Minoxidil causes Erectile Dysfunction

[hidden7]

I started using minoxidil 5% about one and a half months ago. Although there was the typical hair loss initially, I think that's stopped and now I can see these thing small strands on both my temples, so I guess it's working( pretty earlier than expected, most people say the effects are observed after about 3 months, and I noticed the tiny hairs after about a month).

I had been thinking of posting a thread here regarding whether or not I'll have to keep using minox for my whole life to slow down my hair loss(and reverse it for now). But, today, I read some topics posted in other forums regarding it's sexual side effects. And then it hit me, ever since I started using minoxidil, I don't get many erections, in fact I hardly get any and whenever I do, it lasts for a few seconds. Also, I don't feel the sexual urge is even half as strong as it used to be, and I'm 18.

 

So, now I have a choice between keeping my hair or my sexual drive for the rest of my life? Thinking about it is very depressing, If I stop using it, I lose my hair and if I continue, which I'll have to do as long as I can to avoid the reverse of it effects, I sacrifice my sexual life. If there any other way? Why the hell is there no research regarding this topic?

[hidden7]

Found the same issue

( promotional link removed, this page is riddled with sexual dysfunction ads for all kinds of products. )

[Spanker]

Correlation is not causation. I've never seen a credible study that showed Minox causes ED. You probably need to see a doctor.

[hidden7]

hidden7 said:

Found the same issue

 

 

Yep. Going to visit him.

 

Spanker said:

Correlation is not causation. I've never seen a credible study that showed Minox causes ED. You probably need to see a doctor.

[voxman]

I don't use anything and I still cant get it up!

 

(that not true, actually*. I just thought I'd throw in a different perspective. ED is not a laughing matter but do not be so quick to tie it to a non-ED related treatment that may or may not have to do anything with!)

 

(* every morning like clockwork)

[mattj]

I must admit I've never heard of Minoxidil causing ED. As Spanker says, correlation doesn't imply causation. If you look hard enough (pun noticed but not intended) you'll find people claiming all sorts of side effects from anything, but there isn't necessarily a real link.

 

But with that said, Minoxidil is a vasodilator, which means it does have an effect on blood flow.

 

You said you were thinking about discussing whether you'll need to continue using Minoxidil for life. Unfortunately, it is a treatment that requires continued use to remain effective. It sounds like you actually know that.

[Dolph1969]

I think this is crap . Been using it for years and the only side effect has been a few extra hairs growing in places and i think some more wrinkles. On the other hand, fin gave me dead wood in about 3 weeks....

[Spanker]

http://prostate.net/articles/5-foods-cause-erectile-dysfunction

 

Meat, canned tomatoes, fried foods, etc. Do you eat meat? Maybe it's not the Minox

[Olgiarganlife]

then you are on the wrong way and that product contains chemical materials. Have you ever tried organic argan oil?

[Djlazerblue]

This is unheard of, I've used it for 3 years and never experienced ED I can't see how it could possibly cause it, it's not even listed as a known side effect, are you taking anything else

[MattyNJ1]

never noticed ed or lack of libido ...been on it f.or 7 months str8 now on & off for 5 yrs. Altough maybe heart palpitations hmm

[leooel]

Physician, physician and one more time physician are things you need. Looking for information here or elsewhere on forums will only get you confused. But you here so anyway I could advise you something that might be of some use for you. First and foremost thing to do when first signs of ED reveal itself is to make a lot of special exercises particularly Kegel exercises. This you could do without physician's permission. Secon thing is if your medical tests show low T level, don't plunge right away into hard drugs or TRT. Try a course of some herbal drugs. My personal favourites are aurogra. Wish you much luck man!

[jackgats]

You will find any drug blamed for all sorts of side-effects on the web because lawyers attempts to drum up cases in order to blackmail drug companies. They will pick on any drug.

 

Any drug you take when you get older can be correlated with ED since you get ED as you get older. There's no sound medical or pharmaceutical reason why minoxidil would cause ED. Finasteride is another matter.

[Cheddar]

OP needs to see his doctor before blaming Minoxidil.

 

FYI - I’ve been on Fin for 6 months and no sides, so being quick to blame meds is irresponsible.

[BrianRichards]

Thanks for sharing this info!

[Bill - Seemiller]

I understand that many people have asked the question about whether or not minoxidil causes erectile dysfunction on the Internet but that does not mean that the answer is yes. In fact, just about all the answers I have seen to this question has been that minoxidil does not cause sexual problems or erectile dysfunction. The closest I saw to a yes by somebody other than an individual who experiences sexual problems and you just minoxidil was the answer on real self that claimed that just about any drug can cause just about any side effect which I thought was interesting.

