What causes libido loss on finasteride?

[dallasboy]

My quick recap, went on finasteride about 14 months ago, and experienced about a 50% loss of libido and brain fog here and there. Tried other natural supps (zinc, maca, trib, etc) and sometimes felt better other times I didn't. So, I am getting off finasteride for awhile to reasses what's up. Not having morning wood or thinking about sex that much has really gotten too me.

Question is, what is the finasteride doing? Raising E too much? Lowering T or free test? I plan on a blood test this summer with yearly physical, but other than the symptoms above, I feel great, lift/run 4x a week and active with energy. It seems it would have to show up in hormonal blood panel....just seeing what others have experience with this. The libido loss is real, and while not everyone gets it, there has to be a link to what is causing it.

Cheers!

 

[Mew]

Besides inhibiting 5AR2, Finasteride is a known anti-androgen and neurosteroid inhihibitor. It affects many body systems, organs, tissues, metabolic pathways, hormones/ratios and neurosteroids.

As an anti-androgen, one of its main mechanisms of action is to inhibit DHT, the most potent androgen which has preferential binding with the androgen receptor required to exert androgenic effects. That's probably the first place to consider.

 

[Wuffer]

Nobody knows. Libido and erectile function are extremely complicated processes and nobody knows how either actually works.

A number of studies have demonstrated that DHT itself is not very important for sexual function and libido. This is also quite clearly demonstrated when looking at Finasteride (which inhibits 65% of DHT) and Dutasteride (which inhibits 95% of DHT). Side effect profiles between the two drugs are very similar. If DHT alone were responsible for sexual functioning, we would see an almost universal occurrence of impotence in men who take Duasteride. This is not the case.

As Mew suggests, I believe the effect on libido and erectile function lies in the brain. Finasteride can inhibit certain neurosteroids that may be in part responsible for these functions. Similarly, antidepressants, which work on the brain, also commonly affect sexual function. Antidepressants have also been demonstrated to affect sexual function permanently.

 

[dallasboy]

Ok. Somewhat makes sense. So a person could have good test and free test levels, normal e and still suffer from libido loss from finasteride?? That is what I am trying to figure out, because finasteride doesn't seem to disrupt hormone values to that extent or we would all know exactly what finasteride was doing.

On another note about neurosteroids, I may try androdrive this summer. It's a DHEA based supp that is supposed to increase your neurosteroids.

 

[Wuffer]

Testosterone has been proven to affect libido more than any other hormone. Finasteride does increase serum levels of Testosterone, but some studies indicate it lowers free testosterone levels. Estrogen is also shown to increase due to the DHT inhibition. Estrogen and Free Testosterone levels likely have an important role to play, but nobody really knows for certain how much. I believe every man experiences a raise in estrogen levels while taking Finasteride, but most don’t get side effects. Some people may be more sensitive to these hormonal levels, but I haven’t yet seen a definitive study that shows why Finasteride affects these functions.

 

[dallasboy]

Testosterone has been proven to affect libido more than any other hormone. Finasteride does increase serum levels of Testosterone, but some studies indicate it lowers free testosterone levels. Estrogen is also shown to increase due to the DHT inhibition. Estrogen and Free Testosterone levels likely have an important role to play, but nobody really knows for certain how much. I believe every man experiences a raise in estrogen levels while taking Finasteride, but most don’t get side effects. Some people may be more sensitive to these hormonal levels, but I haven’t yet seen a definitive study that shows why Finasteride affects these functions.

Great thoughts. Yes, if a rise in E and free test lowers (all bound up) then that can definitely explain a drop in libido even with high test levels. I wonder if running a low dose AI with finasteride would solve that problem?

I am going to get bloods done in 2 weeks instead of waiting till summer. I would like to figure out this problem....because finasteride does work ;-).

Next week will be 2 weeks off, but I think I need 4 for bloods.