Dehydroepiandrosterone

DHEA/Nutrient Depletion:

  • DHEA levelsDHEA levels: In humans, various drugs may decrease circulating concentrations of DHEA and/or DHEA-S, including ACE inhibitors (decreased serum DHEA in older men) (201), antidepressants (mirtazapine, venlafaxine, and bupropion reduced DHEA-S concentrations) (195; 196; 28), thiazolidinediones (troglitazone and rosiglitazone decreased serum DHEA-S in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)) (202; 203), metformin (decreased DHEA-S levels in women with PCOS) (204; 203), antipsychotic drugs (unspecified; may reduce DHEA and DHEA-S levels, particularly in men) (205; 206), oral contraceptives (reduced serum concentrations of DHEA-S (207; 208; 209) and reduced urinary excretion of DHEA (210)), corticosteroids (dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, and prednisone reduced DHEA-S concentrations) (211; 212; 213; 214), gefitinib (lowered DHEA levels in men and women and DHEA-S levels in women) (215), fiber (inverse relationship; a high-fiber diet was associated with reduced plasma and serum DHEA-S levels (217; 218; 219), and soy (decreased DHEA-S concentrations) (220; 221).
  • Fatty acidsFatty acids: In patients with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, following supplementation of DHEA, decreases in saturated and mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (C16:0, C18:0, C20:4omega-6, C22:5omega-6, C18:1omega-9, C20:1omega-9, and C20:3omega-9) in plasma and erythrocytes were noted; however, lowered elevated plasma levels of saturated very-long-chain fatty acids were lacking (466). Only in plasma was a decrease in unsaturated fatty acid and oleic acid (syn. olefinic acid C18:1omega 9) noted. In human research, DHEA-S supplementation decreased levels of total fatty acids (339).
  • GlucoseGlucose: In men with age-related disorders, including cardiovascular disease, DHEA supplementation reduced glucose levels (301; 115).
  • LipidsLipids: In humans, DHEA and DHEA-S supplementation decreased HDL, LDL, VLDL, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and apolipoprotein A-I levels (468; 405; 153; 192; 155; 115; 156; 157; 269; 159; 158; 160; 161). In other research evaluating topical 7-oxo-DHEA, a decrease in total cholesterol levels was noted (476).