Altered DHEA and DHEAS response to exercise in healthy older adults.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate (DHEAS) are hormones produced by the adrenal cortex that decline in concentration with age. Decreased DHEA levels are associated with age-related disease and oxidative stress but might be increased in younger adults by exercise. Studies are presented assessing the response of DHEA and DHEAS to varied-intensity exercise in older age. DHEA increased significantly in young adults (14.5 +/- 6.1 ng/ml rising to 21.1 +/- 7.5 ng/ml; p < .01), whereas DHEAS decreased significantly (2.56 +/- 1.11 microg/ml falling to 1.90 +/- 0.8 microg/ml; p < .05), after submaximal exercise. DHEA and DHEAS levels were significantly lower in older adults than in younger adults (p < .01), and there was no observed response of either hormone to exercise in older adults. Lipoprotein protein carbonylation is presented as a measure of oxidative status and significantly decreased in younger adults postexercise. Participants with higher DHEA postexercise had lower LDL protein carbonyl concentrations (Pearson's coefficient -.409, p < .05).