DHEA-S production capacity in relation to perceived prolonged stress

Figures & data

Table 1. Number of men and women, age and basal hormonal levels in the two stress level groups.

	Low stress n = 45	High stress n = 36	p value
Number of men/women (% men)	27/18 (60%)	20/16 (56%)	0.821
Age (min–max)	39 (24–49)	38 (23–50)	0.561
BMI (min–max)	24.5 (18.5–33.5)	25.3 (18.8–34.9)	0.323
Pretest ACTH, pmol/L	4.67 (4.02–5.43)	5.77 (4.78–6.98)	0.081
Pretest Cortisol, nmol/L	238 (200–254)	255 (230–282)	0.089
Pretest DHEA-S, µmol/L	6.63 (5.64–7.61)	5.83 (5.07–6.60)	0.140
Pretest DHEA, nmol/L	3.03 (2.56–3.59)	2.81 (2.45–3.25)	0.318
Pretest Cortisol to DHEA-S ratio	37.5 (31.9–44.1)	47.7 (39.4–57.6)	0.023

Mean (or geometric mean in cases of non-normal distribution) and its 95% CI if nothing else is indicated. ACTH: adrenocorticotropic hormone; DHEA: dehydroepiandrosterone; DHEA-S: dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate.

Figure 1. Levels of ACTH, cortisol, DHEA and DHEA-S (mean, 95% CI) during the experiment in the two stress level groups.

Levels of stress hormones increases in response to the acute laboratory stressor, and then recover to baseline.

Figure 2. Delta DHEA-S (mean, 95% CI) in the low stress group and in the high stress group.

DHEA-S production capacity in the individuals who reported high stress is on average tree-fifths of what it is in the individuals who reported low stress.

Figure 3. The ratio between delta DHEA-S and delta ACTH (mean, 95% CI) in the two stress level groups.

The amount of produced DHEA-S in relation to the amount released ACTH (thus, the stimulus factor of DHEA-S) is on an average one-third in the individuals who reported high stress compared to those who reported low stress.