Influence of DHEA administration on 24-hour cortisol concentrations.
DHEA is marketed and readily available as a daily nutritional supplement to counteract the effects of aging. The effect of DHEA administration on 24-hour plasma cortisol profiles has not been investigated. In this single-blind placebo-controlled crossover study, the effect of DHEA administration on cortisol concentrations was evaluated in healthy older women and men. Once each morning, subjects took either placebo (Days 1 to 7, and 23 to 29) or oral DHEA 200 mg (Days 8 to 22: doses 1 to 15). Twenty-four hour DHEA and cortisol concentrations were measured on Day 1 (placebo), Day 8 (DHEA dose 1), Day 15 (DHEA dose 8), Day 22 (DHEA dose 15), and Day 29 (placebo washout dose 7). DHEA administration resulted in a decrease in plasma cortisol concentrations (mean, peak, and/or AUC) in healthy older women and men. The cortisol-lowering effect of DHEA was more pronounced in women than in men in our study; pairwise differences in concentrations between days showed that relative to Day 1, cortisol was lower on Days 15, 22, and 29 in women (p = 0.0001) and on Day 15 in men (p = 0.002). The mechanism by which DHEA lowers plasma cortisol concentrations merits further investigation.
Kroboth
Patricia D
PD
Pharmacodynamic Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. krobothpd@msx.upmc.edu
Amico
Janet A
JA
Stone
Roslyn A
RA
Folan
Maggie
M
Frye
Reginald F
RF
Kroboth
Frank J
FJ
Bigos
Kristin L
KL
Fabian
Tanya J
TJ
Linares
Ana M
AM
Pollock
Bruce G
BG
Hakala
Charles
C
D000368:Aged; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone