Health
Hair-loss drug tied to suicides, depression and anxiety in global study
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This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Millions of men undergoing hair loss treatment may be putting their mental health on the line.
Finasteride, a hair-loss drug prescribed for androgenetic alopecia, the most common form of baldness, has been linked to a higher risk of suicide in global studies.
A recent review by Mayer Brezis, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which was published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, argues that there is now enough evidence to mark depression, anxiety and suicidality as genuine risks of the drug.
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Finasteride has been linked to depression and suicide for more than 20 years, Brezis revealed, calling attention to the lack of action from manufacturers and regulators.
These concerns were raised in several studies as early as 2002. Four independent analyses and four studies indicating a “significant increase” in depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior were released between 2017 and 2023.
Multiple global studies have linked finasteride with an increase in depression, anxiety and suicidal behavior. (iStock)
“There has been, therefore, a two-decade delay in the realization of the incidences and the gravity of neuropsychiatric effects, allowing harm from a medicine prescribed for a cosmetic indication of hair loss,” the author wrote in the study.
“Over 20 years worldwide, hundreds of thousands may have endured depression, and hundreds may have died by suicide.”
Finasteride users have reported ongoing symptoms even after the drug is stopped, including insomnia, panic attacks, cognitive dysfunction and suicidal thoughts.
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In a Hebrew University of Jerusalem press release, Brezis reiterated that the evidence of this connection is “no longer anecdotal.”
“We now see consistent patterns across diverse populations. And the consequences may have been tragic,” he said.
Finasteride is a hair-loss drug prescribed for androgenetic alopecia. (iStock)
“The lesson is that before approving a medication for the market, regulators should require manufacturers to commit to performing and disclosing ongoing post-approval analytical studies, and this requirement needs to be enforced,” Brezis concluded in the review.
In 2011, the FDA reportedly acknowledged depression as a potential side effect of finasteride, adding suicidality in 2022.
The agency recorded 18 suicides linked to finasteride in 2011, although Brezis argued that the number should have “ranged in the thousands.”
In an additional statement sent to Fox News Digital, Brezis confirmed that physicians frequently prescribe finasteride “offhandedly because they are not aware of its risks.”
“My recommendation to patients and physicians: Stay away from this medication,” the researcher said. (iStock)
“Young people often get it from the internet without realizing it can cause anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts, in addition to sexual impairment,” he said. “Unfortunately, these adverse effects may persist after discontinuing the medication.
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“My recommendation to patients and physicians: Stay away from this medication,” he said. “My recommendation to the FDA: Take it off the market.”
Finasteride was reportedly invented by biopharmaceutical company Merck, which manufactures the drug under the brand names Proscar and Propecia. Other companies produce generic finasteride versions.
“Organon stands behind the safety and efficacy of its finasteride products.”
Organon, formerly part of Merck, is the manufacturer of Propecia and Proscar, two finasteride products. The company provided the below statement to Fox News Digital.
“Organon stands behind the safety and efficacy of its finasteride products. Regulatory agencies around the world thoroughly reviewed the safety and efficacy data for these medicines before their approval, and they, together with Organon, have continued to review additional safety and efficacy data in the decades that these products have been on the market as part of the rigorous, routine post-marketing surveillance process.”
The company encourages patients to speak with their doctors if they have any questions or concerns about their health or medication.
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A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also weighed in on the findings in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“The FDA advises patients to discuss the potential risks and benefits with their healthcare providers before using any pharmaceutical product,” the statement read. “This is particularly important as the FDA has not approved any topical finasteride products, which have been associated with numerous adverse effects reported to the agency.”
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Just four minutes of daily strength exercises can dramatically improve mobility, balance and leg strength in older adults, per new research from the Penn State College of Medicine.
Standard public health guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. However, the study suggests that fewer than one in five older adults meet the recommended muscle-strengthening guidelines.
The research team designed a home-based program called Functional Activity Strength Training, or FAST-2. They evaluated 97 sedentary participants 65 and older, with an average age of 74.
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Before entering the study, these individuals were averaging just 18 minutes of total physical activity each week.
The older adults were randomly split into two groups, with one group performing the daily exercise routine and the other serving as a control group that received no intervention, according to the study’s press release.
Just four minutes of daily home strength training can significantly improve mobility, balance and leg strength in older adults, according to a Penn State College of Medicine study. (iStock)
Participants performed four basic movements for 30 seconds each, separated by 30-second rest intervals. The entire routine lasted exactly four minutes. The circuit consisted of push-ups, chair stands, two-arm resistance-band rows and stair stepping.
