Dehydroepiandrosterone replacement in women with adrenal insufficiency.

TLDR: Dehydroepiandrosterone improves well-being and sexuality in women with adrenal insufficiency and significantly improved overall well- being as well as scores for depression and anxiety.

Abstract: Background The physiologic role of dehydroepiandrosterone in humans is still unclear. Adrenal insufficiency leads to a deficiency of dehydroepiandrosterone; we therefore investigated the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone replacement in patients with adrenal insufficiency. Methods In a double-blind study, 24 women with adrenal insufficiency received in random order 50 mg of dehydroepiandrosterone orally each morning for four months and placebo daily for four months, with a one-month washout period. We measured serum steroid hormones, insulin-like growth factor I, lipids, and sex hormone–binding globulin, and we evaluated well-being and sexuality with the use of validated psychological questionnaires and visual-analogue scales, respectively. The women were assessed before treatment, after one and four months of treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone, after one and four months of placebo, and one month after the end of the second treatment period. Results Treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone raised the initi...