One-year therapy with 10mg/day DHEA alone or in combination with HRT in postmenopausal women: Effects on hormonal milieu

DHEA: a natural steroid for the treatment of menopausal women

“…recently Pluchino et al demonstrated such concept since they reported that in patients treated with dHeA, dHeA serum levels increased progressively during the entire treatment interval with a significant rise starting from the 3 rd month for women aged about 53 and from the 6 th month for women aged 57 (37). Baseline dHeA levels were higher in younger women, but similar levels were observed in both groups after 6 months of therapy (37). Probably this difference between the two groups was due to a slow but necessary reinduction of cellular enzymes assigned to dHeA metabolization ( Figure 3).…”

“…The percentage change in estradiol levels during follow-up is not significantly different among the different estroprogestin therapy groups independently from the presence or the type of progestin used or between the transdermal and oral estradiol administration (36). it is relevant to observe that also dHeA treatment alone increases estradiol plasma level (37). Pluchino et al demonstrated that patients receiving both dHeA and HrT showed higher levels of estrone (e1) and estradiol (e2) in comparison to those receiving dHeA alone, but very similar to those receiving HrT alone (37).…”

“…it is relevant to mention that various studies reiterate the need to combine HrT with androgens, such as dHeA or transdermal testosterone to positively affect female sexuality (37). This is extremely important in The same study demonstrated that testosterone levels increased progressively from the 1 st month of treatment in patients receiving only dHeA and after the 3 rd month in dHeA-HrT treated group (37).…”

“…it is relevant to mention that various studies reiterate the need to combine HrT with androgens, such as dHeA or transdermal testosterone to positively affect female sexuality (37). This is extremely important in The same study demonstrated that testosterone levels increased progressively from the 1 st month of treatment in patients receiving only dHeA and after the 3 rd month in dHeA-HrT treated group (37). interestingly delta4-androstenedione levels increased slowly and progressively in both groups, with a significant rise after the 3 rd month in dHeA-treated women and after the 6 th month in dHeA-HrT treated ones (37).…”

“…it is relevant to observe that also dHeA treatment alone increases estradiol plasma level (37). Pluchino et al demonstrated that patients receiving both dHeA and HrT showed higher levels of estrone (e1) and estradiol (e2) in comparison to those receiving dHeA alone, but very similar to those receiving HrT alone (37). in dHeA or dHeA-HrT treated patients, estradiol plasma levels showed a significant increase in all groups starting from the 3 rd month if the supplementation starts within 3 years from the beginning of menopause, allowing the achievement of high estradiol levels (37).…”