010-111 · Question #148
Which of the following statements about dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is correct?
The correct answer is C. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has classified DHEA as a controlled drug. Among the answer choices, the FDA's regulatory oversight of DHEA is the only factually supportable statement, as DHEA is subject to federal regulation and is banned by major sports anti-doping bodies due to its hormonal activity.
Question
Which of the following statements about dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is correct?
Options
- AThe body does not produce DHEA.
- BDHEA has been shown to improve body composition and physical performance in most elderly
- CThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has classified DHEA as a controlled drug.
- DDHEA has no potential influence on testosterone production by both men and women.
How the community answered
(24 responses)- A8% (2)
- B4% (1)
- C71% (17)
- D17% (4)
Why each option
Among the answer choices, the FDA's regulatory oversight of DHEA is the only factually supportable statement, as DHEA is subject to federal regulation and is banned by major sports anti-doping bodies due to its hormonal activity.
DHEA is endogenously produced in large quantities by the adrenal cortex and is among the most abundant circulating steroids in the human body, with peak secretion occurring in the mid-20s.
Clinical research has not consistently demonstrated that DHEA supplementation improves body composition or physical performance in elderly populations; results across trials are mixed and effect sizes are generally modest.
The FDA has exercised regulatory authority over DHEA, and the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 placed related androgenic precursors under scheduling oversight. DHEA is also explicitly prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the NCAA because it serves as a direct biosynthetic precursor to testosterone and estrogen, giving it meaningful pharmacological influence.
DHEA is a well-established precursor in the steroidogenesis pathway and is converted to androgens and estrogens in peripheral tissues, meaning it directly influences testosterone and estrogen production in both sexes.
Concept tested: Regulatory status and physiological role of DHEA
Source: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/DHEA-HealthProfessional/
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