 

So in my strong opinion, there are people who take minoxidil who have sexual problems however, minoxidil is not the cause of the problem. I am not a doctor and I cannot say this with 100% confidence, but based on my research and speaking with leading hair restoration physicians, feel confident in my answer.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[MoonlightDancer]

The answer is it definitely does cause these issues, sometimes permanent just like Finasteride. My urologists and endo confirmed it. I don't know how the denial of sexual side effects can continue. There is no "other cause". It's not related to age, diet, smoking etc. Minoxidil is an anti-androgen that severely suppresses androgen receptors + 5ARII blocker and works just like Finasteride/Dutasteride. I don't understand why Bill's reluctant to accept this - he must have seen the dozens of posts complaining about Minoxidil sexual side effects on the Hair Loos Q&A Blog.

Apart from that, it was proven to block collagen synthesis (not anecdotal but scientifically verified) causing dark circles under eyes, wrinkles, huge pores and haggard looking faces in some individuals who absorb too much of it. Furthermore, it is suspected of depleting the body of B12 vitamin and to interact with iron and iodine, all of which results in adrenal dysfunction along with thyroid and lymph node swelling. It is also suspected of impairing gastric acidity and destroying gut flora and good bacteria.

Last but not least, most of the affected people experience a huge drop in testosterone levels after the initial crash which often improves in the next months but sometimes it doesn't. My testosterone went from about 800 ng/dL to 360 ng/dL and back to about 820 ng/dL. Persistent tachycardia and ridiculously high BP lasting for months or even years was reported as well to the regulatory bodies in many countries. I've experienced that too and treated it for months with 400 mg magnesium and B6 vitamin daily.

Therefore minoxidil is not a safe alternative to finasteride, it is the same thing, only the chances of side effects are less. The truth is that all medication that treats AA is capable of causing erectile dysfunction/genital numbness.

I expect someone to reply that I am a lunatic and it is simply not possible, because it is just a vasodilator and potassium channel opener and so on an so forth. Well guess what? It is not. It was reported and the drug was proven to suppress androgen receptors and block the 5ARII.

Since I have shared this on several websites 2.5 months ago, 27 men who are going through the same ordeal contacted me desperately seeking answers and solutions. The problem is, there is no simple solution. You have the fix all the issues one by one in order to recover from the ED/zero libido.

Want poison that ruins a couple months or years of your life? Buy minoxidil and keep using it.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Moonlight dancer,

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. I’m not exactly sure why you felt the need to single me out and clean that I am “reluctant to except this”. The reality is however you are certainly entitled to your opinion. I’m not exactly sure why you felt the need to single me out and clean that I am “reluctant to except this“. The reality is however,  The vast majority of people who have used  minoxidil  have never experienced any sexual side effects  nor any of the other side effects that you are reporting and claiming can happen.  

Please understand however, that I am not saying that it’s impossible nor am I calling anybody a lunatic crazy as you suggested.  

 But I tend to operate with facts then I do superstition or hearsay. Frankly, having managed this community for over 10 years now, I’ve only heard of a few report sexual side effects due to minoxidil.   And out of those who have claimed to have experience sexual side effects due to minoxidil,  none of them have seen a physician to rule out other possible causes.

In other words, it’s possible that minoxidil users do experience side effects but  The causes of their sexual side effects may not be related to the minoxidil.    Sexual side effects can be caused by many things and to this day,  I haven’t heard or seen any authority in the medical field make any sort of claim that minoxidil may produce sexual side effects.  

 Again, I am willing to keep an open mind but in my opinion, if somebody happens to be on minoxidil and is experiencing sexual side effects, they should seek the counsel of a physician immediately. 

Best wishes,

Bill

 

[MoonlightDancer]

Well, I have stopped applying minoxidil 3 months ago, and have seen 7 doctors so far (1 GP,  2 urologists (one of whom is a senior urologist), 1 senior andrologist, 1 dermatologist, 1 sexuologist and 1 neurologist) and 5 of them confirmed that minoxidil is the culprit, the other 2 said it is possible. It was reported and it is timidly mentioned in the package inserts of some brands such as Neocapil, Ylox and others.

These physicians have seen this condition before and in some patients the damage done by minoxidil was permanent (lasting longer than 2 years). I must emphasize that I do not experience a typical erectile dysfunction but numb genitals, total loss of libido, an extremely reduced ejaculate volume and wrinkly penile skin. These are all PFS like symptoms. I also have a strong pulsating feeling in my prostate and testicles just like many other minoxidil victims.

There is no other cause. I've had all the possible tests done - blood work, testosterone, DHT, estrogens, neurological tests, doppler, thyroid hormones, blood flow test, you name it - as of right now everything is perfectly normal apart from DHT, which is extremely high. This supports the androgen receptor suppression theory.

