How does Finasteride 1 mg affect male fertility despite increasing the testosterone level?

Question

Hello doctor,

If high testosterone levels mean higher sexual drive, how come Finasteride 1 mg causes infertility in men?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Your assumption is not correct.

Finasteride is an oral tablet available in several brand names such as Proscar and Propecia. It is also available as a generic drug in some places.

Uses of Finasteride are;

1) Finasteride is used to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostate hyperplasia).

2) It is used to treat male pattern hair loss. But Finasteride is not prescribed for women or children.

Mode of Action:

Finasteride decreases the amount of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT normally causes your prostate to grow larger. The decrease in DHT helps to prevent prostatic growth. It can also lead to increased hair growth in your scalp, but hair growth in other parts of the body are not affected.

Side effects:

The more common side effects of Finasteride include:

• Decreased sex drive.

• Loss of libido.

• Loss of erection.

• Ejaculation disorder.

• Increase in breast size and tenderness.

• Skin rashes.

If these effects are mild, they may disappear within a few days. If they are more severe or do not disappear, stop the medicine and consult a specialist doctor.

Regards.