November 13 2008, 2:32 pm PT | Posted in: Hair Loss Causes
I came across this web site that says soy and saw palmetto can interact with finasteride. I am wondering if they can potentially exacerbate side effects, as I experienced side effects b/c of Propecia and I was on both of those (and still am on soy).Also, I’ve heard quercetin, which is found in citrus fruits, broccoli, green tea, red onions, red grapes, etc. utilizes the same enzyme that metabolizes Propecia, thereby increasing serum levels of the drug and leading to potentially more side effects. I also started green tea when I started Propecia. What do you make of this?
Much of what you are talking about reflects unsubstantiated claims. There have been mentions about soy isoflavones interfering with some medications, but I don’t believe that the connections you referenced are one to one with regard to the side effects. The mechanism of action of saw palmetto is not clearly defined but there is probably an impact on reducing some of the effects of DHT according to at least one reference I read. You can experiment on your own by stopping the soy and seeing if there is any difference (I am assuming that you are experiencing side effects).
Your logic may be flawed with regard to quercetin competing with 5AR. The human body knows how to regulate the byproducts of metabolism and can increase the amount of 5AR if it’s feedback suggested a shortage of it. I am afraid that you are oversimplifying the biochemistry here.
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How would you explain the warnings on pharmaceuticals to not consume grapefruit, which has quercetin but also has other similar antioxidents?
Dear Dr.Rassman
With all do respects I am taking propecia for 6 year. and I am here to say that whenever I drink several cup of green tea I will get a very very bad pain in my nipple !
I asked my GP and he said that propecia/finasteride lowers the blood level of DHT and also green tea increase SHBG and it also causes the Testosterone to drop ! because it bind to Free tea and makes it unavailable!
so androgens are very low and the androgen to estrogen is low! so it is likely to cause the pain to happen!
i don’t like soy!!! also He told me that grape fruit is increasing finasteride half life because it inhibits an enzyme that is breaking finasteride down so he asked me not to eat it! and he also told me that grape fruit increase estrogen level!!! because it also inhibit another enzyme that live use to break estrogen!!!
love you
babye
sorry to double post! but he also told me that broccoli is changing estradiol to estrone and man’s breast tissue is more sensitive to estrone !!!! and it can cause some pain!!!!! he also examined me and he told me that i don’t have gynecomastia!!! but he warned me to be careful and monitor myself…
he told me it is unlikely for me to start having gynecomastia after 4 years on fin!!! but he warned me to be careful with green tea . grape fruit & broccoli!!!!! he didn’t say anything about soy.. he just asked me if I eat soy!!!
he told me that he himself is taking fin for 8 years!!! and he didn’t have gynecomastia!! but he asked me several times to be careful with that things….! but the tragedy is that these things that he asked me not take while I am taking finasteride are all very good things for overall health!!