Propecia May Induce Spermatogenic Failure

The document reported two cases of men experiencing azoospermia and severe oligospermia, who showed significant improvements in sperm concentration after discontinuing the use of finasteride 1 mg, marketed as Propecia for hair loss. In the first case, a 34-year-old man with primary infertility saw his sperm concentration improve from azoospermia to 5.5 × 10^6/mL six months after stopping finasteride. In the second case, a 32-year-old man with severe oligospermia experienced an increase in sperm concentration from 4 × 10^6/mL to 18.7 × 10^6/mL over the same period. The study concluded that while finasteride 5 mg is known to decrease semen volume and sperm counts, the 1 mg dose used for hair loss might also affect semen parameters in some individuals, and discontinuing its use could improve fertility outcomes.