MINIREVIEW
Dehydroepiandrosterone – Is the Fountain of Youth Drying
Out?
P. CELEC1,2, L. STÁRKA3
1Faculty of Medicine, 2Faculty of
Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Bratislava,
Slovakia
and 3Institute of Endocrinology, Prague, Czech
Republic
Received September 15, 2002
Accepted October 7, 2002
Summary
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphate-bound form (DHEAS)
are important steroids mainly of adrenal origin. Their
physiological and pathophysiological functions are not yet fully
identified, although a number of various possible features have
been hypothesized. Most popular is the description of the
“hormone of youth” as the long-term dynamics of DHEA levels are
characterized by a sharp age-related decline in the late
adulthood and later. Low levels of DHEA are, however, associated
not only with the ageing process but also with diabetes
mellitus, cardiovascular diseases and some neurological or
immunological entities. In the past decade, a number of brief
studies have concentrated on these relationships and also on the
role of exogenous DHEA in health, disease and human well-being.
This article tries to summarize some of the most important facts
achieved recently.
Key
words
Dehydroepiandrosterone • Intracrinology • Hormone replacement
therapy • Steroids
Reprint
requests
P. Celec, Galbavého 3, 841 01 Bratislava, Slovakia. E-mail:
petercelec@hotmail.com
|