To keep the routine accessible, researchers provided written explanations and simple modifications. For example, participants could perform push-ups against a kitchen counter or wall, or use their hands on their knees for support during chair stands.
Participants were also given four elastic resistance bands and an adjustable step platform.
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“Exercise is actually really complicated, because you have to decide how many repetitions, how far, how many sets, how much rest and how many times per week,” co-author Smita Dandekar, associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine, said in the press release.
“It’s hard work … so if we can make it short, we’re part [of the] way there.”
The program consisted of four basic movements: push-ups, chair stands, resistance-band rows and stair stepping. (iStock)
As the participants grew stronger, they were encouraged to progress to higher levels of difficulty, such as transitioning away from modifications or increasing the height of the stepper.
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After 12 weeks, the results suggested that a tiny dose of regular exercise could yield noticeable physical benefits. In a 30-second chair-stand test, the exercise group performed an average of 4.2 more repetitions than the control group.
“These indicators … give you a sense of whether or not you’re going to be able to be active in the future.”
The adults doing the exercises also shaved 2.3 seconds off their time during a test measuring how they could stand up and sit down five times consecutively. Furthermore, they extended their one-legged balance time by an average of 3.6 seconds.
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The researchers emphasized that these specific measurements are critical medical indicators of an older adult’s future health.
By keeping the routine ultra-short, researchers eliminated common barriers like time constraints and exhaustion, resulting in an exceptionally high 81% workout completion rate. (iStock)
“These indicators predict your future ability to go into a nursing home, your future likelihood of falling and of developing difficulty walking,” noted lead author Christopher Sciamanna, professor of medicine and of public health at Penn State College of Medicine, in the press release.
“They give you a sense of whether or not you’re going to be able to be active in the future.”
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While traditional home exercise programs generally see low engagement, the participants in this study successfully completed their workouts on 81% of the tracked days, according to the researchers.
After 12 weeks, exercising seniors gained the ability to complete an average of four more chair-stand repetitions than those who did not exercise. (iStock)
The study had several noted limitations. As it tracked a relatively small sample size of fewer than 100 individuals over a brief 12-week time frame, it is unknown whether these mobility gains can be sustained long-term.
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Additionally, the researchers did not specify the exact dropout rates or detail how the routine might affect seniors who already relied on assistive devices like walkers or canes.
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Because the final trial results reflected a specific group of participants who met the entry criteria, further investigation is required to determine whether the short routine can safely benefit older adults facing more severe physical limitations or cognitive decline.
The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
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Jill Smokler, founder of Scary Mommy, has died at age 48 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
The popular “mommy blogger” had been fighting the disease for the past two years, according to an announcement posted on ScaryMommy.com on Monday.
The stay-at-home mother of three launched the blog in 2008 as a place to share the “joys and pitfalls” of parenting, according to the article.
As Scary Mommy expanded from a personal blog into a major parenting brand, Smokler built a following with her honest, often self-deprecating take on motherhood. She went on to speak at blogging conferences, author bestselling books, appear on national television programs and earn three Webby Awards, her biography states.
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“Jill spent her life telling the truth about motherhood — that it could be wonderful and impossible in the very same breath — and in doing so, she gave millions of women permission to stop pretending and feel a little less alone,” her family shared in a statement following her passing.
Jill Smokler, founder of Scary Mommy (pictured in 2018), has died at age 48 after a battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. (Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun/ZUMA Press Wire / Shutterstock)
“She was funny, fearless, generous and entirely herself. More than anything she built, Jill was proudest of her three children, Lily, Ben and Evan. We are heartbroken to lose her, and endlessly proud of the mark she left on the world.”
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Smokler’s first sign of the disease was in April 2024, when she experienced a sudden seizure. She then underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, after which she didn’t recognize her own children, she previously shared with Today.
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“I am definitely grateful that I don’t remember the looks on their faces when I didn’t recognize them,” she said. “That must have been gutting.”
Smokler was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults and one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer. There is currently no cure.
About 13.9% of all brain tumors are glioblastomas, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. (iStock)
Following surgery, the blogger underwent radiation and chemotherapy, during which she was open about her treatment side effects, including fatigue and hair loss. Additional surgeries and clinical trials followed, according to previous interviews.
“Thank you, Jill, for everything. May you rest in peace,” the Scary Mommy post concluded.
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About 13.9% of all brain tumors are glioblastomas, according to the American Brain Tumor Association. More than 12,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
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Median survival is approximately 12 to 18 months after diagnosis, even with treatment. Only about 5% to 7% of patients survive five years after diagnosis, data shows.
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