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This version published online on May 31, 2005
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, doi:10.1210/jc.2004-2504
A more recent version of this article appeared on August 1, 2005
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Submitted on December 21, 2004
Accepted on May 20, 2005

Effects of Dehydroepiandrosterone and Alprazolam on Hypothalamic-Pituitary Responses to Exercise

Patricia A. Deuster*, Martha M. Faraday, George P. Chrousos, and Merrily A. Poth

Departments of Military and Emergency Medicine, Medical and Clinical Psychology, and Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; Bethesda, MD 20814; Pediatric and Reproductive Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Child health and Human Development, Bethesda MD 20892

Context: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is restrained by activation of {gamma}-amino-butyric acid (GABAA) receptors. Alprazolam (APZ) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) are purported to be GABA agonists and antagonists, respectively.

Objective: To examine the effects of APZ and DHEA alone and in combination on HPA axis activity.

Design: Double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study.

Setting: General community.

Participants: Males (n = 15) 20-45 yr with a BMI 20-25.

Interventions: DHEA (100 mg/d) or Placebo for 4-weeks followed by a 2-week washout; participants ingested 0.5 mg APZ or Placebo 10 and 2 h before high-intensity exercise.

Outcome Measures: Basal and exercise-induced ACTH, AVP, cortisol, DHEA, and growth hormone (GH) responses. It was hypothesized that DHEA would enhance and APZ blunt exercise-induced ACTH and cortisol release.

Results: DHEA significantly increased the AVP response to exercise (P < 0.01). APZ treatment significantly increased basal GH and blunted plasma cortisol, ACTH, AVP and DHEA responses to exercise (P < 0.05). DHEA and APZ in combination significantly increased the GH response to exercise (P < 0.01).

Conclusions: DHEA may alter a subset of receptors involved in AVP release. Together DHEA and APZ may up-regulate GH during exercise by blunting a suppressive (HPA axis) and potentiating an excitatory (glutamate receptor) system.
Key words: ACTH • AVP • cortisol • glucose • growth hormone • lactate






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