title: A randomized double-blind crossover study of the antiobesity effects of etiocholanedione.
abstract: Etiocholanedione (ED), a natural metabolite of dehydroepiandrosterone, has antiobesity effects in animals when given orally and is nontoxic. We carried out a trial of oral ED in obese humans. In a 20-week randomized double-blind crossover study, 14 subjects lost significantly more weight and body fat during treatment with oral ED, 4 gm daily, than during placebo administration. Mean weight loss during ED administration was 2.8 +/- 5.5 kilograms, which was equivalent to 0.53 +/- 0.91 kilograms per week per 100 kilograms of body fat; mean weight change during placebo administration was essentially zero: +0.21 +/- 4.2 kg, or +0.04 +/- 0.74 kg/wk/100 kg body fat. The difference between the weight changes in the two periods was significant: for delta kg, P < 0.05; for delta kg/wk/100 kg body fat, P < 0.03. Densitometric measurement of body fat content showed that the mean weight loss coincided almost exactly with the mean decrease in fat content; thus, over the 10-week period of ED administration, the mean fat loss was about 5% of the initial body fat content. Three of the obese subjects had strikingly greater fat loss, about 18%, 19%, and 25% of the initial body fat content. There were no significant subjective or objective side effects of ED administration.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Beth Israel Medical Center, First Ave. at 16th St., New York, NY 10003, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zumoff
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Strain
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Heymsfield
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lichtman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone