Does Propecia Decrease Testosterone Levels?

This question comes from a series of general concerns on the Hair Restoration Discussion Forums:

Does Propecia (finasteride) decrease levels of testosterone in the body (or blood) ?

Although issues involving Propecia (finasteride) and testosterone are popular topics in general, one subject seemingly appears more frequently than others – does Propecia lower testosterone levels? Because of the way Propecia works inside the body, it’s not an unreasonable concern. Propecia, and finasteride in general, works by blocking the process that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone or DHT (the hormone that directly causes hair loss). Because this pathway seems to interfere or block testosterone, people tend to assume that Propecia actually lowers testosterone levels in the body. However, this is incorrect.

According to Coalition physician Dr. Robert M. Bernstein not only does Propecia not lower testosterone levels in the body, it actually increases them! Dr. Bernstein states that on average patients who take Propecia experience a 9% increase in serum (blood) levels of testosterone, meaning their body levels are generally elevated. Whether this is caused by less testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) conversion or by some other factor, it is clear that Propecia does not lower the body’s level of testosterone.

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Blake – aka Future_HT_Doc

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Technorati Tags: Propecia, finasteride, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, DHT, hair loss