Influence of DHEA administration on 24-hour cortisol concentrations

• Published in: Journal of clinical psychopharmacology Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 96 - 99
• Main Authors: KROBOTH, Patricia D, AMICO, Janet A, HAKALA, Charles, STONE, Roslyn A, FOLAN, Maggie, FRYE, Reginald F, KROBOTH, Frank J, BIGOS, Kristin L, FABIAN, Tanya J, LINARES, Ana M, POLLOCK, Bruce G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 01-02-2003
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Cross-Over Studies; Dehydroepiandrosterone - pharmacology; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Neuropharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Sex Characteristics; Single-Blind Method; Human; Biological fluid; Androgen; Steroid hormone; Oral administration; Male; Cortisol; Biological rhythm; Concentration; Hydrocortisone; Glucocorticoid; Blood plasma; Dehydroepiandrosterone; Chronobiology; Adrenal hormone; Female; Sex steroid hormone; Elderly
• ISSN: 0271-0749; 1533-712X
• DOI: 10.1097/00004714-200302000-00014

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.