METABOLISM OF EXOGENOUS DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE IN MAN

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Abstract
To study the metabolism of dehydroepiandrosterone, 3 normal subjects ingested 50, 300, and 1000 mg of dehydroepiandrosterone for 3 day periods. Although the fraction of the administered dehydroepiandrosterone that appeared in the urine decreased with increasing doses, the amount of dehydroepiandrosterone excreted approached that seen in adrenal cancer. The excretion of etiocholanolone was greater than that of androsterone at the higher dehydroepiandrosterone levels suggesting increased activity of the enzyme, [DELTA] 4-5[beta]-reductase. Conjugation of the C19O2-ketosteroid metabolites of dehydroepiandrosterone was examined at each dose level. The excretion of dehydroepiandrosterone glucuronoside remained a small, constant fraction of the total dehydroepiandrosterone excretion. Similarly, the excretion of androsterone sulfate and etio-cholanolone sulfate was a fairly constant but minor fraction of the total excretion of androsterone and etiocholanolone.