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Drug that ‘reverses’ balding could also ‘lower cholesterol and prevent silent killer’
Experts said they expected to see the 'opposite' effect with the pills
A DRUG that can help "reverse" balding may also help cut your risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol, a study suggests.
Men who took finasteride — which is also used to treat enlarged prostates — had cholesterol scores that were 30 points lower on average than those who didn’t.
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US researchers surveyed 4,800 men from 2009 to 2016 to see if taking the drug had an effect on their levels of atherosclerosis — the narrowing of the arteries.
Dr Jaume Amengual, of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said: “When we looked at the men taking finasteride, 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.”
Finasteride, sold as Proscar and Propecia, is a drug used to treat balding and enlarged prostates, the benign condition King Charles had surgery for earlier this year.
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It was prescribed more than 4million times in England between 2022 and 2023, according to NHS data.
Studies show it is effective in treating male pattern baldness in 90 per cent of men over five years.
Finasteride for hair loss is not on the NHS and is only available on private prescription, meaning you have to pay full price - around £1 per pill at Superdrug or Boots.
The daily pill works by blocking a protein found in hair follicles and the prostate gland that activates testosterone, the male sex hormone.
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Former president Donald Trump took the drug, according to his doctor, while celebrities including Ashton Kutcher have been rumoured to have taken it as well.
Atherosclerosis is a common condition that is caused by a build-up of fatty material called plaque in your artery walls, causing them to narrow.
It can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, coronary heart disease, chest pain and peripheral arterial disease, when enough blood can’t get to your leg muscles.
Previous research has suggested there is a link between testosterone and atherosclerosis, but its role is not entirely clear.
Mice that were given a high dose of finasteride showed lower cholesterol levels in the arteries
Donald Molina Chaves
The latest study, published in Elsevier’s , looked at how the finasteride impacts the risk of the condition.
Researchers surveyed 4,800 people, of which 155, all men over 50, reported using finasteride.
After finding those on the drug tended to have lower levels of cholesterol, they tested how it worked on mice.
Dr Amengual said: “This was not a clinical study in which you can control everything perfectly.
“It was more of an observation that led us to say, ‘Okay, now we've seen this in people. Let's see what happens in mice.”
The team tested four levels of finasteride — 0, 10, 100, and 1000 milligrams per kilogram of food — in male mice genetically predisposed to atherosclerosis.
Humans take 1 milligram or 5 milligram doses of finasteride daily for hair loss and enlarged prostate, respectively.
The mice took the drug, along with a high-fat, high-cholesterol “Western” diet, for 12 weeks. Researchers analysed the levels of cholesterol and other lipids in the mice afterwards, along with evidence of atherosclerotic plaques.
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Doctoral student Donald Molina Chaves, of the same university, said: “Mice that were given a high dose of finasteride showed lower cholesterol levels within the plasma as well as in the arteries.
“There were also fewer lipids and inflammatory markers in the liver.”
What are the symptoms of atherosclerosis?
You may not have any symptoms of atherosclerosis, but symptoms can include:
- chest pain
- pain in your arms and legs, especially when exercising
- feeling short of breath
- feeling tired all the time
- feeling weak
- feeling confused
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