A recent study has sent shock waves through the medical community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Concerns about a popular drug used by millions of men have revealed a growing number of disturbing side effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The study is still under active research, but it suggests that finasteride (Proscar) – a popular drug for treating prostate symptoms and male pattern hair loss – causes alterations in the section of the brain responsible for processing long-term memory and emotional responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finasteride is a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, meaning it prevents the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase from converting testosterone into DHT. It can be prescribed as tablets or as topical finasteride. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finasteride is a drug that we can use to treat BPH (enlarged prostate) symptoms, such as frequent urination, urinary retention, and difficulty urinating. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It can also treat hair loss in men by stopping the body from producing the hormone in the scalp that prevents hair growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how does finasteride work?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prostate growth and size is largely dependent on DHT levels. There are two types of 5 αlpha-reductase; type 1, which is present in the tissue, such as liver or skin and type 2, which is the predominant type present in the prostate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This enzyme is critical to the normal development of the prostate and hyperplastic growth later in life. Finasteride acts as an inhibitor of type 2 5α-reductase enzyme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finasteride does shrink the prostate and therefore appears to have some benefit. Further studies have indicated that it can also lower prostate-specific antigen PSA in some men. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The benefits are most visible for men with prostates larger than 40 g. It offers some symptomatic relief (approximately a 20% improvement over a year) by reducing the size of the prostate<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Studies show that Finasteride Propecia reduces intraprostatic DHT levels by 91.4%. Despite the concerns about this substantial reduction, advocates and Merck have argued Finasteride (Propecia) does not reduce DHT level so much as to castrate you chemically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is because circulating testosterone is converted to DHT by the type 1 isoenzyme, existing in the skin and liver. This being said, Finasteride might have the worst sexual side effects<\/a> of all of the drugs examined in this report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Get Your FREE PSA Lowering Diet Plan! <\/h3>\n
\n