The influence of DHEA on serum lipids, insulin and sex hormone levels in rabbits with induced hypercholesterolemia.

The authors estimated the influence of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administration, a potential antiatherogenic agent, on serum lipids, sex hormones and insulin levels in male rabbits fed on an atherogenic diet. They concluded that (1) DHEA administration has an unfavorable impact on the serum lipid profile; (2) an atherogenic diet causes insulin resistance; (3) the glucose and insulin levels are not related to DHEA in normally fed rabbits and in rabbits with hyperlipoproteinemia; (4) an atherogenic diet causes a slight increase of estradiol concentration; (5) DHEA treatment has no significant effect on testosterone and estradiol concentrations in both normally fed rabbits and those on an atherogenic diet; (6) DHEA administration has an anti-obesity effect.