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		Search Text: < Back To Home/Commonly prescribed hair loss drug might lower risk of heart disease

NHLBI IN THE PRESS
                                        
                    Commonly prescribed hair loss drug might lower risk of heart disease
                    
                    March 04, 2024
                                                            Image of a man sitting on a couch checking his hair in the mirror
    A new NHLBI-funded study finds a medication used to treat two common men’s health condition is linked with lower cholesterol and other heart healthy benefits.The medication finasteride, more commonly known as Propecia or Proscar, is prescribed to men to treat male pattern baldness and enlarged prostate. Finasteride works by blocking a protein found in hair follicles and the prostate gland that activates testosterone, which has been suspected to play a role in atherosclerosis. Analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2009 and 2016, researchers found a significant link between men who had taken finasteride and lower cholesterol levels – on average, 30 points less than men who were not on the medication.In a follow up study, the researchers dosed finasteride to mice that were genetically predisposed to develop atherosclerosis along with a high-fat, high-cholesterol Western diet. They found that the highest dose led to reduced cholesterol, delayed development of atherosclerosis, and reduced liver inflammation.According to the study authors, “our data unveil finasteride as a potential treatment to delay cardiovascular disease in people by improving the plasma lipid profile.”The research is published in the*Journal of Lipid Research*.
                        Media Coverage
                
    March 04, 2024
      |
            American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
                Finasteride may cut heart disease risk
                                                                                                
        February 29, 2024
      |
            Fox News
                Hair loss and prostate medication could also reduce heart disease risk, study finds
                                                                                                
        February 28, 2024
      |
            Everyday Health
                A Common Hair Loss Drug May Cut Heart Disease Risk
                                                                                                
        February 23, 2024
      |
            Medical News Today
                Hair loss drug finasteride may also help reduce heart disease risk
                                                                                                
        February 23, 2024
      |
            Healthline
                Finasteride Hair Loss Drug May Also Help Lower Cholesterol
                                                                                                
        February 20, 2024
      |
            University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne
                Common hair loss and prostate drug may also cut heart disease risk in men and mice Back To Top Link
  

        

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