Antiaging is the latest wellness craze, with many supplements promising to turn back the clock and help people feel younger.  Very few antiaging supplements have received rigorous attention.

Dehydroepiandrosteone (DHEA) and testosterone are two hormones widely promoted as antiaging supplements which were investigated in a randomized double-blind study published last month in the New England Journal of Medicine.  The study randomized elderly men who had low levels of testosterone and sulfated DHEA into three groups.  One group received DHEA; one group received testosterone; and one group received placebo.  The study also randomized women with low levels of sulfated DHEA to a group that received DHEA, and a placebo group.  The patients were followed for two years.  Their physical performance, bone mineral density, percent body fat, glucose tolerance and quality of life were measured.

The study concluded

Neither DHEA nor low-dose testosterone replacement in elderly people has physiologically relevant beneficial effects on body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, or quality of life.

I guess I’m “pro-aging”.  I figure the better I do my job, the older my patients get!

Tangential Miscellany:

My staff and I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.  May we all enjoy time with loved ones, and may we remember to express gratitude for our abundant blessings.