Relationships between age, dehydro-epiandrosterone sulphate and plasma glucose in healthy men

Abstract

Background: dehydro-epiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) has been reported to ameliorate diabetes mellitus in rats. Aim: we investigated the relationships between plasma glucose, age, serum DHEAS and weight in healthy men. Methods: we measured the serum DHEAS, fasting plasma glucose, plasma cortisol and body mass index in 169 subjects (mean age 46.5 pears). Results: there was a significant decline in serum DHEAS with age (P < 0.0001).;Multiple linear regression showed significant relationships with plasma glucose for all measured variables. Age was not a significant determinant of plasma glucose after adjusting for log serum DHEAS, body mass index and log serum cortisol. Conclusions: a lowered serum DHEAS is paralleled by an elevated plasma glucose within the normal reference interval, and this may contribute to the rise in fasting plasma glucose which occurs with ageing.