Plasma Adrenal Androgens in Adult Diabetic Men

The adrenal androgens dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S) reportedly have anti-diabetic and anti-atherosclerotic effects. We investigated the concentrations of plasma adrenal androgens and other steroid hormones in diabetic subjects. In 59 adult diabetic men not receiving insulin therapy who were outpatients at our hospital and 32 healthy controls, we estimated the fasting plasma concentrations of DHEA, DHEA-S, testosterone, estradiol, cortisol, blood glucose (FBG), HbA1C, and immunoreactive insulin (IRI). After 6 months of glycemic control, we again measured the same parameters in 28 of the diabetic patients. In all participants, DHEA-S showed significant negative correlations with FBG (r=-0.24) and HbA1C (r=-0.25). Plasma DHEA concentrations in relative hyperinsulinemic patients (IRI≧10μU/ml, n=25) were significantly lower than those in a normoinsulinemic patients (IRK10μU/ml, n = 66 ; 1.91 ±1.32 ng/ml, mean±SD, vs. 2.42± 1.12 ng/ml, p<0.01, respectively). After the glycemic control, plasma DHEA-S concentrations increased significantly (p<0.05) in the patients with improved HbA1C levels (ΔHbA1C≧1%, n = 6). Plasma DHEA concentrations increased significantly (p<0.05) in the patients with decreased IRI levels (n = 12). The present results indicate that in adult diabetic men, parameters reflecting a state of diabetic control are related to plasma DHEA-S concentrations, while plasma IRI levels are related to plasma DHEA concentrations.