What is DHEA?

DHEA, the abbreviation for dehydroepiandrosterone, is a steroid hormone. You might say that it is a “chemical cousin” of estrogen and testosterone. Indeed, these two hormones are made from DHEA.

DHEA is made from cholesterol by the adrenal glands.

It helps form the hormones estrogen and testosterone. It is also responsible for body functions such as fat and mineral metabolism, and stress control.

More recently, a number of health claims have been made for DHEA. DHEA may be an “anti-aging” agent, because restoring its levels to those found in 20-years-olds appears to have a rejuvenating effect.

It is also said that DHEA can prevent or delay the onset of cancer, the hardening of arteries, lethal viral infections, lowered immunity, obesity, and diabetes.

How much DHEA do humans have?

For the first few years of life, the adrenal glands make very little DHEA. But then, around age six or seven, levels begin to increase, and DHEA production peaks when we are in our mid-20s. At this point, it is the most abundant hormone in circulation.

Once we hit our early 30s, production begins to decrease, and by the time we hit our 70s we only have about 20 percent of what we had 50 years earlier. By age 85, it’s down about 95 percent.

Are low levels of DHEA are associated with disease?

Some of the more interesting research and theories on DHEA have come from C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D., who has been studying this hormone for years. In his research, he has discovered that low levels of DHEA (along with low levels of the mineral magnesium) are found in nearly all diseases, and that the only diseases associated with normal levels of DHEA are schizophrenia and alcoholism. In one of his studies, Shealy looked at DHEA deficiency in chronic pain and depression (J. Neurol Orthop Med Surg 17, no. 6 [199]).

In 138 patients suffering from such diseases as depression, chronic headache, firbromylagia, spinal pain, and chronic pain, 93 percent were deficient in DHEA levels.

In an early human study, Dr. Barrett-Connor measured DHEA levels in blood samples taken from some 2,000 men and women between 1972 and 1974, and tracked the number of subjects who died from heart disease.

The original study, published’ in The New England Journal of Medicine in 1986, showed a 60 to 70 percent lower death rate from coronary vascular disease and ischemic heart disease for men with high DHEA levels, but a 23 to 103 percent increase in risk for women.

This population was followed for an additional seven years, and a more recent analysis concludes that DHEA does protect men from heart disease, and that there is no association between DHEA levels and heart disease in women.

According to the New York Academy of Science’s Conference on DHEA (June 18-19, 1995; Washington, D.C.), the conclusion is that DHEA is an independent protector against the risk of death from cardiovascular disease as well as death from all causes.

In another study, DHEA was administered to men and women between the ages of 40 and 70. The results show that DHEA levels were restored to those found in young adults and that both physical and psychological well-being improved (.Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 78 (1994):1360-1367).

Perhaps the most well-known study was conducted by Dr. Samuel Yen. In this study (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 774 (1995): 128-142), after taking DHEA, circulating levels of the hormone were a bit higher in the subjects than normally found in young adults, and lean body mass and muscle strength increased. There was also a rise in some chemical markers that suggested improvement in immune function.

What’s going on more recently?

A search of the Medline databank, which catalogues medical and scientific papers, reveals that more than 400 papers concerning some aspect of DHEA have been published over the past two years. Some of these include abstracts that state “A potential role for DHEA, both therapeutically and as a diagnostic tool, in CFS [chronic fatigue syndrome], is suggested.” J. Affect Disord 54, nos. I-2, (July 1999): 129-37

“DHEA therapy, when added to conventional treatment for severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), may at most have a small added benefit with respect to lupus outcomes, but baseline imbalances in the study population limit the generalizability of the results. DHEA appears to have a protective effect with respect to corticosteroid-induced osteopenia in such patients.” Lupus 8, no. 3 (1999): 181.7

“These results suggest that DHEA treatment may have significant antidepressant effects in some patients with major depression. Further, larger-scale trials are warranted.” Am Psychiatry 156, no. 4 (April 1999): 646-9

“DHEA was well tolerated and appeared clinically beneficial [by those with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)] with the benefits sustained for at least one year in those patients who maintained therapy.” Rheumatol 25, no. 2 (February 1998): 285-9

“Therefore, the deficiency of DHEA-S might be related to the neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with CFS.” Int Mol Med 1, no. I (January 1998): 143-6

“These findings suggest that serum DHEAS levels bear an inverse relationship to heart disease, independently of a large set of established cardiovascular risk factors. The cross-sectional nature of this study requires that the findings be interpreted with caution.” Ann Epidemiol 8, no. 4 (May 1998):217-28

In the October 2004 edition of his ‘Nutrition & Healing’ newsletter, Dr Jonathan V. Wright reports that “researchers continue to confirm that taking small quantities of around 10-15 mg per day for women (50 mg for men) to restore more normal levels improves immune function, lowers the risk of many cancers, and may even increase longevity.”

Benefits of DHEA

Low levels of DHEA and DHEA-S in the body harm humans in many ways. Low levels may contribute to diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease, arthritis, impaired immune function, and other diseases typical of older people.

Declining levels later in life may contribute to senility, formerly considered an unavoidable effect of brain aging. Taking supplemental DHEA can prevent, improve, or reverse such diseases.

DHEA has a significant impact on lean body mass. It is the most abundant adrenal steroid hormone found in the body. This vital hormone is the metabolic precursor to testosterone and supports muscle growth, cellular energy formation and fat metabolism. It is a catalyst for healthier, leaner eating habits, while blocking the catabolic effects that cortisol has on muscle mass. DHEA may have a profound influence on positive body composition supporting the growth of lean muscle tissue. Many bodybuilders use DHEA to ensure their bodies have the raw ingredients needed to produce sufficient testosterone, the muscle-building hormone.

DHEA has powerful anti-aging benefits. It is essential for well-being and is considered to have strong anti-aging properties. It is a potent antioxidant hormone whose rapid decline after age 30 triggers many degenerative diseases associated with aging. DHEA is considered to be absolutely essential for any anti-aging, longevity program. DHEA levels peak around age 25 for men and 20 for women, and then decline steadily with age. Studies show that DHEA supplementation can potentially slow the aging process, improve testosterone levels and support lean body mass and muscle strength.

DHEA helps lower bad cholesterol and relieve pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. It may help to relieve pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis and may be helpful in the treatment of autoimmune diseases. DHEA in high doses appear to lead to significant improvement in decreasing symptoms of numbness and spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients. DHEA in 50 mg doses per day in aging men and women has led to remarkable increase in both physical and psychological well-being.

DHEA relieves depression. Recent double-blind clinical studies show that our decreasing levels of DHEA associated with aging is a fundamental contributor to depression among both men and women over the age of 40. This fascinating study demonstrates we are just beginning to learn of the extensive anti-aging benefits associated with DHEA in particular and hormone supplementation in general.