The Consumer Guide to DHEA

In this guide...
  What Is It?
  Benefits and Uses Of DHEA
  Do Scientists Know How It Works?
  Food Sources
  Deficiency Risk Factors
  Benefits and Uses Of 7-KETO DHEA
  Safety Of DHEA
  Safety Of 7-KETO DHEA
  Types Of Products
  References
Browse Our Wide Selection of DHEA Products

What is it? DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a steroidal hormone the body uses to make all other steroidal hormones, including estrogens, androgens and corticosteroids. 7-KETO DHEA is a natural metabolite (internal break down product) of DHEA. Based on limited research, it appears to enhance the benefits and eliminate the potential risks of long term use of DHEA.

Sometimes called the "mother" hormone, DHEA is made in in the adrenal glands from the true "parent" steroid, pregnenolone. Over 90% of dietary and internally produced DHEA is transformed in the liver to dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, or DHEAS. Internal production of DHEA peaks around age 25 and then declines steadily to about 20 percent of peak by age 75.

Benefits and uses of DHEA: DHEA has been the subject of thousands of animal studies showing potential health benefits in humans (e.g., diabetes, immunity, cancer, infections). But in most cases these benefits have not been adequately tested in humans or have not been demonstrated in human clinical trials. Despite some manufacturers’ claims, there is no proof as yet that DHEA enhances sex drive, aids weight loss, or prevents heart disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, or colds and flu. And, while DHEA has lengthened the lives of some strains of mice, it failed to do so in the largest such study to date.

  • There have been two small, well-controlled trials of DHEA in people of middle-age and older that showed improvement of physical and psychological well-being in both genders and the absence of side-effects. DHEA appeared to increase muscle strength and lean body mass, activate immune function, and enhance subjective quality of life, with no significant adverse effects. However, in a follow-up, as yet unpublished study, these benefits did not appear.
  • Based on the results of one small, well-controlled clinical trial, DHEA may help treat or prevent lupus.

 

Do scientists know how it works? There are no clear mechanisms by which DHEA might provide the limited benefits seen, except as a precursor to other hormones.

Food sources: There are no significant food sources of DHEAor 7-KETO DHEA .

Deficiency risk factors:Internal production of DHEA declines steadily to about 20 percent of peak production by age 75. Women with asthma have been reported to have depressed levels of DHEA. There is no certain risk associated with the natural decline in DHEA levels. The potential benefits of supplemental DHEA are probably limited to persons over 40. Since it is a natural metabolite of DHEA, the same considerations should apply to 7-KETO DHEA.

Benefits and uses of 7-KETO DHEA: In preliminary studies on humans and animals, 7-Keto DHEA stimulates the immune system, prevents muscle loss (is anti-catabolic), reduces stress, increases metabolic rate (promotes thermogenesis), and improves energy and memory.

Safety of DHEA: Thousands of animal studies have turned up no certain ill effects from dietary supplementation with DHEA, but there are no long term safety studies in humans—a situation no different from most approved pharmaceutical drugs. Studies of cancer patients have turned up higher levels of DHEA (and estrogens made from DHEA) in people with breast cancer and endometrial cancer. Experts caution against extended use of large amounts of DHEA (over 50 mg/day).

  • DHEA is converted to male or female hormones, depending on one’s gender, age, and health status.
  • One women who took DHEA at daily doses over 25 mg experienced an increase in androgen levels and excessive hair growth.
  • By facilitating internal production of testosterone and estrogen, supplemental DHEA could accelerate the growth of undetected prostate or breast tumors.
  • Signs of excessive consumpion include chest tightness, heart palpitations, sleeplessness, irritability and extreme fatigue.
  • DHEA may contribute to liver damage or liver cancer. Postmenopausal women with breast cancer appear to have high levels of DHEA. Persons with a family history of hormone-related cancer (such as breast or prostate cancer) should avoid DHEA.
  • Experts urge people to check with their doctor before taking DHEA—especially if they are pregnant or have a pre-existing health condition. When Health Counselor magazine asked several DHEA researchers for their personal opinions in 1996, most said that they would consider taking up to 25 mg per day, starting in late middle age.

