March 20 2006, 11:32 am PT | Posted in: Drugs
I have heard that propecia can cause muscle loss as well as the loss of facial hair . Is there any truth behind this and if so why do they not list this as possible side effects ?
Not sure where you heard these latest bits of quasi-information, but they are amusing and I’ll add them to my pile of “Hair Loss Rumors”. The FDA requires that Merck (makers of Propecia) list all side effects, and just to avoid lawsuits, drug companies usually list any potential side effects the drug can have as well, no matter how embarassing or remote.
Propecia blocks DHT formation, and since DHT is formed from testosterone, it raises testosterone levels slighly and temporarily. Since one’s testosterone goes up briefly, muscle and facial hair GAIN would be the expected consequence. Fortunately, the body’s own feedback mechanisms bring your testosterone back to normal levels pretty quickly, so long-term effects from this slightly increased testosterone are unlikely.
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Balding Forum
Well, I’m 40, and may be a good example of what he’s asking or rumors he’s heard. Taking finasteride did result in muscle loss for me, along with decreased libido. I dropped over 17 lbs (215 down to 198) of muscle while taking finasteride at roughly 1.25mgs per day for five months (5mg proscar divided cut in quarters). At 5′10″, I was pretty big, and was totally shocked at what happened. No amount of working out put the muscle back on.
I discontinued the finasteride treatments about a month ago, and after dropping down to about 197 shortly after stopping, am happy to say my muscle mass is slowly returning…along with my erections and libido. I don’t claim to know why this happened, but nothing else was changed in my routines…diet, exercise, supplements, health, etc… I just know it’s no fun watching years of lifting go down the drain in a few short months. I only hope muscle memory kicks in and takes me back up to where I was. Peace.
This is for everyone reading postings and comments on the site. You can’t trust what anyone else says and take what they say with a grain of salt. If someone on this site said Mt. Everest isn’t the tallest point on earth, it’s gotta be true, right?
I’m 27, and the above comments by the doctor are absolutely false. DHT contributes to many more things than just baldness. It stimulates muscle development, body hair (not head-hair) growth, and is also key to many neurological processes.
When I was on Propecia, my muscle mass decreased, I lost a lot of pubic hair/body hair, and I experienced a lot of “brain fog.” Finasteride also completely destroyed my sexual function — ability to achieve erection as well as wiping my mind of all sexual thoughts.
I was effectively chemically castrated for 3 months. Only now, after a great deal of research and trial-and-error am I on the road to recovery. I may recover 100%, or possibly not. Either way, I believe I am lucky. Some guys never recover.
Think this is a joke? Check out propeciahelp.com and read some of the hundreds of stories of men would are effectively castrated.
Contact me if you want more info. I don’t want anyone else going through what I did.
I also took finasteride and it totally wiped out my sex drive. I stopped taking the drug after starting to feel depressed, I have never had depression in my life apart from that time on propecia. I took the drug cause many sites like this say its safe. I stopped the drug over 200 days ago and I still have no libido and my mind never thinks about sex. This drig has changed me. Prior to taking this drug I recall looking at this website and finding that the “Doctor” here plays down the seriousness of this drug. You may be fine if you take this drug or you may end up with permanent side effects.