Association of Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate, Body Composition, and Physical Fitness in Independent Community‐Dwelling Older Men and Women

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Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine the association of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), body composition, and physical fitness in independent community‐dwelling men and women aged 60 to 80 years. DESIGN: Cross sectional analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Independent men and women, 60 years of age and older, living in urban and suburban communities of Southeastern Wisconsin. MEASUREMENTS: History, physical examination, physical activity level, and anthropometrics were measured for every subject. Total adipose mass (TAM) and lean body mass were measured using dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1), total testosterone (TT), and free testosterone (FT) were measured using radioimmunoassay. Physical fitness was measured as V̇O2max using exercise stress tests. Blood for lipids was analyzed using standard assays. RESULTS: In men, the DHEAS was significantly correlated to age (r = ‐.32), TAM (r = ‐.27), percent fat (r = ‐.30), HDL cholesterol (r = .34), TT (r = .30), V̇O2max (r = .23), and percent lean body mass (% LBM) (r = .33). In women, the DHEAS was not significantly correlated to any of the variables examined except body mass index (BMI) (r = .23). In men, after partialling out age, DHEAS was significantly correlated to HDL, % fat, TAM, % LBM, and TT. Multivariate analysis for men revealed that high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) was the strongest predictor of serum DHEAS level, followed by % LBM, BMI, and age. The men in the highest quartile of serum DHEAS levels were different from those in the lowest quartile in terms of age, TT, FT, % fat, TAM, % LBM, HDL, and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level. No such differences were found in the two groups of women. CONCLUSION: In this group of independent community‐dwelling older men, several factors were found to be associated with the serum DHEAS concentration, whereas in a group of older women, no such associations were identified with the exception of BMI. Men in the highest quartile of serum DHEAS level, compared with those with a serum DHEAS level in the lowest quartile, were younger, leaner, more fit, had higher TT and FT levels, and had a favorable lipid profile. No such differences were identified between the women in the highest and the lowest quartiles of serum DHEAS level.