ABSTRACT
Age-related hormones have recently attracted widespread attention due to their bene‰cial antiaging effects. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is produced by the adrenal gland and has a weak androgen action after peripheral conversion to more potent androgens, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. DHEA is known to decrease with aging; this decline is referred to as “adrenopause.” Studies have shown that DHEA has protective effects against a series of diseases generally associated with aging (Barrett-Connor and Edelstein 1994; Haffner et al. 1996). DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS), which is converted to its active form, DHEA, is the circulating hormonal pool of DHEA and is a good marker for DHEA availability. Thus, maintaining DHEA and DHEAS in the circulation at suf‰cient levels might be important for preventing these aging-related diseases.
