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DHEA supplementation in Menopause

  • Management of Menopause (K-E Huang, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Obstetrics and Gynecology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate ester, DHEAS, are the most abundant steroid hormones in the humans. However, their physiological significance, their mechanisms of action and their possible roles in disease are not fully clarified. In postmenopausal women, the analyses of clinical outcomes evaluating DHEA administration are far from being conclusive and many issues should still be addressed. Although DHEA preparations have been available in the market since the 1990s, there are very few definitive reports on the biological functions of this steroid. Among symptomatic women, the spectrum of symptoms responding to DHEA requires further investigation, to define the type of sexual symptoms (e.g. decreased sexual function or hypoactive sexual desire disorder) and the degree of mood/cognitive symptoms that could be responsive to hormonal treatment.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Nicola Pluchino, Dr. Panagiotis Drakopoulos, Dr. Patrick Petignat, and Dr. Andrea Riccardo Genazzani each declare no potential conflicts of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital of Geneva, Boulevard de la Cluse 30, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland

    Nicola Pluchino, Panagiotis Drakopoulos & Patrick Petignat

  2. Division of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Andrea Riccardo Genazzani

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  1. Nicola Pluchino
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  2. Panagiotis Drakopoulos
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  3. Patrick Petignat
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  4. Andrea Riccardo Genazzani
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Correspondence to Nicola Pluchino.

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Pluchino, N., Drakopoulos, P., Petignat, P. et al. DHEA supplementation in Menopause. Curr Obstet Gynecol Rep 3, 232–237 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13669-014-0095-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13669-014-0095-6

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