Biologic Effects of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in Humans

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Aging

Insulin Resistance

Obesity

Treatments

Drug: DHEA

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

NIH

Identifiers

NCT00099697

3P30DK056341 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

5P60DK020579 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

5K23RR016191 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

AG0013

5P60AG013629 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

2M01RR000036 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

5R01AG020076 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether DHEA replacement therapy decreases abdominal fat and improves insulin sensitivity.

Full description

Studies on rats and mice have shown that the adrenal hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) reduces abdominal visceral fat and protects against insulin resistance. This study was done to learn if DHEA replacement therapy decreases abdominal obesity and improves insulin action in humans.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive 50 mg per day of DHEA or a placebo at bedtime for 6 months. Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and oral glucose tolerance tests at the beginning and conclusion of the study. Other tests included measurements of hormones and lipids.

Sex

All

Ages

65 to 78 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria