visionquest99
New Member
Re: Mainstream media finally realizing Propecia can make you impotent
You sound very knowledgeable. Any suggestions for those suffering these effects?
The special relationship is this; Finasteride inhibits 5beta-Reductase (not just 5Alpha-Reductase). 5beta-Reductase controls the CYP450 3A4 enzyme responsible for the metabolization of both xenobiotics and sex steroids.
Finasteride is a xenobiotic (and also a synthetic androgen). Theoretically Finasteride could even inhibit its own metabolism.
When Finasteride usage ends, 5beta-Reductase will regenerate, there will therefore be 'more' CYP450 3A4. I would suggest that the increase in an enzyme that has been both inhibited and heavily taxed to metabolize an androgen could lead to its permanant induction/up regulation. (---remember, something has been permanantly changed---)
If CYP450 3A4 is now metabolizing more testosterone, the effect will not be more testosterone urinated out but more weak/deactivated testosterone in the blood. Enough deactivated testosterone is a natural anti-androgen as it will impede the androgenic activity of normal testosterone by competing for the Androgen Receptor and binding/not binding to SHBG etc.
The result may be a new form of hypogonadism.
This validity of this theory is easy to determine via a blood/urine test.
You sound very knowledgeable. Any suggestions for those suffering these effects?