S Tummala1, F Svec. 1. Department of Medicine, Louisiana State University Medical School in New Orleans, 70112, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Studies from both experimental animals and humans suggest that administration of exogenous DHEA may have beneficial endocrine-metabolic, immunologic and neurologic effects. Several groups have administered DHEA to humans, but to the best of our knowledge, no one at this point has published a summary of the relationship between the administered dose of DHEA and the serum levels of steroids attained. DESIGN: We summarize the relationship between the administered dose of DHEA and the resulting serum level of DHEA and DHEA-S, in humans, from 18 published articles. RESULTS: Serum levels of DHEA and DHEA-S increase with increasing doses. Doses above 50 mg/day result in levels that are at or above the upper limit of normal for healthy young adults. At doses above 300 mg/day the increment of serum DHEA and DHEA-S appears to reach a plateau. CONCLUSIONS: Those wanting to use supplemental DHEA might consider that doses of 300 mg/day are maximal; they clearly result in supraphysiologic concentrations and above this level doses may have increased side effects without significantly increasing the effective level of serum hormone.
OBJECTIVES: Studies from both experimental animals and humans suggest that administration of exogenous DHEA may have beneficial endocrine-metabolic, immunologic and neurologic effects. Several groups have administered DHEA to humans, but to the best of our knowledge, no one at this point has published a summary of the relationship between the administered dose of DHEA and the serum levels of steroids attained. DESIGN: We summarize the relationship between the administered dose of DHEA and the resulting serum level of DHEA and DHEA-S, in humans, from 18 published articles. RESULTS: Serum levels of DHEA and DHEA-S increase with increasing doses. Doses above 50 mg/day result in levels that are at or above the upper limit of normal for healthy young adults. At doses above 300 mg/day the increment of serum DHEA and DHEA-S appears to reach a plateau. CONCLUSIONS: Those wanting to use supplemental DHEA might consider that doses of 300 mg/day are maximal; they clearly result in supraphysiologic concentrations and above this level doses may have increased side effects without significantly increasing the effective level of serum hormone.
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