NEWS: Dhea May Be No Help for Fibromyalgia

[Guest guest]

Dhea May Be No Help for Fibromyalgia

By Amy Norton

Friday, August 5, 2005

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The hormone supplement DHEA may be a

popular choice for people with fibromyalgia, but a new study finds no

evidence it actually works.

The study, which compared 3 months of daily doses of DHEA against a

placebo, found that the supplement did not improve fibromyalgia

patients' pain, fatigue, depression or other symptoms.

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome marked by widespread aches and pains,

fatigue and sleep problems, among other symptoms. The cause is unknown,

and there are no medications specifically approved for the condition.

Instead, treatment usually involves a combination of approaches, such

as painkillers, antidepressants and exercise therapy.

Supplemental DHEA -- short for dehydroepiandrosterone -- is a

synthesized version of a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. DHEA

is converted into other steroid hormones, including testosterone and

estrogen; its levels in the body naturally peak during the 20s and then

taper off as people age. Because of this, over-the-counter DHEA

supplements are often marketed as an anti-aging remedy.

It has also emerged as a popular therapy for fibromyalgia, despite a

lack of research, according to Dr. Axel Finckh of Brigham & Women's

Hospital in Boston, the new study's lead author.

Theoretically, Finckh said, the supplement could be useful in

fibromyalgia because weak adrenal function and low DHEA levels have

been found in people with the condition.

However, he told Reuters Health, 3 months of DHEA therapy was no help

to the 52 postmenopausal women he and his colleagues followed. In

addition, he said, some had testosterone-like side effects such as

acne, greasy skin and excess body hair.

" Our opinion is, it's not worth trying, " Finckh said of the supplement.

The low DHEA levels that have been observed in some fibromyalgia

patients may be a consequence, rather than a cause of the syndrome,

according to Finckh. The stress of chronic pain, he explained, could

dampen concentrations of the hormone.

The study, which is published in the Journal of Rheumatology, included

52 women, mostly in their 50s and 60s, who had been diagnosed with

fibromyalgia. Each woman spent 3 months taking 50 milligrams of DHEA

per day, and another 3 months on an inactive placebo " treatment. "

Overall, the women reported no clear improvement in pain, fatigue,

depression and anxiety, and physical and mental function -- with either

the supplement or the placebo.

It's possible, the researchers note in the report, that higher doses of

DHEA or a longer treatment period could improve the supplement's

effectiveness. However, they point out, 50 milligrams per day is the

most common dose used in studies of the hormone.

Moreover, fibromyalgia is a chronic condition, and the long-term safety

of DHEA is unknown, Finckh said. Because the hormone can convert to

estrogen, he noted, it could theoretically raise the risk of breast

cancer.

SOURCE: Journal of Rheumatology, July 5, 2005.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_26179.html