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Cited by 566Hormonal and reproductive studiesMenopause: Health Impacts and TreatmentsAdrenal Hormones and Disorders

DHEA in elderly women and DHEA or testosterone in elderly men.

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Nair, K. Sreekumaran, Rizza, Robert A., O'Brien, Peter, Dhatariya, Ketan, Short, Kevin R., Nehra, Ajay, Vittone, Janet L., Klee, George G. +10 more·2006·New England Journal of Medicine
DOI 10.1056/nejmoa054629
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone are widely promoted as antiaging supplements, but the long-term benefits, as compared with potential harm, are unknown. METHODS: We performed a 2-year, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study involving 87 elderly men with low levels of the sulfated form of DHEA and bioavailable testosterone and 57 elderly women with low levels of sulfated DHEA. Among the men, 29 received DHEA, 27 received testosterone, and 31 received placebo. Among the women, 27 received DHEA and 30 received placebo. Outcome measures included physical performance, body composition, bone mineral density (BMD), glucose tolerance, and quality of life. RESULTS: As compared with the change from baseline to 24 months in the placebo group, subjects who received DHEA for 2 years had an increase in plasma levels of sulfated DHEA by a median of 3.4 microg per milliliter (9.2 micromol per liter) in men and by 3.8 microg per milliliter (10.3 micromol per liter) in women. Among men who received testosterone, the level of bioavailable testosterone increased by a median of 30.4 ng per deciliter (1.1 nmol per liter), as compared with the change in the placebo group. A separate analysis of men and women showed no significant effect of DHEA on body-composition measurements. Neither hormone altered the peak volume of oxygen consumed per minute, muscle strength, or insulin sensitivity. Men who received testosterone had a slight increase in fat-free mass, and men in both treatment groups had an increase in BMD at the femoral neck. Women who received DHEA had an increase in BMD at the ultradistal radius. Neither treatment improved the quality of life or had major adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Neither DHEA nor low-dose testosterone replacement in elderly people has physiologically relevant beneficial effects on body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, or quality of life. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00254371 [ClinicalTrials.gov].).

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  • Other studies of DHEA therapy in postmenopausal women or aging have also shown selective improvement in BMD at the femoral neck.

    “second, other studies of DHEA therapy in postmenopausal women (9) or aging (40,47) have also shown selective improvement in BMD at this site.”

    From Long-Term DHEA Replacement in Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: A Randomized, Controlled Trial (2008) · cites this paper as [47]

  • Some studies show that testosterone replacement in old men does not significantly improve strength or cognition, increases coronary artery plaque formation, and has no effect on insulin sensitivity.

    “However, some groups have shown that T replacement in old men does not provide significant benefits in strength 214-217 or cognition,218 increases coronary artery plaque formation,219 and is consistently shown to have no effect on insulin sensitivity.216, 220”

    From Hormonal and Metabolic Changes of Aging and the Influence of Lifestyle Modifications (2021) · cites this paper as [216]

  • The collective literature indicates that DHEA therapy has no significant effect on muscle mass, strength, or insulin sensitivity.

    “The collective literature suggests that DHEA therapy has no significant effect on muscle mass and strength 227, 228 or insulin sensitivity.48, 216, 229-231”

    From Hormonal and Metabolic Changes of Aging and the Influence of Lifestyle Modifications (2021) · cites this paper as [216]

  • Long-term DHEA administration in older people did not improve body fat or muscle mass.

    “Long term (24 month) DHEA administration in old people, which elevated DHEA levels to that in the high-normal range for young people, did not result in improvements in body fat or muscle mass.216”

    From Hormonal and Metabolic Changes of Aging and the Influence of Lifestyle Modifications (2021) · cites this paper as [216]

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Research works printed but not linked: 6

  1. [7]7. Schwartz AG, Pashko LL. Dehydroepi- androsterone, glucose-6-phosphate dehy- drogenase, and longevity. Ageing Res Rev 2004;3:171-87.
  2. [9]9. Dhatariya KK, Nair KS. Dehydroepi- androsterone: is there a role for replace- ment? Mayo Clin Proc 2003;78:1257-73.
  3. [14]14. Proctor DN, Beck KC. Delay time ad- justments to minimize errors in breath- by-breath measurement of VO 2 during exercise. J Appl Physiol 1996;81:2495-9.
  4. [20]20. insulin sensitivity from a meal test. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2002;49:419-29. Health Status Questionnaire (HSQ).
  5. [26]26. Lasco A, Frisina N, Morabito N, et al. Metabolic effects of dehydroepiandros- terone replacement therapy in postmeno- pausal women. Eur J Endocrinol 2001;145: 457-61.
  6. [38]38. Flynn MA, Weaver-Osterholtz D, Sharpe- Timms KL, Allen S, Krause G. Dehydroepi- androsterone replacement in aging hu- mans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999;84: 1527-33.

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Authors
Nair, K. S., Rizza, R. A., O'Brien, P., Dhatariya, K., Short, K. R., Nehra, A., Vittone, J. L., Klee, G. G., Basu, A., Basu, R., Cobelli, C., Toffolo, G., Man, C. D., Tindall, D. J., Melton, L. J., Smith, G. E., Khosla, S., & Jensen, M. D.
Affiliations
  • Mayo Clinic (US)
  • University of Padua (IT)
ORCID
Venue
New England Journal of Medicine
Publisher
Massachusetts Medical Society
Published
2006-10-19
Volume
355
Issue
16
Pages
1647-1659
ISSN
  • 0028-4793 (ISSN-L)
  • 1533-4406
DOI
10.1056/nejmoa054629
OpenAlex
W1997807118
Cited by
566
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 37
FWCI
33.28
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • New England Journal of Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • National Institute on Aging (P01 AG-14283)
  • National Center for Research Resources (M01-RR00 585, M01RR000585)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adrenal Hormones and Disorders
Keywords
dehydroepiandrosterone, testosterone replacement therapy, older men, older women, bioavailable testosterone, bone mineral density, body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, quality of life, adverse effects
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Aging, Body Composition, Dehydroepiandrosterone, Double-Blind Method, Estradiol, Female, Humans, Insulin Resistance, Male, Middle Aged, Physical Fitness, Quality of Life, Testosterone, Bone Density, Treatment Failure, Hormone Replacement Therapy

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