It has commonly been thought that reductase inhibitor treatments such as Proscar (finasteride) or Avodart (dutasteride) were to blame for erectile dysfunction in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients.
However, new studies from researchers in the U.S. and Canada have found that rather than erectile dysfunction being a side effect of these medications, it’s related to the length of time the patient’s been suffering from BPH.
Two separate studies were conducted: the first compared men who were aged 40 and older and were treated for BPH with either a reductase inhibitor or an alpha-blocker (or both). Researchers found that men who were treated with just reductase inhibitors or in combination with alpha-blockers were no more likely to have erectile dysfunction than those who were treated with just alpha-blockers.
In the second group, men between 18 and 59 who were using finasteride or dutasteride for hair loss treatment were compared to men of the same age who were not taking medication for their hair loss. The risk of erectile dysfunction was the same in both groups.
Read more about the study here.
Study finds that male baldness may be an early warning for BPH in later life. Find out more.
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