ReviewTranslational andrology and urology2026
Low-dose finasteride in benign prostatic hyperplasia: a comprehensive narrative review of efficacy, safety, and preventative potential.
Review in Translational andrology and urology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and Objective: Finasteride 5 mg is a well-established therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Lower doses, such as finasteride 1 mg-commonly prescribed for androgenic alopecia-also produce measurable suppression of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). This review examines the available evidence related to finasteride 1 mg with respect to prostate biology, safety, and its theoretical potential in modifying BPH risk when initiated earlier in life and its hypothesis-generating potential for preventive use. Methods: A structured review of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from January 1990 through January 2026 was performed to identify studies evaluating finasteride 1 mg with prostate-relevant biologic or surrogate outcomes, including PSA suppression and androgen modulation. Pharmacodynamic dose-response studies were reviewed, and landmark randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of finasteride 5 mg in men with BPH were included for clinical context regarding established prostate volume, symptoms, and progression outcomes. Key Content and Findings: Observational and secondary analyses evaluating long-term exposure to finasteride 1 mg demonstrate consistent biologic effects on prostate-related pathways, most notably suppression of serum PSA. Prostate volume, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), and progression-related outcomes were not predefined primary endpoints in available studies evaluating finasteride 1 mg, and direct evidence demonstrating clinical benefit for these outcomes at the 1 mg dose is lacking. Conclusions: Finasteride 1 mg produces measurable biologic effects on prostate-related pathways, including suppression of DHT and PSA. However, clinical prostate outcomes-such as reductions in prostate volume, improvement in LUTS, and prevention of disease progression-are supported only by randomized trials evaluating finasteride 5 mg. Finasteride 1 mg may therefore be best considered a hypothesis-generating option for early or preventive strategies in selected younger men. Large RCTs are warranted to determine whether these biologic effects translate into clinically meaningful benefits.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.