Sex hormone trial fails to produce anti-aging benefits.

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Sex hormone trial fails to produce " anti-aging " benefits.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have concluded that DHEA and

testosterone replacement do not produce the beneficial effects

promised by " anti-aging " promoters.

The conclusion was based on a 2-year, placebo-controlled, randomized,

double-blind study involving 87 elderly men with low blood levels of

dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and testosterone and 57 elderly women

with low levels of DHEA.

Administering these hormones did raise the subjects' blood levels.

However, it failed to produce any significant beneficial effects on

body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, or

quality of life. [Nair KS and others. DHEA in elderly women and DHEA

or testosterone in elderly men. New England Journal of Medicine

355:1647-1659, 2006]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed & cmd=Retrieve & dopt=Abstra\

ctPlus & list_uids=17050889 & itool=pubmed_AbstractPlus

An accompanying editorial expressed doubt that negative studies would

cause marketers to stop calling DHEA the " foundation of youth. "

[ PM. Aging and fountain-of-youth hormones. New England

Journal of Medicine 355:1724-1727, 2006]