Androgen Levels and Semen Parameters Among Former Users of Finasteride With Persistent Sexual Adverse Effects
Michael S. Irwig
JAMA Dermatology2014
Summary (paraphrased)
Irwig studied 24 otherwise healthy young men who had taken low-dose finasteride for hair loss and developed persistent sexual side effects, measuring their hormone levels and semen quality against reference populations. Although average testosterone and DHT fell within normal ranges, 13% had confirmed low levels of both androgens, above the roughly 5% expected in the general population. Semen analysis showed a striking fertility signal: 16% had severe oligospermia, 44% low sperm motility, and 50% abnormal morphology. The author concluded that serum androgens alone do not fully explain persistent sexual dysfunction, but the reproductive impact warrants attention. Limitations include the small sample and no pre-treatment baseline hormone or semen data.
Why it’s in the corpus
One of the few studies to document objective semen abnormalities in men with persistent sexual side effects after finasteride, linking PFS to measurable reproductive harm beyond self-reported symptoms.
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