The medication for male pattern
baldness, Propecia, may help patients reduce their alcohol consumption. This
has been stated by a new study found in the journal “Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research”. The
active ingredient involved –namely, Finasteride– has been noticed to have this
effect in male rodents in past studies but this is the first study that has considered
the impact on human alcohol consumption.
The research found that more than
half (65%) of men, who have stopped taking finasteride for at least 3 months (because
of sexual-related side effects), reported a decrease in alcohol intake. This
study is part of a research project that seeks to understand how Finasteride
affects the production of neurosteroids and, therefore, how it might alter
brain’s processes.
The study (by Professor Michael
S. Irwig) can really only be seen as a starting point for further research on
the subject. This is because of three main methodological reasons. First of
all, the research does not have a control group: useful to compare the results
from the experimental group and help understand the extent to which the results
are significant. Secondly, evidence seems to be based on reports from patients
during interviews, which might be subjective and not as accurate as scientific
testing. Thirdly, the sample population was formed by men who have had adverse
sexual-related side effects to the drug, hence, the conclusions cannot be
applied to men who use Propecia regularly and do not have side effects, nor to
men who have never used (and do not need) the hair loss medication. There might
also be other external factors that might cause patients to report decreased
alcohol consumption.
Although the report is
interesting, it really has very little value at this stage as we cannot
demonstrate a causal relationship. It should also be pointed out that the
participants were clearly social drinkers rather than problem drinkers so the
applicability of Finasteride as a potential treatment for alcohol addiction is
far from established. Based on my random sample of one (myself), I can
exclusively report that Finasteride has had no impact on my alcohol consumption
whatsoever.