Lack of dehydroepiandrosterone effect on a combined endurance and resistance exercise program in postmenopausal women.
BACKGROUND
Recent studies disputed the widely promoted anti-aging effect of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation; however, conflicting data exist on whether physiological DHEA supplementation enhances exercise training effects on body composition, physical performance, and cardiometabolic risk in healthy postmenopausal women.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether 12 wk of DHEA supplementation (50 mg/d) in postmenopausal women enhances exercise-related changes in body composition, physical performance, and cardiometabolic risk.


METHODS
This study was a 12-wk randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and took place at the Mayo Clinic General Clinical Research Center (Rochester, MN).


METHODS
Thirty-one sedentary, postmenopausal, Caucasian women (mean +/- sem age 64.6 +/- 1.0 yr) completed the study.


METHODS
Participants were randomized to one of two 12-wk interventions: 1) exercise training plus 50 mg/d of DHEA (n = 17), or 2) exercise training plus placebo (n = 14). The exercise intervention consisted of both endurance (4 d/wk) and resistance (3 d/wk) exercise components.


METHODS
The main outcomes were measures of body composition, physical performance, and measures of cardiometabolic risk.


RESULTS
DHEA treatment with exercise resulted in increases in circulating sulfated DHEA (650%), total testosterone (100%), estradiol (165%), estrone (85%), and IGF-I (30%) (all P < or = 0.05, for all within and between treatment comparisons). Although exercise training alone significantly improved physical performance, body composition, and insulin sensitivity, administration of DHEA provided no additional benefits.


CONCLUSIONS
Twelve weeks of combined endurance and resistance training significantly improved body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol particle number and size, whereas DHEA had no additional benefits.
Igwebuike
Ada
A
Division of Endocrinology, Endocrine Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Joseph 5-194, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Irving
Brian A
BA
Bigelow
Maureen L
ML
Short
Kevin R
KR
McConnell
Joseph P
JP
Nair
K Sreekumaran
KS
D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015309:Glucose Clamp Technique; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides; D004970:Estrone; D013739:Testosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D002784:Cholesterol