A simplified approach for estimating dihydrotestosterone (DHT) reduction when taking finasteride, and/or dutasteride
Description
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia, prostate cancer, and androgenetic alopecia (male pattern hair loss). The enzyme 5α-reductase (5a-R) converts testosterone to DHT. Finasteride and dutasteride are the most commonly prescribed 5a-R inhibitors (blockers), approved for the treatment of prostate and/or hair issues. While the dosages are standardised, some persons have concerns for adverse health effects and experiment with lower or less frequent dosages or combinations of the two drugs. In this paper we model the intake of these drugs, separately or simultaneously, at different dosages and frequencies. The model is a simplified approach of previously published models with simplified pharmacokinetics, but expanding the pharmacodynamics to include both drugs simultaneously. The results are compared with the literature and different drug dosages and combination protocols are discussed.