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Every month I go on pubmed.com (the medical literature website) and just 'google' what latest horror stories are being published on finasteride. and every month i am never disappointed:
Fertil Steril. 2011 Feb 2. [Epub ahead of print]
Finasteride-induced secondary infertility associated with sperm DNA damage.
Tu HY, Zini A.
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report a case of low-dose finasteride-induced secondary infertility with associated elevated sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and otherwise normal semen parameters.
DESIGN: Case report.
SETTING: University hospital.
PATIENT(S): A 48-year-old man on low-dose finasteride and his 37-year-old wife with normal menses and normal gynecologic exam.
INTERVENTION(S): Determination of sperm DFI and discontinuation of low-dose finasteride.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Sperm DFI.
RESULT(S): The sperm DFI done a year earlier was 30%. This value was unchanged when repeated 2 months later. The patient was advised to stop finasteride. Three months after discontinuing the finasteride, the DFI decreased to 21% and subsequent DFI after another 3 months improved to 16.5%. To date, there is still no documented full-term pregnancy or live birth.
CONCLUSION(S): The significant reduction in DFI within 3 months of finasteride cessation and continued improvement suggests a causal link between finasteride and sperm DNA damage. We hypothesize that low-dose finasteride may exert a negative influence on sperm DNA integrity, resulting in increased pregnancy losses. We suggest that in infertile men using finasteride, sperm DFI should be measured in addition to semen parameters, and a trial of discontinuation of finasteride may be warranted.
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DFI of >30% is "poor fertility potential". Good fertility potential is under 15%. Note it took 6 MONTHS of discontinuation and this patient is not yet under 15%. To those 'agonizing' about this drug - if you have your life ahead of you, do you want potentially long lasting infertility or hair?
Fertil Steril. 2011 Feb 2. [Epub ahead of print]
Finasteride-induced secondary infertility associated with sperm DNA damage.
Tu HY, Zini A.
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report a case of low-dose finasteride-induced secondary infertility with associated elevated sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and otherwise normal semen parameters.
DESIGN: Case report.
SETTING: University hospital.
PATIENT(S): A 48-year-old man on low-dose finasteride and his 37-year-old wife with normal menses and normal gynecologic exam.
INTERVENTION(S): Determination of sperm DFI and discontinuation of low-dose finasteride.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Sperm DFI.
RESULT(S): The sperm DFI done a year earlier was 30%. This value was unchanged when repeated 2 months later. The patient was advised to stop finasteride. Three months after discontinuing the finasteride, the DFI decreased to 21% and subsequent DFI after another 3 months improved to 16.5%. To date, there is still no documented full-term pregnancy or live birth.
CONCLUSION(S): The significant reduction in DFI within 3 months of finasteride cessation and continued improvement suggests a causal link between finasteride and sperm DNA damage. We hypothesize that low-dose finasteride may exert a negative influence on sperm DNA integrity, resulting in increased pregnancy losses. We suggest that in infertile men using finasteride, sperm DFI should be measured in addition to semen parameters, and a trial of discontinuation of finasteride may be warranted.
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DFI of >30% is "poor fertility potential". Good fertility potential is under 15%. Note it took 6 MONTHS of discontinuation and this patient is not yet under 15%. To those 'agonizing' about this drug - if you have your life ahead of you, do you want potentially long lasting infertility or hair?
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