Plasma Androsterone/Epiandrosterone Sulfates as Markers of 5α-Reductase Activity: Effect of Finasteride in Normal Men

August 1997 in “ Steroids ”

John S. Lewis, Peter M. George, Peter A. Elder

androsterone sulfate epiandrosterone sulfate 5α-reductase finasteride dihydrotestosterone BPH 5α-reductase inhibitors AoS epiAoS DHT benign prostatic hyperplasia Propecia

TLDR Finasteride effectively lowers specific hormone levels, helping monitor treatment progress.

This study found that plasma androsterone/epiandrosterone sulfates can be used as markers of 5α-reductase activity and that finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, effectively decreased both dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and AoS/epiAoS levels in plasma. Measuring AoS/epiAoS levels could help differentiate the activities of the two isoforms of 5α-reductase and monitor BPH patients undergoing treatment with 5α-reductase inhibitors. The study suggests that plasma AoS/epiAoS levels may be useful markers of 5α-reductase activity and the effectiveness of finasteride treatment.

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