Accutane/Isotretinoin during puberty

[recax]

Hello, I know this is mainly a propecia forum but I hope you can still help me. I’ve taken accutane at age 16 and 20. how likely is it that I stunted my penile growth by taking this drug? I did some research and found out that accutane inhibits DHT production by blocking the 5-AR type 1 enzyme which is located in the sebaceous glands which has a direct effect on circulating serum DHT levels. This sounds alarming at first, but I read that the enzyme 5-AR type 2 is mainly responsible for penile growth during puberty and isotretinoin doesnt seem to effect this isoenyzme. It has also been shown to reduce testosterone in some, though I have found some contradicting studies on this. In this study, Isotretinoin was tested on mice. Total T dropped and also the weight of the testes got reduced. But then again there are studies like this where no significant changes in Testosterone was observed - quite the opposite, it was concluded that isotretinoin actually has a positive effect on male fertility. Its also important to note that isotretinoin negatively affects IGF-1 levels which also play an important role during puberty.

I know that you need a broad spectrum of knowledge to answer this question but I would be glad if someone could give me a qualified piece of an answer at least…

[Victorcillo]

I took isotretinoin when I was 15 for the first time, then when I was 16, and the worst happened when I took it again at 19. But I think I had a normal development of my penis, when it worked my penis was above average.

[Dubya_B]

@recax

Hello, I know this is mainly a propecia forum but I hope you can still help me.

This absolutely isn’t the case any longer. Any post-drug patient suffering PFS-like symptoms after taking substances with anti-androgenic effects, such as Accutane/Isotretinoin, SSRIs and many other anti-depressants, Saw-Palmetto, GnRH agonists and antagonists, and several others, are encouraged to participate in this forum. Granted, the home page of the propeciahelp website needs to be updated to reflect this recent change in the demographic.

Please feel free to post a member story about your experience with Accutane in our member stories category and participate in the post-drug syndrome symptoms survey to help characterize post-Accutane syndrome and its relation to PFS.

You are right, there appears to be conflicting scientific information regarding Accutane, often depending on the source and nature of the study; however, there is an undeniable net anti-androgenic effect of the drug. The following threads contain explanations of a multitude of the anti-androgenic effects of Accutane that have been observed:

How Accutane can cause similar effects if it is not an 5AR inhibitor?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2965551 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/21329324_Isotretinoin_treatment_alters_steroid_metabolism_in_women_with_acne These articles show no significant change in 5ar enzymes in men after Accutane treatment. Yet, many people experience the same hormonal crash as propecia users. How this can be possible? Isn’t that Accutane inhibits 5AR type-1 but not the 5AR type 2? 5ar only found in skin cells, isn’t it? And 5ar type 2 is in the prostate… So how th…

Is accutane 5AR inhibitor

Dose any body know if it is 5 AR inhitor? I want to know how it affects 5 AR it it does not work like fin or Saw palmetto. thanx sps

Anti-androgen effects of Accutane (DHEA as potential treatment for post-drug dry-eye syndrome)

The meibomian glands produce a lipid film that covers the eye to prevent rapid evaporation of tears. These glands are considered to be an androgen-dependent organ and androgen deficiency has been found to be a major cause of meibomian gland dysfunction: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12114274 . Dysfunctional and atrophied meibomian glands were observed in Post-Accutane sufferers of chronic dry eye, many years after treatment: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26154692 These patien…

Common Link Among SSRIs, Accutane, Finasteride, and Bicalutamide: EGR1 Induction

Just some food for thought. There is an interesting link among some of the substances discussed on propeciahelp: Serotonin was found to induce 5-alpha reductase type-I expression in steroidogenic glial cells of the brain via a pathway involving EGR1. EGR1 knock-down resulted in the loss of serotonin-induced 5-ar expression. It is also worth noting that 5-ar type-I has been shown to be negatively regulated by androgens in the brain. Could excess synaptic serotonin levels during SSRI treatment ca…

To sum it up, circulating levels of hormones don’t appear to be profoundly effected by Accutane in the typical individual during treatment, but site-specific effects on androgen production and androgen receptor levels is dramatic in certain tissue types.

[Dubya_B]

The OP has been banned for misrepresenting himself as unfamiliar with this site, while being a sockpuppet account for @kyahll , who didn’t have PAS, but was concerned about not developing beyond the above average range for penis size.

[Cooper]

How about your height? Did you grow while on treatment? Also, are you crashed from Accutane?
@Victorcillo

[Victorcillo]

Well, I dont remember if I measured myself during those years, but I’m 1.80 ms now, just like my brother, so I don’t think accutane stunt my grow. And about the crash, I think I did, but a few years after I stopped with isotretinoin. Or the side effects came so slowly I didn’t even realized it until I was already with crippling depression, extreme anxiety, etc.

[Cooper]

How is this even possible? Something another must triggered it man. I never heard something like this in forums.

[Victorcillo]

Well, I don’t know. Maybe it was the stress of changing town, starting college, maybe it was my poor diet, the constant exercise… The only thing I took during those days was melatonin, and I wouldn’t blame melatonin, because I think melatonin itself gave me a extreme brief “recovery”. It is a bit embarrassing to tell the story but a few days after I started taking it I had an erection while touching a girl friend’s hair, but that didn’t last long. And I haven’t been able to do it again.

Or maybe I never had a crash and just got the symptoms so slowly I never realized it until I was totally f’d up.