Persistent sexual, emotional, and cognitive impairment post-finasteride: a survey of men reporting symptoms.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional survey of a self-selected, symptomatic cohort without a control group
PubMed 24928450 · doi:10.1177/1557988314538445
What was done
An internet survey was administered to men who reported experiencing adverse effects at least 3 months after discontinuing finasteride for male pattern hair loss. The survey assessed six symptom domains: physical symptoms, sexual libido, ejaculatory disorders, disorders of the penis and testes, cognitive symptoms, and psychological symptoms. Responses from 131 generally healthy men (mean age, 24 years) were analyzed.
What was found
Adverse effects were reported to persist across each of the six targeted domains. The abstract provides no specific numerical values, percentages, or effect sizes.
Why it matters
This study documents the range of patient-reported persistent symptoms attributed to finasteride discontinuation, supporting the characterization of a potential post-finasteride syndrome.
Limits
The study is subject to strong selection and recall bias because the survey specifically targeted individuals who already reported symptoms. There is no control group of asymptomatic finasteride users or unexposed controls, no pre-finasteride baseline measurements were available, and all data rely entirely on subjective self-reports without objective clinical or psychological verification.
Cited by
- supports Finasteride taken for hair loss can lead to post-finasteride syndrome, causing persistent sexual and psychological health issues after cessation.