Lack of dehydroepiandrosterone effect on a combined endurance and resistance exercise program in postmenopausal women.

Abstract

CONTEXT:

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.

DESIGN AND SETTING:

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).

PARTICIPANTS:

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

INTERVENTION:

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.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

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.

• Authors: Ada Igwebuike, Brian A Irving, Maureen L Bigelow, Kevin R Short, Joseph P McConnell, K Sreekumaran Nair
• Journal: The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism (J Clin Endocrinol Metab) Vol. 93 Issue 2 Pg. 534-8 (Feb 2008) ISSN: 0021-972X [Print] United States
• PMID: 18029465 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose
• Triglycerides
• Estrone
• Testosterone
• Dehydroepiandrosterone
• Estradiol
• Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
• Cholesterol

Topics

• Aged
• Blood Glucose (metabolism)
• Body Composition (drug effects, physiology)
• Cholesterol (blood)
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (blood, pharmacology)
• Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (blood)
• Double-Blind Method
• Estradiol (blood)
• Estrone (blood)
• Female
• Glucose Clamp Technique
• Humans
• Insulin Resistance (physiology)
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (metabolism)
• Middle Aged
• Physical Endurance (drug effects, physiology)
• Physical Fitness (physiology)
• Postmenopause (blood, physiology)
• Testosterone (blood)
• Triglycerides (blood)