Side Effects of Propecia

A full head of hair is something many people put a high premium on. Hair loss can, therefore, be a highly disturbing thing for such individuals. More often than not, many of these end up on Propecia when they visit their doctors for help. This drug is quite popular and efficacious when it comes to combating hair shedding.

But as with most medications, Propecia comes with its side effects, which have different dimensions. We will be discussing some of the possible sexual side effects you may have from using the drug.

How Does Propecia Work?

It is appropriate to discuss a little about the mechanism of Propecia's action before proceeding further. This will make it easier to understand how it can lead to some identified side effects.

The main active ingredient in Propecia is finasteride. This compound helps to control the amount of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. The testosterone byproduct is a major culprit in the incidence of hair loss, especially among men with family history of hair loss. The enzyme 5-alpha reductase converts testosterone into DHT, resulting in shrinking of hair follicles.

DHT is also known to play a role in the development of prostate cancer.

Propecia interferes with the process of DHT formation. It inhibits the activity of 5-alpha reductase. Over time, this can bring DHT levels to optimal levels friendly to hair health. This not only controls hair loss, but also promotes new hair growth.

Propecia is more or less a low-strength version of Proscar. Both were originally developed for promoting prostate health. They help to regulate the level of activity of male hormones.

Sexual Side Effects of Propecia

We already mentioned that the drug can have a variety of side effects. These could be physiological or psychological in nature. Sexual problems are our interest here.

Erectile dysfunction

This is arguably the most talked about sexual side effects of Propecia. ED refers to difficulty by a man in getting or maintaining a firm erection. It is feared that the drug may be interfering with the activity of 5-alpha reductase enzymes in areas different from hair follicles or the prostate.

The fact is that DHT is a very important in the body, particularly for men. It helps to promote the structural integrity of nerves, connective tissue, and smooth muscle in the penis. The hormone possibly helps to maintain the nerve signaling pathways of the male organ.

There is another theory explaining how inhibition of DHT may lead to erectile dysfunction. This has it that the reduction possibly disturbs the balance of male and female hormones in the body.

It then means, while it may help with hair loss, Propecia may be causing a more worrisome problem for a man.

Low sexual desire

This side effect goes hand-in-hand with erectile dysfunction. Low sexual desire is even considered an ED symptom.

There are reports of users experiencing reduction or lack of interest in sexual activity from Propecia. While it is not everyone that uses the drug that experiences this, it can be rather upsetting for those unlucky to be affected. This can cause breakdown in romantic relationships.

Ejaculation problems

People who used Propecia have reported issues with ejaculation. These do manifest in different forms. For instance, it may come as retrograde ejaculation, a condition characterized by backward flow of semen into the bladder instead of outward flow.

The drug may cause quick or premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation, or total ejaculation failure. Reduction in semen volume is also possible. Men may experience infertility issues from use as well.

What Research Shows

You may be surprised to learn that it has long been known that Propecia is capable of producing these side effects. Some researchers pointed out the adverse effects of finasteride years before this drug became commercially available in the United States. That was back in the early 1990s.

Much attention or gravity was not given to the findings on side effects for years. For one, it was assumed that adverse reactions would rarely occur. The side effects were also not considered more seriously because such are rather expected in older men, who were the typical finasteride users.

But things have changed. An increasing number of younger men appear to now be using Propecia to ward off hair loss. And still, some of these are reporting side effects.

It was observed in a large study of more than 14,772 men that erectile dysfunction was the most common complaint. A total of 143 patients, accounting for about 1 percent of all subjects, reported it.

Around 8 percent of males taking finasteride developed erectile issues, double of those on a placebo, according to the American Urological Association. More of the former group (5 percent) also reported low libido. Four percent of the men had ejaculation problems.

A long-term study of over 1,500 men aged between 18 and 41 years also showed side effects. Researchers found that 4.2 percent of subjects who got Propecia developed ED, compared to 2.2 percent of those who received a placebo.

Do the Side Effects Go Away?

Typically, doctors tell their patients that side effects from drugs should last only a while. They should resolve after halting use. The same is said of Propecia side effects.

However, it doesn't appear like these issues always resolve after someone stops using the drug.

Back in 2012, ABC News published the story of one Kevin Malley. The then almost 30-year-old man said he became completely impotent within about five months of using Propecia to fight hair loss. The medication also messed up his mental health, according to him.

Malley said his doctor told him the side effects would only be for a while. But they seemed to have lasted up to the time of the report – about nine months after halting usage.

Research out of George Washington University published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine somewhat corroborated Malley’s claims. It focused on about 54 men under the age of 40. The side effects reported lasted longer than a year in almost all of the subjects.

However, some people picked holes in the subject selection process for that study – a limitation the researchers acknowledged. The men were recruited via an online forum, possibly involving more people displeased with the drug.

The number of subjects was also considered too low to draw a valid conclusion from.

Merck had reported sexual side effects from use of finasteride in a 2003 study. The researchers stated that these later resolved in about half of all subjects. But the other group had their issues explained off as possibly caused by other factors.

Independent researcher later found out that the side effects persisted for 40 months, on average, after the end of treatment among the other participants.

Some researchers think the side effects may last for several years. There are even people saying they could be permanent.

FDA Warnings

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has conceded that the use of Propecia comes with risks. The agency does not seem to believe these side effects are worth worrying so much about. But it accepts they should be disclosed.

Initially, after receiving complaints, the FDA required drug labels to include information that finasteride may cause erectile dysfunction and increase risk of prostate cancer after stopping use. Further revisions required disclosure of possible ejaculatory disorders, loss of libido, and male infertility when no longer being used.

Most medical professionals would tell you that there is no definite proof that Propecia can lead to erectile dysfunction or other sexual side effects. If is at all true that it can, they think the number of patients reporting these is not significant.

It is correct that the proportion of men using the drug that could suffer side effects is rather negligible. But that can become significant when you consider the popularity of use – think in real numbers. Besides, there is no telling who will experience the side effects.

If you are already having ED or libido issues, as a result of Propecia use or another reason, you could consider using VigRX Plus. This is probably the best natural male enhancement product on the market right now. It is safer and more affordable that popular prescription ED medications, such as Viagra.

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REFERENCES

Propecia Sexual Side Effects - Erectile Dysfunction & Decreased Libido (https://www.drugwatch.com/propecia/side-effects/)

Propecia, Proscar: New Sexual Dysfunction Warnings (https://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/news/20120413/propecia-proscar-new-sexual-dysfunction-warnings)

How Hair Loss Drugs Can Cause Erectile Dysfunction | Men’s Health (https://www.menshealth.com/health/hair-loss-drugs-and-erectile-dysfunction)

Baldness Drug Propecia May Have Long-Lasting, Possibly Permanent Sexual Side Effects - ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/baldness-drug-propecia-long-lasting-possibly-permanent-sexual/story?id=16758123)

Calm Down: Propecia Probably Isn't Causing Your Erectile Dysfunction - The Atlantic (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/07/calm-down-propecia-probably-isnt-causing-your-erectile-dysfunction/259803/)

How Propecia Works for Hair Loss (https://www.belgraviacentre.com/blog/how-propecia-works-for-hair-loss-109/)