I’ve been saying this for quite some time and the evidence is truly mounting against these compounds. This 2018 study looked at sexual side effects from antidepressants, 5α-reductase inhibitors and isotretinoin. The participants were from a global adverse event reporting website used to investigate sexual side effects. Take a look at the different side effects from each treatment (importantly, this is not a randomised control trial and relies on people documenting their sexual side effects, it does not provide information on the proportion of men who experience side effects).
As we can see, ED is by far the most common side effect. For antidepressants, it seems like a general loss of sexual desire, sensation and libido is common. This is also quite similar for isotretinoin. Interestingly, finasteride has a more varied symptom profile, with about 1/3 of men reporting watery ejaculate, testicular atrophy and reduced penis size.
Unfortunately, authors noted that In many instances the sexual dysfunction only appeared or became significantly worse when treatment was stopped. Three subjects on SSRIs reported an increasing loss of sexual function as the dose was tapered. For all three drug groups there were reports of profound dysfunction appearing within days of stopping.
Further, it doesn’t seem like theres a benefit to tapering off SSRIs with regards to reducing symptoms.
What do you think? I’ll be posting more studies about the harms of these substances. Please let me know if you’ve experienced these things.
So my hair loss came out of nowhere when I was 24. I was going through a stressful time at school, at work, and in a relationship. Wasn’t sleeping, barely training and eating.
Rapid progression of hairloss within months and no family history on either side.
Stress subsided and hair thickened over a few years but never back to normal.
I’ve used some supplements and minoxidil but it still continued to thin overtime.
I then mixed in finasteride to my minoxidil at approximately 1mg per ml. Big mistake.
Within minutes I felt this overwhelming sense to darkness and doom. Like an instant depression. I realized what it was thankfully.
So I reduced it to 0.25mg/ml and it was better. But water ejaculation and harder to get hard.
Eventually I stopped. It didn’t do much change over a year.
I tried RU58841 but it made my heart beat feel funny 30 minutes after using it and I couldn’t sleep. Even at half the dose. So I stopped.
Now i focus on collagen and nutrient deficiences, keeping t-hgh and E-low. Its platueaed for the most part until, again, relationship and work stress increased.
I can actually see that my scalp gets red and inflammed where the hairloss is. It seems to be thinning a bit more. I’m going to use something for inflammation (red light therapy??) reduce stress.
Either way, I dont think finasteride is worth the risk. Whats the point of a luxurious full head of hair if you can’t enjoy sex?
