Age-related decline in salivary dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and associated health risks among African Americans.

OBJECTIVES: Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) declines with age and low endogenous DHEAS concentrations have been associated with obesity. In addition, DHEAS has been studied for its role in mood and wellbeing. However, limited data are available on salivary DHEAS concentrations in African Americans. Thus, we examined age-related changes in morning salivary DHEAS and the association between DHEAS and obesity risk factors among African Americans. DESIGN: Salivary DHEAS samples (n=170) were obtained from men and women divided into three age groups: 18 to 30 (young), 31 to 45 (middle) and 46 to 60 (older) years. Anthropometric, blood glucose, high sensitivity c-reactive protein (hsCRP), and blood pressure measures were obtained. Participants completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CESD), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Daily Hassles Scale (DHS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scales to assess depression, daily hassles, stress and quality of sleep, respectively. RESULTS: Mean salivary DHEAS concentrations decreased significantly with increasing age: mean values were 25.8 +/- 2.4, 21.9 +/- 1.9, and 14.4 +/- .9 nmol/L for young, middle, and older groups, respectively. Like DHEAS, PSQI, DHS, CESD, MAP, WC, BMI, systolic and diastolic BP and fasting blood glucose values differed significantly in the older compared to the young and middle groups. Women had significantly lower salivary DHEAS than men (P< or =.05). CONCLUSION: The age-related decline in salivary DHEAS in African Americans is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, sleep quality, hassles and mood. Whether supplementing DHEAS levels in aging African Americans will improve health remains to be determined.

Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone and alprazolam on hypothalamic-pituitary responses to exercise.

CONTEXT: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is restrained by activation of gamma-amino-butyric acid receptors. Alprazolam (APZ) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are purported to be gamma-amino-butyric acid agonists and antagonists, respectively. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the effects of APZ and DHEA alone and in combination on HPA axis activity. DESIGN: This was a double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study. SETTING: The study setting was the general community. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects consisted of 15 men (age, 20-45 yr) with a body mass index of 20-25 kg/m2. INTERVENTIONS: DHEA (100 mg/d) or placebo was given for 4 wk, followed by a 2-wk washout; participants ingested 0.5 mg APZ or placebo 10 and 2 h before high-intensity exercise. OUTCOME MEASURES: We measured basal and exercise-induced ACTH, arginine vasopressin (AVP), cortisol, DHEA, and GH responses. It was hypothesized that DHEA would enhance and APZ would blunt exercise-induced ACTH and cortisol release. RESULTS: DHEA significantly increased the AVP response to exercise (P < 0.01). APZ treatment significantly increased basal GH and blunted plasma cortisol, ACTH, AVP, and DHEA responses to exercise (P < 0.05). DHEA and APZ in combination significantly increased the GH response to exercise (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: DHEA may alter a subset of receptors involved in AVP release. Together DHEA and APZ may up-regulate GH during exercise by blunting a suppressive (HPA axis) and potentiating an excitatory (glutamate receptor) system.