A simplified approach for estimating dihydrotestosterone (DHT) reduction when taking finasteride, and/or dutasteride

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.