A lot of ill-informed people on this board continually claim that finasteride interrupts the HPTA (hypothalamus-pituitary-testes axis). Many, if not most, claim this without even knowing what the HPTA is nor having any knowledge of the (pervasive) medical literature.
So, here you go:
Overstreet, et al., Journal of Urology: Volume 162(4) October 1999 pp. 1295-1300:
Our study demonstrates that compared to placebo 1 mg. finasteride daily for 48 weeks did not affect sperm concentration, total sperm per ejaculate, percent motile sperm or percent sperm with normal morphology in ejaculated semen. Furthermore, 1 mg. finasteride daily did not alter serum LH or FSH, or reduce serum testosterone levels. Since finasteride does not alter pituitary responsiveness to gonadotropin-releasing hormone or interfere with normal negative feedback regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis,22 the absence of changes in serum LH or FSH supports normal Sertoli cell function, and Leydig and Sertoli cell interactions in treated subjects. Thus, the absence of any clinically relevant effects of 1 mg. finasteride on semen parameters, despite significant changes in serum dihydrotestosterone, supports the hypothesis that testosterone, not dihydrotestosterone, is the primary androgen regulating spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and seminal fluid production in the testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle.
http://www.jurology.com/pt/re/juro/abst ... 31!9001!-1
There are many other studies that show the same thing. In fact, I've never encountered _one_ study that showed conclusively finasteride screwing with the HPTA. And I've read hundreds of medical publications about finasteride.
D.
So, here you go:
Overstreet, et al., Journal of Urology: Volume 162(4) October 1999 pp. 1295-1300:
Our study demonstrates that compared to placebo 1 mg. finasteride daily for 48 weeks did not affect sperm concentration, total sperm per ejaculate, percent motile sperm or percent sperm with normal morphology in ejaculated semen. Furthermore, 1 mg. finasteride daily did not alter serum LH or FSH, or reduce serum testosterone levels. Since finasteride does not alter pituitary responsiveness to gonadotropin-releasing hormone or interfere with normal negative feedback regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis,22 the absence of changes in serum LH or FSH supports normal Sertoli cell function, and Leydig and Sertoli cell interactions in treated subjects. Thus, the absence of any clinically relevant effects of 1 mg. finasteride on semen parameters, despite significant changes in serum dihydrotestosterone, supports the hypothesis that testosterone, not dihydrotestosterone, is the primary androgen regulating spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and seminal fluid production in the testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle.
http://www.jurology.com/pt/re/juro/abst ... 31!9001!-1
There are many other studies that show the same thing. In fact, I've never encountered _one_ study that showed conclusively finasteride screwing with the HPTA. And I've read hundreds of medical publications about finasteride.
D.
