Baldness drug Wayne Rooney took 'could cause permanent impotence and shrink genitals in some men'

A hair-loss medication reportedly tried by Wayne Rooney may cause prolonged and possibly irreversible impotence, scientists have claimed.

The recent findings come after one patient bravely stepped forward to reveal the drug left him with no sex drive and even shrank his genitals.

Kevin Malley, 30, was prescribed with the drug Propecia after he worried he could be losing his hair. He said he only planned to take the pill for a year.

However, just five months after he started taking it in May 2011 he found he was completely impotent and his testes also became smaller.

Worried, he consulted his doctor and was told the symptoms would disappear after he stopped taking the drug. But he says a year on and nothing has

changed.

It will come as no surprise to Dr Michael Irwig from the University of Washington.

He recently published a study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, that found the ingredient finasteride, which is found in Propecia, can cause persistent

sexual dysfunction, including low sexual desire, erectile dysfunction and problems with orgasms.

The male pattern baldness drug is manufactured by Merck and was approved by the FDA in 1997.

While labeling on the medication in the U.S. currently warns about possible reversible sexual side effects, there is no reference to the effects being

persistent, Dr Irwig said.

However, other countries including the UK and Sweden do require medical companies to include the 'persistent risk' warning on the labeling.

It was reported that Wayne Rooney started taking the medication in 2009 after he became sick of other footballer's jibes about his receding hairline. He has

since had a hair transplant.

Dr Irwig first became aware of the problems caused by finasteride several years ago when he encountered several men who reported they had developed

sexual dysfunction while taking the medication.

'It’s been very frustrating for a lot of these men because they’ve sought care from medical professionals who have looked at the literature and have not

seen a risk of persistent sexual dysfunction,' says Dr Irwig.

'So a lot of these patients have been told to see psychiatrists and psychologists and that it’s all in their head.'

Dr Irwig then noticed that men had reported sexual dysfunction for months even after they stopped taking the medication.

'I came across a website called propeciahelp.com with more than 1,400 registered users - many young healthy men who developed the same sexual side

effects from finasteride - and I discovered that nobody had published a series looking at these men - who they are, how long the sexual side effects lasted,

what types.'

Dr Irwig’s study included results from interviews with 71 men aged 21 to 46 years old to assess how long they took finasteride, the type and duration of

sexual side effects and their sexual frequency before and after the medication.

Dr Irwig discovered that 94 per cent developed low libido, 92 per cent developed erectile dysfunction and decreased arousal, and 69 per cent developed

problems with orgasm.

On average, the men used finasteride for approximately 28 months but experienced persistent sexual side effects for an average of 40 months, from the

time they ceased taking the medication to the time of the interview.

Dr Irwig also found that the average number of sexual episodes per month dropped after finasteride use.

'It turns out that almost all the men had multiple sexual function problems,' says Dr Irwig.

'Before finasteride use, the men experienced average sexual activity of approximately 26 episodes per month, but after use, it came down to

approximately eight per month - an almost two-thirds reduction.

'Twenty per cent of patients I interviewed experienced persistent sexual dysfunction for more than five years, which makes me wonder if their persistent

sexual dysfunction is permanent,' he adds.

This was certainly Mr Malley's experience. He told Good Morning America: 'I kept expecting the side effects to go away, but they did not, they only got

worse.'

Mr Malley said before he took the drug he was engaged and worked as a public health researcher at a university in Las Vegas.

After he developed symptoms his fiancee broke off the engagement and he said he had to resign from his job because of cognitive problems. He said he is

angry no one warned him the drug could have such lasting effects.

'Even if the side effects are rare, that doesn't mean that I should not have been warned. I did have a life before this,' he told Good Morning America.

Dr Irwig said roughly 5 per cent of men who take medicine will experience sexual dysfunction, and of those 'it’s hard to tell how many will experience

persistent symptoms'.

'We know that this is a potential problem, but we can’t quantify what the exact risk is. I can’t tell a man if he has a 1-in-100 chance, or a 1-in-1000 chance of

developing persistent sexual dysfunction, but it’s pretty clear there’s a relationship here,' he says.

Topical Rogaine can be used as an alternative to Propecia - applied directly on the skin, it does not get absorbed by body and thus does not cause sexual

side effects - but Dr. Irwig says Propecia is very effective in treating hair loss and thus is commonly prescribed.

So Dr Irwig says it is crucial physicians treating male pattern hair loss discuss the possibility of persistent sexual side effects associated with finasteride with

their patients.

'I think it’s very important that doctors who are prescribing this medicine talk about potential risks, so men can make an informed decision,' he said.

In a statement, Merck said no evidence has proved a causal relationship between Propecia and long-lasting sexual dysfunction.

A spokesman said: 'Merck believes that PROPECIA (finasteride) has demonstrated safety and efficacy profiles and that the product labeling appropriately

describes the benefits and risks of the drug to help inform prescribing.

'A causal relationship between the use of PROPECIA and continued sexual dysfunction after discontinuation of treatment has not been established.   We

encourage patients to talk with their doctor if they have any questions or concerns about their health, or about PROPECIA.'

10 best foods for your Hair

Having a balanced diet, while putting a little extra emphasis on things like protein and iron, gives your hair a boost, the pursuit of shiny looks starts with a healthy balanced

diet such as fish, bananas, beans and some vegetables which is good for the 150,000 hair follicles on your head as it is for your body.

Protein, for example is the building block of hair. If you don’t get enough, you hair will grow more slowly, and strands will be weaker.

• Eggs:- it contains vitamin B that promotes hair growth and overall scalp health. A deficiency can cause brittle hair. Other high-biotin foods include peanuts, almonds, wheat

bran, salmon, low-fat cheese, and avocados.

• Bananas:- This contains minerals Silica which is good for the thickness of the hair, also helps in making hair stronger and durable.

• Green Vegetables:- it contains vitamins A and C which help to produce Sebum, a scalp oil that works as a natural hair conditioner.

• Sweet Potatoes:- These are packed with beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A, a nourishing agent for your hair and skin. Vitamin A protects against dull hair and

dry skin, a leading cause of dandruff.

• Kidney Beans:- These are Iron rich Protein which play a major role in hair maintenance and support.

• Fruits:- This contains vitamin C which helps your body to absorb Iron. Lack of vitamin C may lead to dry and weak hair.

• Fatty Acid:- They support scalp health; a deficiency can lead to dry scalp and dull hair. Good sources include salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, flaxseeds, and walnuts.

• Healthy Oil:- No one wants dry, lackluster hair. But if your diet is too low in fat, that’s what could happen. Healthy oils like olive, peanut, safflower, and sunflower can

restore the shine. About a teaspoon a day will do the trick.

• Oysters:-This contains Zinc, a mineral that helps regulate the production of androgens. These are hormones that, in low levels, are associated with hair loss. People with low

levels of androgens can also suffer from slow hair growth and dandruff.

• Lean Red Meat:- This contains Iron and lack of Iron can lead to baldness, . “People who have problems with hair loss or hair growth tend to be iron deficient.