Age-related decline in salivary dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and associated health risks among African Americans.

Preetha Anna Abraham, Josh Ben Kazman, Stacey Anne Zeno, Merrily Poth, Patricia Anne Deuster

Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA. preetha.abraham@usuhs.edu

Ethnicity & disease 2013

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Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) declines with age and low endogenous DHEAS concentrations have been associated with obesity. In addition, DHEAS has been studied for its role in mood and wellbeing. However, limited data are available on salivary DHEAS concentrations in African Americans. Thus, we examined age-related changes in morning salivary DHEAS and the association between DHEAS and obesity risk factors among African Americans. Salivary DHEAS samples (n=170) were obtained from men and women divided into three age groups: 18 to 30 (young), 31 to 45 (middle) and 46 to 60 (older) years. Anthropometric, blood glucose, high sensitivity c-reactive protein (hsCRP), and blood pressure measures were obtained. Participants completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CESD), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Daily Hassles Scale (DHS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scales to assess depression, daily hassles, stress and quality of sleep, respectively. Mean salivary DHEAS concentrations decreased significantly with increasing age: mean values were 25.8 +/- 2.4, 21.9 +/- 1.9, and 14.4 +/- .9 nmol/L for young, middle, and older groups, respectively. Like DHEAS, PSQI, DHS, CESD, MAP, WC, BMI, systolic and diastolic BP and fasting blood glucose values differed significantly in the older compared to the young and middle groups. Women had significantly lower salivary DHEAS than men (P< or =.05). The age-related decline in salivary DHEAS in African Americans is associated with cardiovascular risk factors, sleep quality, hassles and mood. Whether supplementing DHEAS levels in aging African Americans will improve health remains to be determined.

Citation

Preetha Anna Abraham, Josh Ben Kazman, Stacey Anne Zeno, Merrily Poth, Patricia Anne Deuster. Age-related decline in salivary dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and associated health risks among African Americans. Ethnicity & disease. 2013;23(2):149-54