Finasteride Causes an Upregulation of Androgen Receptors?
hello doctor rassman
there was a study done where finasteride upregulates adrogen receptors in the prostate. here is the link– PubMedis it possible that a user who takes finasteride for hairloss can have an upregulation of androgen receptors at scalp level? therefore causing more hairloss while on propecia? or propecia not working at all?
I am not a biochemist to give you a clear answer on how this study relates to hair loss. Of note, this was a very limited study in 47 cases in a cell line study.
The big picture here is that people take Propecia for the treatment of hair loss, and the studies of this drug have shown effectiveness for this. The research does not show that it produces hair loss.
You’ll notice the upregulation effects were seen in hyperplastic cells, and prostate adenocarcinoma cells with a high sensitivity to androgens (LNCaP). Since both of these cell types have developed cancerous and unstable characteristics, it’s difficult to say how the results might apply to healthy cells (particularly healthy cells in an entirely different part of the body).
It’s worth noting that multiplying androgen receptors is a normal characteristic of prostate tumors, and not something specific to finasteride. Virulent prostate cancer cells will grow literally thousands of times the normal number of androgen receptor cells, as they use androgens to fuel and enable their growth.
That is why completely suppressing gonadal function (with GnRH injections) fails to stop prostate cancer from killing many men. The cancer can multiply its receptors until tiny traces of secondary androgens (from, eg, the adrenal glands) are enough to keep it growing.
Dr. Rassman is correct in stating that the upregulation of androgen receptors is unlikely to expedite or cause further hair loss. On the contrary, an alteration of the AR is a very serious adjustment which may be irreversible and cause a smorgasbord of unintended consequences. The big picture is not about hair in this instance, but that finasteride is involved in the mechanism of the regulation pathway. Very little is known about this potent and mysterious mechanism but I have been told research on this topic is currently underway.