Dutasteride
January 2008
in “Drugs”
TLDR Dutasteride effectively treats enlarged prostate, reduces prostate cancer risk, and promotes hair regrowth with few side effects.
In 2008, dutasteride was evaluated for its efficacy in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) through several studies, including over 4000 men in phase III trials. The medication, a dual 5α-reductase inhibitor, was effective in improving urinary symptoms, reducing prostate volume, and decreasing the risk of acute urinary retention and BPH-related surgery. Dutasteride was also found to be more effective than finasteride in reducing serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels, with a median decrease of 93.7% over 2 years. It was well tolerated, with sexual adverse events being generally transient and low in incidence. Combination therapy with dutasteride and tamsulosin showed superior results compared to monotherapy. Additionally, dutasteride demonstrated potential in reducing the risk of prostate cancer in at-risk men and extending time to progression in men with low-risk localized prostate cancer. The drug's effects on hair regrowth were also noted, with a 24-week trial showing significant improvement compared to placebo, and dutasteride 2.5 mg/day being superior to finasteride 5 mg/day for this purpose. The document concluded that dutasteride is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for BPH and may have potential benefits in prostate cancer risk reduction and hair regrowth.
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Cited in this study
research The Effect of 5α-Reductase Inhibition with Dutasteride and Finasteride on Semen Parameters and Serum Hormones in Healthy Men
Dutasteride and finasteride may reduce sperm count and volume but don't affect movement or shape; effects are reversible after stopping.
research The importance of dual 5α-reductase inhibition in the treatment of male pattern hair loss: Results of a randomized placebo-controlled study of dutasteride versus finasteride
Dutasteride more effective for hair growth, but has more side effects than finasteride.
research The Long-Term Effect of Doxazosin, Finasteride, and Combination Therapy on the Clinical Progression of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Combination therapy of doxazosin and finasteride safely and effectively reduces benign prostatic hyperplasia progression risk.
research Androgens and alopecia
Male hormones, particularly DHT, are linked to male pattern hair loss, and treatments like finasteride can help, but they don't work for postmenopausal women's hair loss, which may have different causes.