Anti-baldness drug may cause impotence

Prevent baldness and you may lose your virility

Men could be risking their sexual health by taking the common anti-baldness drug Propecia (finasteride). Experts say the drug can cause serious side effects and isn't adequately labeled.

Merck, the manufacturer of the drug, mentions problems on its Web site such as difficulty achieving an erection, but also says the problems will go away for men who stop taking the drug. However, many doctors say that complete impotence is not unusual even among men who have stopped taking the drug.

Propecia (finasteride) has been heavily promoted directly to American men in TV commercials and male-oriented magazines. Its promise is an alluring one: "Helping make hair loss history."

Propecia claims that nine out of 10 men with mild to moderate male pattern hair loss on the top or middle front of their head will experience visible results. The drug works by reducing DHT, the most potent male hormone that is linked to shrinking hair, by blocking the enzyme 5 alpha reductase.

But behind the images of impressive results showing men's baldness practically disappearing is a disturbing side effect that is barely talked about despite the drug's popularity: impotence.

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What it takes to be a father

Male fertility and virility on the wane

Male fertility is not about having a high sexual drive or physical strength. Rather men need a balanced approach to keep their reproductive health intact.

The fact that more than 15 percent couples worldwide are affected by infertility speaks volume about the worsening reproductive health globally. In India alone, the figure stands at 30 million and in half of such cases, men are responsible for the situation. Excessive alcoholism and smoking, late marriage and stress are all to be blamed. Mushrooming sperm banks and assisted reproduction centres are evident of how this is silently turning into a serious health concern.

"Male infertility is definitely on the rise," says Dr Hrishikesh Pai, vice president, Indian Society of Assisted Reproduction.

"Average sperm count has been decreasing. The World Health Organization recently revised its sperm count norm from 20 million to 15 million per mililitre," he says.

ut most men aren't aware that a high libido doesn't ensure reproductive ability. Virility is sexual desire in the mind whereas fertility is the physical ability of reproducing, which can be judged on two parameters: sperm type (sperm count and motility) and the ability to deposit the sperm into female reproductive tract during a sexual act.

Unfortunately men don't identify the problem until it's too late. Here's a checklist of things that will help you keep your reproductive health on the right track.

Eat tomato and beans
Make sure your diet includes beans, pumpkin, dairy products, poultry and oysters as these are some of the best sources of zinc - a mineral that boosts sperm production and improves consistency of semen. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables for vitamin C and E. Antioxidants, selenium and amino acids also help. Fish like salmon and tuna, which contain omega- 3 and 6 fatty acids, boost your sex drive. As semen comprises 98 percent water, drink at least eight glasses of water daily for its optimum production.

Expert says
Zinc increases sperm count by promoting its growth and maturation. Also bright red fruit like tomato, water melon and guava contain lycopene which increases sperm count and improves morphology.
-Dr (Col) V K Wadia, consultant, psycho sexual medicine, Adiva Infertility Clinic