Impotent from hair restorers

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

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Men who take long-term hair loss medication are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction. Apparently the funds intervene more strongly in the budget of the sex hormones than desired.

When men go bald, testosterone is usually the cause. With the help of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, it is converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In the case of hereditary hair loss, the hair roots in the forehead and crown area are sensitive to this hormone.

The active ingredient finasteride blocks 5-alpha reductase and can thus maintain the splendor of the hair. For this, however, a permanent intake of the tablets is necessary. If the user takes them off again, the hair also begins to fall out again.

Decreased libido

Many men who take finasteride are aware that it could affect their sexual appetite. But the effects on love life are even more serious for some: The pills can cause erectile dysfunction - even years after the hair growth tablets have been discontinued. This also applies to younger men.

Scientists led by Steven Belknap from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine had evaluated data from almost 12,000 men who had taken either finasteride or the active ingredient dutasteride. The latter also blocks the conversion of testosterone into DHT, but is not prescribed as an anti-hair loss agent, but - like higher doses of finasteride - for a benign enlarged prostate.

Impotent for four years

Around 500 of the participants developed erectile dysfunction for the first time while taking the substances, in 170 of them it was even permanent. This is only a small percentage of the pores, but the consequences were serious: on average, the potency only recovered almost four years after the tablets were discontinued. In some of those affected, not even potency-enhancing drugs were able to restore sexual function.

The duration of use was decisive for the risk: For young men between 16 and 42 years of age who took a drug for longer than seven months (205 days), the risk of permanent erectile dysfunction increased fivefold compared to shorter periods of use.

The duration of the intake is therefore a greater risk factor for persistent erectile dysfunction than known risk factors such as age, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, depression and alcohol abuse.

The researchers are now calling for the treating physicians to take this relationship into account when prescribing 5-alpha reductase inhibitors - and to educate their patients more about the possible side effects.

The bald head comes from the mother

Studies by the University of Edinburgh recently showed that hereditary hair loss is a complex phenomenon. The researchers had evaluated the genetic data of more than 52,000 men. They were able to link almost 300 gene regions with baldness. Interestingly, a significant part of them were on the X chromosome, which men get from their mothers.

Tags:  skin care teeth drugs