February 19, 2016
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DHEA, testosterone fail to affect insulin suppression of lipolysis

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Supplementation with dehydroepiandrosterone or testosterone in older adults did not affect insulin suppression of systemic lipolysis, according to study data.

Michael D. Jensen, MD, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, and colleagues evaluated women with low dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and men with low DHEA and bioavailable testosterone concentrations to determine the effect of DHEA and testosterone supplementation on systemic lipolysis during a mixed meal test and IV glucose tolerance test (IVGTT). Participants were aged 65 to 75 years.

Women were randomly assigned to 50 mg of DHEA (n = 25) or placebo (n = 27), and men were assigned to 75 g DHEA (n = 28), 5 mg testosterone (n = 26) or placebo (n = 29).

Women treated and untreated had similar median nadir palmitate concentrations as did treated and untreated men.

No difference was found between the groups at baseline for insulin suppression of lipolysis measured during the mixed meal and IVGTT. Compared with placebo, no statistically significant differences in changes in systemic lipolysis were found for the treated groups. Compared with placebo, women who received DHEA had a small but statistically significant difference in nadir palmitate rate of appearance during the mixed meal test (P = .03).

“DHEA or testosterone supplementation has no significant effect on suppression of systemic lipolysis measured either after a mixed meal or after an IVGTT in elderly women with low concentrations of DHEA or elderly men with concentrations of DHEA and testosterone below those observed in young men,” the researchers wrote. – by Amber Cox

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.