Enlarged Prostate Treatment May Worsen Erectile Dysfunction

Enlarged Prostate Treatment May Worsen Erectile Dysfunction
By Tunde Oguntola
— Oct 31, 2015 6:26 am | Leave a comment
Men who are taking Proscar or Propecia for an enlarged prostate often suffer from worse erectile dysfunction and lower testosterone levels than before.
According to Wikipedia the free encyclopaedia, testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in humans and other vertebrates. In humans and other mammals, testosterone is secreted primarily by the testicles of males and, to a lesser extent, the ovaries of females. Small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands. It is the principal male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid.
In men, testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as the testis and prostate as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle, bone mass, and the growth of body hair. In addition, testosterone is essential for health and well-being as well as the prevention of osteoporosis.
Men with benign prostate enlargement who used finasteride (also known as Proscar and Propecia) to treat their condition, experienced worsening erectile dysfunction (ED) that did not resolve with continued treatment. In addition, they experienced a reduction in their testosterone levels leading to hypogonadism (little to no production of sex hormones). However, men who used tamsulosin (Flomax) experienced none of these adverse side effects.
The findings are available online in the journal Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation.
According to medical experts, erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse. It is also sometimes also referred to as impotence.
Occasional ED is not uncommon. Many men experience it during times of stress. However, frequent ED can be a sign of health problems that need treatment. It can also be a sign of emotional or relationship difficulties that may need to be addressed by a professional.
However, considerable controversy exists regarding the severity and persistence of the adverse effects of 5 reductase inhibitors (5-RIs) such as finasteride.
Many investigators believe that the adverse effects on sexual function affects only a small proportion of treated patients and such adverse effects are thought to resolve with continuing treatment.
The researchers studied 470 men who were treated with finasteride and 230 men who received the alpha blocker tamsulosin for their BPH. Both groups were followed for 45 months and were assessed for improvement of BPH symptoms. Prostate specific antigen and testosterone levels were also measured. The effects of the drugs on the quality of life were assessed by the Aging Male Symptom scale while the effects of the drugs on erectile function were assessed by the International Index of Erectile Function.