A question about small testicles, finasteride and propecia, and the link with low testosterone and erectile dysfunction.
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From the mailbag…
Hi Mark,
I took Propecia for hair loss and after only two months my libido totally tanked and my testicles shriveled up to nothing.
I have a friend who took finasteride for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and he’s having some of the same problems I am.
Is this a normal side effect of this drug and is there anything I can do to reverse the situation?
I stopped taking it 3 months ago but have not recovered in the slightest.
Thanks,
CJ
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Hello CJ,
Finasteride / Propecia, a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, is a special drug because it’s a man killer.
It doesn’t slaughter every single guy who takes it, but if you’re unlucky enough to be a negative responder, watch out…
Because this med will shut down sex drive, kill off your erections, and atrophy your testicles in brutal fashion.
It can also cause depression, anxiety, and other mood disruptions. Sadly, in some men these side effects will last for years even after drop the drug.
This condition is called Post-Finasteride Syndrome and it sounds like you’re the latest victim.
As I write this today, Merck, the maker of the drug, is involved in a class action suit in Israel because they failed to disclose that the drug can cause fertility problems in men.
There’s a similar class action taking place in Canada, where MercK failed to mention another potential side effect, outright impotence.
And at last count, there were more than 260 other product liability lawsuits for these drugs working their way through judicial systems worldwide.
Petitions have even gone out to have the drug removed from the market. Studies are rolling in regularly demonstrating just how nasty this drug can be.
Small Testicles Finasteride and Propecia Syndrome
For example…
Men suffering from Post-Finasteride Syndrome have been dumped by their wives and partners, lost their jobs, and even committed suicide after they’ve given up any hope of recovering.
But the biggest smoking gun of all is the fact that male to female transsexuals have begun using the drug to feminize their bodies since it blocks the action of DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
This fact alone speaks volumes.
The problem with this medication is that it radically shifts neuroactive steroid levels in men who take it. This causes long-term, persistent sexual side effects.
This repression of neuroactive steroid levels can actually cause the penis to shrink in size. It can also cause pain in the scrotum, gynecomastia (man boobs), and severe testicular atrophy.
Fortunately, the medical establishment is finally starting to take notice…
As we speak, the Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine are both setting up clinical research studies to try and find solutions to this problem.
But it will be quite a while before we have any solid data that can be acted upon. In the meantime, you need to start taking action to reverse the negative sexual side effects brought on by this drug.
I have around 13,000 men subscribed to my main email list and I’d guesstimate that around 500 of these men are former finasteride users…
I’ve been in close contact with many of these men over the years as they’ve attempted to recover. Several things seem to work especially well for these individuals.
Here’s my small testicles, finasteride and propecia recovery plan:
- Jelqing
- Carbohydrate Cycling
- Dopamine Stimulating Behavior
- Fat Soluble Vitamin Optimization
- Sexual Stimulation Without Ejaculation
These methods work especially well in men who go to great lengths to create anabolism in the body via aggressive weight training and HIIT exercise.
It’s this blunt force approach, where you force the body into an anabolic state through repeated aggressive exercise, that seems to break the steroid hormone down-regulation cycle brought on by finasteride.
I won’t lie to you and say this will be easy. It’s going to be much harder for you than the average Joe who hits this site looking to bump up his testicle function a few notches.
You’re going to really have to dig in and go after it, which can be tough in the initial stages because this drug has sucked the life right out of you.
But you’ve got to dig deep and do it CJ, otherwise your chances of recovering are slim to none.
You’ve got the basic knowledge you need to move forward, but if you’d like some additional support in this process, I suggest you take a look at this.
Good luck,
Mark
Update – Finasteride and Propecia Recovery Plan
It’s possible to recover from the damage caused by finasteride and propecia, but it takes work and dedication.
There are a few practical things you can start doing right now to help your body heal. I mentioned a few of them earlier in this article, but I’ll go into more detail here.
Overall, the goal here is restarting your body’s natural testosterone production process. Testosterone is a key male hormone that is heavily suppressed by finasteride and propecia.
Nearly all of the methods I’ll discuss below are completely natural. They don’t require any additional drugs or expensive therapies. All it takes is some lifestyle changes and commitment on your part.
Vitamin Optimization
I mentioned this one above, and it’s very important. Without well-balanced intake of essential vitamins, your body doesn’t have the tools it needs to recover from finasteride and propecia.
Vitamin A is one of the most crucial vitamins for male sexual health. In fact, without adequate vitamin A in your system, you would eventually become infertile.
Studies have shown a clear link between vitamin A and testosterone levels. Without enough vitamin A in your system, your T levels drop rapidly and estrogen levels shoot up. (source)
Vitamin D is another one that’s seriously important for male sexual health. It’s also critical for overall health and is responsible for regulating more than 1,000 key bodily functions.
Multiple scientific studies have confirmed that consistent vitamin D intake results in a significant increase in testosterone levels. (source, source)
Vitamin E is another essential vitamin that plays an important role in male sexual health. It effectively protects your cells from oxidative damage, something which can cause a serious drop in testosterone levels.
Studies have shown that regular vitamin E intake increases free, total, tissue and plasma testosterone in the male body. (source)
All of these vitamins can be found at GNC, health food stores, and even supermarkets. They’re not expensive, and they’ll give you great health benefits in many areas of your life.
I recommend daily supplementation in the proper dosages, but you can also make some dietary changes. Here’s a list of a few foods high in many of these key vitamins:
- Dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, etc.)
- Sweet potatoes
- Salmon
- Egg yolks
- Avocados
- Mushrooms
- Low-fat milk
High-Intensity Exercise
If you really want to fight back against the negative effects of finasteride and propecia, then exercise is a must.
The best kind of exercise to do is some high-intensity intervals (HIIT). With this method, you do sets of short (15-30 seconds) exercises. In each set, you do between 2-8 intervals.
Yes, each interval is pretty short – but the key here is that each interval you do must be done all-out with 100% effort. That will give you the biggest benefits.
Some of my favorite HIIT exercises include:
- Flat ground sprints
- Hill sprints
- Circuit training
- Cycling
You can find plenty of great HIIT workouts online for each of these activities. On top of that, when you play sports like hockey and soccer, you’ll do some high-intensity intervals as you play.
What’s the real benefit here? Plenty of scientific studies have confirmed that high-intensity intervals can significantly increase total and free testosterone, DHEA, and growth hormone – things which are critical for male sexual health. (source, source)
References:
Finasteride Induced Depression: A Prospective Study
Propecia (Finasteride) Permanent Sexual Dysfunction Risk
Persistent Sexual Side Effects of Finasteride for Male Pattern Hair Loss
Regulation and perturbation of testicular functions by vitamin A
Association of vitamin D status with serum androgen levels in men
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men
Effect of Vitamin E on Function of Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Male Rats and Human Subjects
Testosterone responses to intensive interval versus steady-state endurance exercise