Bodies change with age -- it's a part of life. And while some things
may improve over time, health is generally not one of them. That
is why it is vital for elderly people to take care of their bodies
to protect against the harmful effects of aging.
One concern for elderly people is the risk of developing diabetes,
which is triggered by excess abdominal fat and high insulin levels.
However, studies may have found a way to decrease this risk: dehydroepiandrosterone
(DHEA) replacement therapy. DHEA is a hormone produced by the adrenal
glands, which peaks at age 20 and gradually declines with age. In
fact, by the time one reaches 70, only about 20 percent of the peak
amount is still circulating throughout their body.
In order to discover if DHEA replacement could reverse some of
the metabolic complications of aging, researchers conducted experiments
on rats. They found that DHEA replacement might protect against
the insulin resistance brought on by a high-fat diet, as well as
lower insulin responsiveness that takes place with aging.
In a study using a MRI measurement of
abdominal fat, researchers discovered:
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Compared to the placebo group, those who received DHEA experienced
a decrease in abdomen fat of 10.2 percent (women) and 7.4 percent
(men)
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Both men and women who received DHEA had a 6 percent decrease
in subcutaneous abdominal fat (below the skin surface)
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Those who received DHEA had lower insulin levels during oral
glucose tolerance tests than they did at the start of the study
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No adverse effects of DHEA therapy were discovered
JAMA
November 10, 2004;292:2243-2248
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