DELIVERY OF DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE TO PREMENOPAUSAL WOMEN - EFFECTS OF MICRONIZATION AND NONORAL ADMINISTRATION

OBJECTIVES: This single-dose study compares three dehydroepiandrostero ne delivery methods (oral crystalline steroid, micronized steroid, and vaginal administration) to ascertain whether physiologic levels of ci rculating dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate ca n be obtained while increases in testosterone are minimized. STUDY DES IGN: Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled single-dose comp arisons were made. For oral micronized versus crystalline dehydroepian drosterone 300 mg doses of micronized or crystalline dehydroepiandrost erone were administered, followed by 6 hours of blood sampling (n = 7) . Serum dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and te stosterone levels were measured; areas under the curve and mean peak v alues were analyzed by Student-Newman-Keuls tests. For oral versus vag inal micronized dehydroepiandrosterone 150 mg oral or vaginal doses of micronized dehydroepiandrosterone were administered, followed by bloo d sampling over 12 hours (n = 5). Data analysis was as described. RESU LTS: Oral micronized and unmicronized dehydroepiandrosterone resulted in increases in serum dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone s ulfate, and testosterone. Micronization increased the area-under-the-c urve ratios for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate/dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate/testosterone. Vaginal administratio n provided equivalent serum dehydroepiandrosterone; however, it failed to increase dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate or testosterone over place bo. CONCLUSION: Micronization of oral dehydroepiandrosterone diminishe s bioconversion to testosterone. Vaginal dehydroepiandrosterone delive rs equivalent dehydroepiandrosterone but substantially diminishes dehy droepiandrosterone bioconversion.