dysfunction associated with 5α-reductase inhibitors in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a systematic review.

2026

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A, Z., B, J., & PK, K. (2026). Sexual dysfunction associated with 5α-reductase inhibitors in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia: a systematic review.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2026.1787706

Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Thoughts Among Former Users of Finasteride With Persistent Sexual Side Effects

2012

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Depressive Symptoms and Suicidal Thoughts Among Former Users of Finasteride With Persistent Sexual Side Effects. (2012). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.12m07887

Persistent Sexual and Psychological Symptoms After Finasteride Discontinuation: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

2026

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P, J., T, Z., J, R., K, C., TW, K., P, U., & T, S. (2026). Persistent Sexual and Psychological Symptoms After Finasteride Discontinuation: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15082947

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