Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate(DHEAS)is a hormone produced by the zona reticularis of the adrenal gland and the ovaries.Initially considered as an inert compound merely serving as an intermediate in the conversion of ...Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate(DHEAS)is a hormone produced by the zona reticularis of the adrenal gland and the ovaries.Initially considered as an inert compound merely serving as an intermediate in the conversion of cholesterol to androgens,interest in DHEA began to grow in the 1960s when it was found that DHEAS is the most abundant steroid hormone in human plasma and that its levels decline with age.In many countries,DHEA is considered a nutritional supplement.It has been used for a multitude of conditions which include sexual dysfunction,infertility,genitourinary syndrome of menopause,musculoskeletal disorders,cardiovascular diseases,ageing,neurological diseases,autoimmune conditions,adrenal insufficiency,and anorexia nervosa.We describe an overview of the historical evolution of DHEA,its physiology,and the disease states where it has been evaluated as a supplement.展开更多
As we delve into the intricacies of human disease,millions of people continue to be diagnosed as having what are labelled as pre-conditions or sub-clinical entities and may receive treatments designed to prevent furth...As we delve into the intricacies of human disease,millions of people continue to be diagnosed as having what are labelled as pre-conditions or sub-clinical entities and may receive treatments designed to prevent further progression to clinical disease,but with debatable impact and consequences.Endocrinology is no different,with almost every organ system and associated diseases having subclinical entities.Although the expansion of these“grey”pre-conditions and their treatments come with a better understanding of pathophysiologic processes,they also entail financial costs and drug adverse-effects,and lack true prevention,thus refuting the very foundation of Medicine laid by Hippocrates“Primum non nocere”(Latin),i.e.,do no harm.Subclinical hypothyroidism,prediabetes,osteopenia,and minimal autonomous cortisol excess are some of the endocrine preclinical conditions which do not require active pharmacological management in the vast majority.In fact,progression to clinical disease is seen in only a small minority with reversal to normality in most.Giving drugs also does not lead to true prevention by changing the course of future disease.The goal of the medical fraternity thus as a whole should be to bring this large chunk of humanity out of the hospitals towards leading a healthy lifestyle and away from the label of a medical disease condition.展开更多
文摘Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate(DHEAS)is a hormone produced by the zona reticularis of the adrenal gland and the ovaries.Initially considered as an inert compound merely serving as an intermediate in the conversion of cholesterol to androgens,interest in DHEA began to grow in the 1960s when it was found that DHEAS is the most abundant steroid hormone in human plasma and that its levels decline with age.In many countries,DHEA is considered a nutritional supplement.It has been used for a multitude of conditions which include sexual dysfunction,infertility,genitourinary syndrome of menopause,musculoskeletal disorders,cardiovascular diseases,ageing,neurological diseases,autoimmune conditions,adrenal insufficiency,and anorexia nervosa.We describe an overview of the historical evolution of DHEA,its physiology,and the disease states where it has been evaluated as a supplement.
文摘As we delve into the intricacies of human disease,millions of people continue to be diagnosed as having what are labelled as pre-conditions or sub-clinical entities and may receive treatments designed to prevent further progression to clinical disease,but with debatable impact and consequences.Endocrinology is no different,with almost every organ system and associated diseases having subclinical entities.Although the expansion of these“grey”pre-conditions and their treatments come with a better understanding of pathophysiologic processes,they also entail financial costs and drug adverse-effects,and lack true prevention,thus refuting the very foundation of Medicine laid by Hippocrates“Primum non nocere”(Latin),i.e.,do no harm.Subclinical hypothyroidism,prediabetes,osteopenia,and minimal autonomous cortisol excess are some of the endocrine preclinical conditions which do not require active pharmacological management in the vast majority.In fact,progression to clinical disease is seen in only a small minority with reversal to normality in most.Giving drugs also does not lead to true prevention by changing the course of future disease.The goal of the medical fraternity thus as a whole should be to bring this large chunk of humanity out of the hospitals towards leading a healthy lifestyle and away from the label of a medical disease condition.
