Tadalafil may reduce the risk of major heart events and blood clots in men with urinary symptoms.
Certain medications, especially 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, are commonly linked to erectile dysfunction.
March 2014 in “Annals of Internal Medicine” Combining α1-blockers with 5α-reductase inhibitors improves urinary symptoms in men.
47 citations
,
January 2003 in “Current opinion in urology” A new drug, dutasteride, is at least as effective as the older drug, finasteride, for treating enlarged prostate and may have additional uses.
3 citations
,
February 2019 in “Molecular genetics and metabolism” The combination of tadalafil and finasteride improves urinary symptoms and erectile function in men with enlarged prostates.
January 2012 in “Курский научно-практический вестник "Человек и его здоровье"” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors can effectively treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.
April 2012 in “The Journal of Urology” Persistent ED in Propecia users is not due to abnormal blood flow.
219 citations
,
October 2009 in “Steroids” 5α-reductase inhibitors, like Finasteride and Dutasteride, help manage benign prostatic hyperplasia.
April 2017 in “The Journal of urology/The journal of urology” Long-term use of certain prostate drugs can worsen erectile dysfunction by changing penile tissue, especially in rats with high blood pressure.
Combining dutasteride or finasteride with an α1 blocker is more effective for managing BPH than using either alone.
78 citations
,
December 2008 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can cause sexual side effects like erectile dysfunction, but the exact reasons are unclear.
2 citations
,
April 2021 in “Canadian Journal of Urology” Five-alpha reductase inhibitors, like finasteride and dutasteride, can treat enlarged prostates, improve urination, reduce need for prostate surgery, and lower the risk of prostate cancer, but may increase the risk of higher grade prostate cancer. They can also treat male pattern baldness.
June 2011 in “British Journal of Urology” Regulatory challenges make developing combination therapies in urology difficult and costly.
December 2013 in “The Journal of Urology”
44 citations
,
October 2010 in “BJUI” 5-α-reductase inhibitors reduce prostate cancer risk but may cause sexual dysfunction and don't affect high-grade tumor or death rates.
13 citations
,
November 2012 in “PubMed” 5α-reductase inhibitors may worsen sexual drive and spontaneous erections but don't worsen existing erectile or ejaculatory problems.
February 2013 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Using hair loss drugs finasteride and dutasteride may cause sexual side effects.
2 citations
,
July 2022 in “Sexual Medicine” Certain medications, especially 5-α reductase inhibitors and neuropsychiatric drugs, are often linked to erectile dysfunction.
April 2017 in “Actas urológicas españolas” 5-alpha reductase inhibitors increase the risk of sexual dysfunction in patients treating enlarged prostate but not in those treating hair loss.
19 citations
,
October 2018 in “PLOS ONE” 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors can slightly improve symptoms of enlarged prostate but have a high risk of sexual side effects.
October 2017 in “The Journal of Urology” 5α-Reductase inhibitors can negatively impact sexual function.
October 2025 in “CRC Press eBooks”
April 2018 in “The Journal of Urology” Dutasteride use can lead to a stable decline in sexual function that is not affected by age or prostate size.
57 citations
,
July 2016 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” 5α-reductase inhibitors increase the risk of sexual dysfunction, especially in men with enlarged prostate.
April 2017 in “The journal of sexual medicine” 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors significantly affect the penile tissue of hypertensive rats.
September 2016 in “Reactions Weekly” Dutasteride and finasteride don't raise erectile dysfunction risk.
51 citations
,
May 2013 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Certain drugs that block specific enzymes can help treat prostate diseases.
30 citations
,
September 2016 in “BMJ” Taking 5-α reductase inhibitors for prostate enlargement or hair loss does not significantly raise the risk of erectile dysfunction.
1 citations
,
August 2015 in “Current Sexual Health Reports” 5α-reductase inhibitors can cause serious and possibly lasting sexual and psychological side effects.
235 citations
,
September 2004 in “The Journal of urology/The journal of urology” Drugs that block DHT production can effectively treat enlarged prostate and improve urinary issues with some sexual side effects.