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 report, 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.