POSTMENOPAUSAL DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE ADMINISTRATION INCREASES FREE INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR-I AND DECREASES HIGH-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN - A6-MONTH TRIAL

Objective: To determine the effect of administering 6 months of oral p ostmenopausal DHEA therapy on serum DHEA, DHEAS, and T levels and on p hysiologic endpoints including lipoproteins and insulin-like growth fa ctor-I (IGF-T). Design: Randomized, double-blind, parallel trial. Sett ing: Academic referral practice. Patient(s): Thirteen normal-weight or overweight, healthy, nonsmoking, postmenopausal women. Intervention(s ): Administration of oral micronized DHEA (25 mg/d). Main Outcome Meas ure(s): Monthly fasting 23 hours postdose levels of serum DHEA, DHEAS, T, lipoproteins, IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and liver function tests. Morphometric indices by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (perce nt body fat; lean body mass), immune indices, and insulin sensitivity. Result(s): Levels of DHEA, DHEAS, and T all rose into premenopausal r anges, but after 6 months, levels of DHEA T did not differ from baseli ne or placebo. At 3 months, the ratio of IGF-I to IGFBP-3 rose by 36.1 % +/- 12.7%, but it to placebo values by 6 months. High-density lipopr otein and apolipoprotein A1 levels declined. Conclusion(s): Patients a ppeared to tolerate 6 months of DHEA therapy well. Given the small stu dy size, no significant differences in morphometric indices, immune in dices, or insulin-sensitizing properties were observed, significant at tenuation of bioavailability occurred. Supplementation with DHEA incre ased IGFI/IGFBP-3 levels at months and decreased high-density lipoprot ein and apolipoprotein A1 levels at 6 months. (Fertil Steril(R) (C) 19 98 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).