Dehydroepiandrosterone Supplements: Bringing Sense to Sensational Claims

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and Alzheimer's dementia in older subjects

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

We investigated the association of serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels with dementia of Alzheimer's type (DAT) and impairment in selected cognitive domains (memory, language, attention and working memory) in 158 patients (75.5+/-6.7 years, 46 men) with first-diagnosed probable DAT and in 158 age- and sex-matched controls. As secondary goal, we evaluated whether DHEA-S baseline levels were associated with cumulative 6-year mortality.

RESULTS

A negative correlation between DHEA-S levels and age was observed (R=-0.25, p<0.001). Age-stratified analysis did not show significant differences of DHEA-S levels between DAT patients and controls. No significant association was found between DHEA-S levels and impairment in selected cognitive domains. Cox regression analysis showed that baseline DHEA-S levels were not associated with cumulative 6-year mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In a sample of newly-diagnosed DAT patients, we did not find significant association between presence of DAT or impairment in cognitive domains and DHEA-S levels; baseline DHEA-S levels are not associated with cumulative mortality in patients and controls.

Dehydroepiandosterone induction of increased resistance to vancomycin in Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates (MSSA, MRSA)

AIMS

To investigate whether dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA), an androgen present throughout life, alters the response of Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates to vancomycin.

METHODS AND RESULTS

DHEA in physiologically relevant concentrations (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0 micromol l(-1)) was tested for its effect on methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA, n = 53) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, n = 73) response to vancomycin using standard protocols. Mutant selection was determined by serial transfer of selected isolates (n = 5). DHEA-mediated at least a fourfold increase in vancomycin MIC for 42% of MSSA and 21% of MRSA. For five of the isolates (0.1 and 0.5 micromol l(-1) DHEA) the MIC was increased to levels (8 microg ml(-1)) defined as vancomycin-intermediate resistance.

CONCLUSION

Resistance was detected only in the presence of DHEA, and was not related to altered generation time, indicating induction of phenotypic resistance.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

These findings require further investigation to determine what role DHEA plays in clinical vancomycin treatment failure that has been reported in the absence of vancomycin genotypic resistance or heteroresistance.