Endocrine ,neuroendocrine and behavioral effects of oral dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate supplementation in postmenopausal women

Aging in women and men is characterized by a progressive decline of circulating dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels and its sulfate ester (DHEAS). The improvement of wellbeing described in postmenopausal women treated with DHEA suggests that this steroid may exert specific actions on the central nervous system (CNS). The postmenopausal period is associated with several neuroendocrine modifications. The decrease of circulating levels of β-endorphin is considered a hormonal marker of those changes. The aim of the present study was to investigate neuroendocrine and behavioral effects of three months of DHEAS supplementation in postmenopausal women.Postmenopausal women (n = 22) were divided in three groups: the first group was treated with oral DHEAS (n = 8) (50 mg/day) ,the second treated with the same dose of oral DHEAS + transdermal estradiol (n = 8) (DHEAS) 50 mg/day ,estradiol 50 μg/patch) and the third with transdermal estradiol alone (n = 6) (50 μg/day). Before and after 1 ,2 and 3 months of therapy ,...