Finasteride 5 mg and Sexual Side Effects: How Many Are Related to a Nocebo Phenomenon?

April 2008 in “ Sexologies ”

Nicola Mondaini, Paolo Gontero, Edoardo Sarti, Gianluca Giubilei, Tommaso Cai, Andrea Gavazzi, E. Meliani, M. Pallanti, V. Boncinelli, Riccardo Bartoletti

finasteride Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia erectile dysfunction decreased libido ejaculation disorders nocebo effect Propecia

TLDR Knowing about potential side effects can make them more likely to happen.

This study investigated the impact of the nocebo effect on sexual side effects in patients taking Finasteride 5 mg for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. It involved 120 patients, with 107 completing the study. Participants were divided into two groups: one received counseling about potential sexual side effects (group 2), while the other did not (group 1). Results showed that group 2 reported significantly higher rates of sexual side effects, such as erectile dysfunction, decreased libido, and ejaculation disorders, compared to group 1 (43.6% vs. 15.3%). The study concluded that the nocebo effect, where patients informed about potential side effects experienced them more frequently, should be considered in clinical practice when managing Finasteride's sexual side effects.

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