Evaluation of the Effect of Dehydroepiandrostrone (DHEA) on Insulin Sensitivity in IGT Patients

Dehydroepiandrostrone (DHEA) is one of three adrenal hormones and the most abundant estroid hormone in the body. Compared to other adrenal hormones, it decreases with advancing age, being 10-20% in the seventies, hence it is called the fountain of youth. Recently DHEA has been noticed for many of its effects including its antidepressant, protective effect on neuron injuries, effect on the hypocampaus and vascular endothelium, and its effects on autoimmune disease such as Lupus and ulcerative colitis there is however controversy regarding its effects on insulin sensitivity. Based on glucose tolerance tests, subjects were selected from among patients, attending the Isfahan endocrine research center 30 IGT patients by cross-over were treated with DHEA or placebo for six months and insulin sensitivity at the beginning and the end of treatment were compared. In the first three months, the mean changes in the drug group were: DHEA-S 94μg/dL (P-value0.008), HOMA-IR 0.62 (P-value 0.6), insulin 1 μIU/mL (P-value0.3), FBS 10.5 mg/dL (P-value 0.1) and changes in placebo group were: DHEA-S 2.5 (P-value 0.6), HOMA-IR 0.9 (P-value 0.03), FBS 15.5 (P-value 0.1), insulin 3.5 (P-value 0.05). In the second three months, the mean changes in the drug group were: DHEA-S 166 μg/dL, FBS 4.6 mg/dL, insulin 0.6 μIU/mL, HOMA-IR 0.2, while changes in the placebo group were: DHEA-S 25, FBS 5.8, insulin 1.5, HOMA-IR 0.6. This study showed that the treatment with DHEA did not improve insulin sensitivity, but probably is effective in preventing increase in insulin resistance.