The effect of six months treatment with a 100 mg daily dose of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on circulating sex steroids, body composition and muscle strength in age-advanced men and women

• Published in: Clinical endocrinology (Oxford) 1998-10, Vol.49 (4), p.421-432
• Main Authors: Morales, A. J., Haubrich, R. H, Hwang, J. Y., Asakura, H, Yen, S. S. C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aging - blood; Aging - drug effects; Androstenedione - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition - drug effects; Dehydroepiandrosterone - administration & dosage; Dehydroepiandrosterone - blood; Dehydroepiandrosterone - pharmacology; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate - blood; Dihydrotestosterone - blood; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Estrogen Replacement Therapy; Female; Gonadal Steroid Hormones - blood; Hormones. Endocrine system; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - analysis; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Muscle Contraction - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Sex Factors; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin - analysis; Testosterone - blood
• ISSN: 0300-0664; 1365-2265
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2265.1998.00507.x

OBJECTIVE The biological role of the adrenal sex steroid precursors ‐ DHEA and DHEA sulphate (DS) and their decline with ageing remains undefined. We observed previously that administration of a 50 daily dose of DHEA for 3 months to age‐advanced men and women resulted in an elevation (10%) of serum levels of insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) accompanied by improvement of self‐reported physical and psychological well‐being. These findings led us to assess the effect of a larger dose (100 mg) of DHEA for a longer duration (6 months) on circulating sex steroids, body composition (DEXA) and muscle strength (MedX). SUBJECTS AND DESIGN Healthy non‐obese age‐advanced (50–65 yrs of age) men (n = 9) and women (n = 10) were randomized into a double‐blind placebo‐controlled cross‐over trial. Sixteen subjects completed the one‐year study of six months of placebo and six months of 100 mg oral DHEA daily. MEASUREMENTS Fasting early morning blood samples were obtained. Serum DHEA, DS, sex steroids, IGF‐I, IGFBP‐1, IGFBP‐3, growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) levels and lipid profiles as well as body composition (by DEXA) and muscle strength (by MedX testing) were measured at baseline and after each treatment. RESULTS Basal serum levels of DHEA, DS, androsternedione (A), testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were at or below the lower range of young adult levels. In both sexes, a 100 mg daily dose of DHEA restored serum DHEA levels to those of young adults and serum DS to levels at or slightly above the young adult range. Serum cortisol levels were unaltered, consequently the DS/cortisol ratio was increased to pubertal (10:1) levels. In women, but not in men, serum A, T and DHT were increased to levels above gender‐specific young adult ranges. Basal SHBG levels were in the normal range for men and elevated in women, of whom 7 of 8 were on oestrogen replacement therapy. While on DHEA, serum SHBG levels declined with a greater (P