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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