The healthy 22-year-old who noticed his testicles mysteriously shrinking. The 23-year-old suffered a sudden erectile dysfunction which subsequently ruined their relationship. And another twenty-something who suffered agonizing pain in his genitals.
These men have one thing in common: They, like 2 million Americans, have taken the hair loss drug finasteride in an effort to restore their bald locks.
In letters to DailyMail.com, men from around the world have described the devastating effects the drug, although effective in reversing hair loss, has had on their libido and ability to perform in the bedroom.
The flurry of emails comes on the heels of DailyMail.com’s recent report on long-lasting sexual side effects in men and women who have taken antidepressant medications such as Zoloft and Effexor.
Sumair Ahluwalia from Illinois says that after starting finasteride he developed genital atrophy, low libido, brain fog, slow beard growth, muscle loss, and more.
These patients described completely losing their libido, a symptom that did not resolve even years after they stopped taking the medication.
Disturbing side effects of finasteride include infertility, erectile dysfunction, reduced libido, decreased ejaculate volume, and loss of sensation below the belt.
Finasteride is a prescription medication that stops hair loss by blocking the production of a chemical called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), responsible for male pattern baldness.
It is sold online by men’s health companies, such as Hims, for as little as $22 for a monthly supply and is available in pill or topical form.
The typical dose taken is one milligram. But some clients say that even with that low dose, they have suffered sexual side effects that have affected their personal lives and relationships.
Sumair Ahluwalia, 22, of Illinois, says the topical version of the drug hurt him, perhaps permanently.
He told DailyMail.com that he was prescribed the medication through the online prescription platform Hims, and that his symptoms began just two days after receiving the prescription.
“At first I felt a burning pain in my genitals,” he said. “But since then I have developed genital atrophy, low libido, brain fog, slow beard growth, muscle loss, muscle twitches, jaw recession and more.”
When he stopped the drug, the burning stopped. But he later noted sexual apathy, “almost like that part of my brain had been ripped out.”
Evidence supporting anecdotal reports is mixed, but several studies have shown that the drug can also affect fertility.
Meanwhile, a young man named Erik, 23, who lives in Sweden, started taking the drug in October 2022 after type 1 diabetes caused him to lose his hair.
He said: “(The doctor) did not talk about any side effects and said that it is a very safe medicine… I was not worried at all because I asked my doctor about the side effects and he told me that there were no side effects on the to think about.”
The following May he began experiencing mental confusion and erectile dysfunction.
He said: “The problems became increasingly worse in the months that followed and I asked my doctor and his response was to increase the dose to five milligrams a day, which I declined, but I was confident that it was not the medication causing the problems.” .
He stopped taking it in October 2023 when he heard that a friend had a similar problem, but by that time he had begun to show neurological abnormalities.
Erik added: “Since then, my doctor has found neurological problems, lesions in my brain, inflammation in my eyes, intestine and sinuses, which he believes is because my body reacted to the finasteride and is in a state panic after stopping the medication.
“The drug has shown good effects on hair loss, but the downsides are so underreported it’s crazy.”
The 37-year-old hair transplant specialist pictured said that after taking finasteride for four years, he has had a lower libido and problems achieving a full erection.
Several men wrote to DailyMail.com anonymously. One person said the drug had a profound effect on his sex life both times he took it.
He said: ‘The first time I took fin (sic), it was about 18 months before I had erection problems. I could always get an erection, but it was 75 to 80 percent stronger… I got scared and stopped and within three months things were back to normal.
‘I started again at the end of last year to see if things would be the same, and they were.
He added: ‘During the time I had sex with the oral fin, the sex itself was noticeably worse. “I can always finish, but I may have to take a break.”
Another 37-year-old Turkish man said after taking finasteride For four years he has had a lower libido and problems achieving a full erection.
He said: ‘The wood is not as strong as it used to be.
Curiously, José Alférez, personal trainer, said that initially experienced an increase in your libido about a month after starting finasteride.
He said: “It wasn’t until I was four months old that I started to experience the side effects of low libido.”
“My doctor told me that you have to choose between your hair and your gonads.”
In 2017, the consumer watchdog group Public Citizen filed a lawsuit on behalf of patients asking that the FDA add a warning to the drug about sexual side effects or remove it from the market.
To date, no ruling has been issued and the medication remains available.
The scientific evidence supporting the legitimacy of the men’s claims is mixed.
Some experts believe that erection problems could be related to other medications they are taking, such as antidepressants, or they could be related to an untreated mental health problem.
Still, a 2011 report in the journal sexual medicine found that “a subset of men report long-term adverse effects on sexual function, such as erectile dysfunction and decreased libido, raising the possibility of a causal relationship.”
Another report, this time in the magazine. Fertility and sterility, said: ‘Finasteride, even at low doses, can cause a reduction in sperm count in some men. In this population, counts improved dramatically for most men after discontinuation of finasteride treatment.’
The safety of the drug is uncertain and needs further investigation and documentation.