DHEA benefits

Many of my patients have found relief from hot flashes, and fatigue using DHEA, but it has many other benefits.

 DHEA is a natural steroid and precursor hormone produced by the adrenals. It’s also available at health food stores and on-line as an over-the-counter supplement. Manufacturers hype it as a magic cure-all for many things: muscle loss, weight loss, osteoporosis, and depression — even menopause. Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is a steroid hormone synthesized from cholesterol and secreted by the adrenal glands. The adrenals are walnut-sized organs located right above your kidneys. The average adult makes about 25 mg of DHEA per day (some more, some less) with dwindling production as we get older. Men at all ages have more DHEA than women. Natural DHEA production is at its highest in your twenties: by the time we reach seventy we only make about 20% of the DHEA we had when we were young. Another reason is that DHEA is a very powerful precursor to all of your major sex hormones: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. (Its molecular structure is closely related to testosterone). When DHEA levels are low, your body does not have enough working material for proper endocrine function. This throws off your hormone production and you feel a general sense of malaise, along with other symptoms of hormonal imbalance — how severe depends on how many other demands are being made on your body at the same time.

 Most of the women we see at our practice  have some indication of adrenal imbalance, including symptoms of low DHEA levels, such as:

Extreme fatigue
Decrease in muscle mass
Decrease in bone density
Depression
Aching joints
Loss of libido
Lowered immunity

Many of my patients in menopause who are taking bioidentical hormones also take DHEA to promote a good overall balance and vice-versa. DHEA can be a great bridge through menopause.

 In one study they found that women ages 65-75 taking DHEA along with calcium and vitamin D increased their bone density 2% each year during a 2 year study. This study used a dose of DHEA of 50 mg. This is not a huge increase, but if you have failed bisphosphonates or do not want to take them, it is worth consideration.  Even if you are on prescription medications, ask your doctor if you should add this for extra benefit.

I recommend checking your hormone levels before supplementing with any hormones. If DHEA levels are too high, people may experience acne, facial hair, oily skin, etc. So I evaluate a hormone panel before adding any hormone to a regimen. If used appropriately, results can be good... if used randomly, results can be random.

There are multiple ways to take DHEA, sublingual, transdermal, etc.  Find the way that is easiest for you.  The way you can be consistent, always works the best.

DHEA with resveratrol

DHEA Micronized 25 mg. - 180 Vegetarian Capsules

DHEA sublingual

DHEA transdermal cream




The statements and products shown on this website have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.


 

Antioxidants and infertility

Maqui/Resveratrol/Acai Ultimate

This vitamin is all natural. Most of the ingredients can be found in a variety of foods such as cranberries, grapes, and blueberries. It provides a blend of the highest quality antioxidants that are known to fight cancer, joint inflammation, and cardiovascular disease. It also has a blend of the most effective weight loss supplements and aids on the market today. Resveratrol is thought to have some estrogenic activity, so if you are dealing with hot flashes and wish to avoid hormones, it would be a good supplement. The Macqui is the highest antioxidant value of any known fruit. It helps to support healthy inflammatory functions, healthy aging system, and healthy aging.

True story about this supplement:

I had a patient who had an uneventful first delivery that I attended. Over the next four years, her cycles became less and less frequent until they disappeared altogether. She is a personal trainer, was taking prenatal vitamins, and was overall extremely healthy. Ultimately I sent her for an infertility evaluation, and they found no abnormalities. We then discussed the features of adrenal fatigue, and basically decided that due to her strenuous job and demands of marriage, motherhood, and previous pregnancy, that all of her reserves were basically depleted, and until they were restored, she may not get pregnant. I had just received Maqui/Resveratrol/Acai, which was a very powerful antioxidant formula, and advised her to try it for a couple of months while she was waiting to save the money for her infertility treatment. She took it for one month. Her menses started to return. She was pregnant one month later and is now at the end of her first trimester.