I do not smoke, do not drink, have never taken drugs (prescription or illegal) or even supplements and am in good shape. I have never experienced libido problems before. The issues appeared literally out of the blue so I had no chance to stop before the damage was done. The first day I went from 100% to 80%, then I stopped and the next day my libido was about 10% of what it used to be before minoxidil and my genitals were completely numb.

Furthermore, I have contacted the doctor who conducted a research which proves that Minoxidil is a 5ARII inhibitor and he confirmed that these side effects are possible but should disappear. The article can be found here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322919837_Minoxidil_Acts_as_an_Antiandrogen_A_Study_of_5a-reductase_Type_2_Gene_Expression_in_a_Human_Keratinocyte_Cell_Line

The other article is about AR suppression and suggests that Minoxidil could be used as a drug to treat prostate cancer:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4039155/

In layman terms, Minoxidil can have the same effects as Finasteride when absorbed systemically. It is definitely less common, but it can happen and if you're unlucky, the side effects can be permanent or persist for several years. While searching forums in English, German, Spanish and Italian I was able to find about 25 cases of permanent sexual side effects caused by minoxidil, so I'm saying to all the others out there: be careful what you're putting on your scalp, you might regret it.

Edited August 20, 2018 by MoonlightDancer

[Melvin- Admin]

Correlation doesn’t equal causation, but it seems no one is going to convince you otherwise. All I can say is I’ve been taking minoxidil for years and have never gotten ED from it, glad you resolved your issues. 

Warm regards-Melvin

[Bill - Seemiller]

I highly doubt that any physician you have seen has stated with certainty that minoxidil is the culprit. There are so many things that can contribute to and causes sexual dysfunction and just because minoxidil is correlated, doesn’t mean that it causes sexual dysfunction. Again, you are likely not going to be convinced by any of us and it seems that you’re trying to convince us that we are wrong.  

 So I’ll tell you what, if you want us to believe that your doctors have diagnosed your ED due to minoxidil, let’s see something in writing and signed by your doctors.    Should also be on your doctors letterhead, not something you create. 

Either way, I wish you luck. 

Bill

[MoonlightDancer]

I will post some medical records in the following days. I'm seeing my urologist on September 19th and I think he will give me a detailed report which I can then share. Unfortunately, the doctors are certain that minoxidil was the only cause as exactly the same symptoms were reported before all around Europe (even though Bill highly doubts that the physicians said this). If that's what it takes to convince people, I will ask all 5 of them to give me detailed reports clearly stating that minoxidil was the one and only possible cause. I think at least 2-3 of them will do that for me.

10 years ago people highly doubted that finasteride can cause permanent sexual/mental side effects and now most people are scared to start the treatment. Of course, you are entitled to an opinion, however both I and the physicians are 100% sure minoxidil was the cause. As I've said, I've had all the sexual dysfunction related tests known to mankind done and nothing was wrong with me apart from high DHT which under normal circumstances should cause the opposite.

Others, such as the user Captain144, whom I have contacted through askapatient have suffered from exactly the same symptoms for years. He used minoxidil for 2 weeks only. The same applies to DesperatelyNeedAdvice, alex3035, frank jones and people from other forums such as joshy22, fred nevin, thommo and many more. I have also contacted a man from Germany for whom only 2 applications were enough to cause permanent sexual dysfunction. It's as if you copied and pasted the symptoms - there are many and 90%+ of them exactly matches. It's like a flick of a switch. One day you're perfectly fine and the other you become asexual. Just like finasteride and saw palmetto. I am in no way suggesting that these issues are common, however they do occur. It might be connected to some genetic mutations which influence androgen receptor structure.  I wish there was other cause, but sadly there is not. 

This article also confirms this:

http://www.ijmrps.com/Issues PDF/Vol.4/May-2017/5.pdf

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by MoonlightDancer

[JoeGinner43]

Does it or does it not it's only for clinical research to tell. It could be just your organism reaction due to your individual characters of your inner health, it really affects that much. In order to maintain your level of testosterone and other important hormones, you should take for example, something like  https://tadalafiloverthecounter.com/cialis-professional.html while you on hair restoration treatment just to be okay with sexual relations.  After that you cab just leave that. And for sure you have to talk with doc first.

Edited November 9, 2018 by JoeGinner43
Typo

[DupeDupex]

Have you tried to see a doctor?

[LF0rw4rd1]

It is possible that this is not a specific problem. Alcohol and cigarettes also affect potency. Did you use anything else besides this? My friend knows a little about this, as he has his own onlinesexshop delicia where a wide range of products for stimulants and not only. He often told me about various cases, with what problems customers approached him. You can order a stimulant at a low price if it bothers you so much. Try also to stop taking this drug if your potency is more expensive than your hair

Edited March 18, 2020 by LF0rw4rd1