From: Doug Skrecky (oberon@vcn.bc.ca)
Date: Tue Aug 25 1998 - 21:20:11 MDT
"DHEA Treatment Reduces Fat Accumulation and protects Against Insulin
Resistance in Male Rats"
Journal of Gerontology 53A(1): B19-B24 1998
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine whether administration of
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) protects male rats against the accumulation
of body fat and development of insulin resistance with advancing age. We
found that supplementation of the diet with 0.3% DHEA between the ages of 5
months and =25 months resulted in a significantly lower final body weight
(DHEA, 593 +- 18 g vs 668 +- 12 g, p<0.02), despite no decrease in food
intake. Lean body mass was unaffected by the DHEA, and the lower body
weight was due to a =25% reduction in body fat. The rate of glucose
disposal during a euglycemic, hyperinsulinemic clamp was 30% higher in the
DHEA group than in the sedentary controls due to a greater insulin
responsiveness. The DHEA administration was as effective in reducing body
fat content and maintaining insulin responsiveness as exercise in the form
of voluntary wheel running. The DHEA had no significant effect on muscle
GLUT4 content. A preliminary experiment provided evidence suggesting that
muscle insulin signaling, as reflected in binding of phosphatidylinositol
3-kinase to the insulin recptor substrate-1, was enhanced in the
DHEA-treated and wheel running groups as compared to controls. These
results provide evidence that DHEA, like exercise, protects against fat
accumulation and development of insulin resistance in rats.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:49:30 MST