“Is Post Finasteride Syndrome Real?”
The drug finasteride, used for hairloss and BPH. There are thousands of anecdotes online saying it can permanently cause erectile dysfunction, and tons of other nasty symptoms. Is it real?
1 Answer
Finasteride may cause sexual dysfunction, including impotence, decreased libido, ejaculatory disorder, and sexual disorder (Ref), which may persist after discontinuation (Ref). Of note, it has been hypothesized that persistent sexual dysfunction may contribute to psychological adverse reactions (eg, anxiety and depression) and suicidal ideation and suicidal tendencies in younger patients treated for alopecia (Ref).
Mechanism: Dose and time-related; may be related to antiandrogenic effects and subsequent decreased nitric oxide in the corpus cavernosum (Ref).
Onset: Delayed; may begin after ~6 months of therapy and peak during the first year (Ref).
Risk factors:
• Independent risk factors include older patients and benign prostatic hyperplasia (Ref)
• Higher dosage of finasteride (5 mg/day) (Ref)
• Length of therapy ≥1 year (Ref)
Mechanism: Dose and time-related; may be related to antiandrogenic effects and subsequent decreased nitric oxide in the corpus cavernosum (Ref).
Onset: Delayed; may begin after ~6 months of therapy and peak during the first year (Ref).
Risk factors:
• Independent risk factors include older patients and benign prostatic hyperplasia (Ref)
• Higher dosage of finasteride (5 mg/day) (Ref)
• Length of therapy ≥1 year (Ref)