 

Safety of 7-KETO DHEA: Clinical safety studies on this product are currently being conducted (1998). 7-Keto DHEA cannot be metabolized to estrogens or testosterone, so it should not be able to promote prostate enlargement, breast tumors, and other hormone-related problems that may occur with DHEA. In safety tests in monkeys and humans, 7-KETO DHEA showed no impacts on blood, liver, or other body systems.

Types of products: DHEA and 7-KETO DHEA are available in capsules and tablets. DHEA is made from wild Mexican yam through a multi-step chemical process. But DHEA itself does not occur naturally in wild yam, nor can the body use the diosgenin in wild yam extracts to manufacture DHEA.

 

References
  • Barret-Connor, et al. A prospective study of Dehydroepiandrosterone mortality, and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med 315:1519- 1524, 1986.
  • Barrett-Connor E, Ferrara A. Dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, obesity, waist-hip ratio, and noninsulin- dependent diabetes in postmenopausal women: the Rancho Bernardo Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996 Jan;81(1):59-64.
  • Barrett-Connor E, Friedlander NJ, Khaw KT. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and breast cancer risk. Cancer Res 1990 Oct 15;50(20):6571-4.
  • Barrett-Connor E, Goodman-Gruen D. The epidemiology of DHEAS and cardiovascular disease. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1995 Dec 29;774:259- 70.
  • Barrett-Connor E, Kritz-Silverstein D, Edelstein SL. A prospective study of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and bone mineral density in older men and women. Am J Epidemiol 1993 Jan 15;137(2):201-6.
  • Casson PR, et al. Oral dehydroepiandrosterone in physiologic doses modulates immune function in postmenopausal women. Am J Obstet Gynecol 169(6):1536-9, 1993.
  • Casson PR, et al. Replacement of dehydroepiandrosterone enhances T-lymphocyte insulin-binding in postmenopausal women. Fertil Steril 63(5):1027-31, 1995.
  • Dollbaum CM. Townsend Letter for Doctors, p. 104, October 1996.
  • Ebeling P, Koivisto VA. Physiological importance of dehydroepiandrosterone. Lancet 1994;343:1479-81.
  • Gaby AR. Research Review. Nutr Healing Jun 1997: 8.
  • Inano H, et al. Chemoprevention by dietary dehydroepiandrosterone against promotion/progression phase of radiation-induced mammary tumorigenesis in rats. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 54:47-53, 1995.
  • Jesse Rl, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone inhibits human platelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo. Ann NY Acad Sci 29:281-290, 1995.
  • Jones DL, James VH. Determination of dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate in blood and tissue. Studies of normal women and women with breast or endometrial cancer. J Steroid Biochem 1987 Jan;26(1):151-9.
  • Labrie F, Belanger A, Simard J, et al. DHEA and peripheral androgen and estrogen formation: Intracrinology. Ann NY Acad Sci 1995;774:16-28.
  • Loviselli A, et al. Low levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in adult males with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Minerva Endocrinol 19(3):113-9, 1994.
  • Morales AJ, et al. Effects of replacement dose of dehydroepiandrosterone in men and women of advancing age. J Clin Endrocrinol Metab 78(6):1360-7, 1994.
  • Mortola JF, Yen SS. The effects of oral dehydroepiandrosterone ion endocrine-metabolic parameters in post-menopausal women. J Clin Endrocrinol Metab 71:696-704,1990.
  • Nestler JE, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone: Effects on insulin sensitivity, serum lipid levels and body composition in normal men. Hormones, Thermogenesis, and Obesity, Lardy H, Stratman F eds. Elsevier, New York 1989.
  • Sahelian R. Health Counselor, Vol. 8 No. 5 1996.
  • Simile M et al. Inhibition by dehydroepiandrosterone of growth and progression of persistent liver nodules in experimental rat liver carcinogenesis. Int J Cancer 62:210-215, 1995.
  • Usiskin, KS, et al. Lack of effect of dehydroepiandrosterone in obese men. Int J Obes 14:457-463, 1990.
  • van Vollenhoven RF et al. An open study of dehydroepiandrosterone in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum 3799):1305-10, 1994.
  • Weinstein RE, Lobocki CA, Gravett S, et al. Decreased adrenal sex steroid in the absence of glucocorticoid suppression in postmenopausal asthmatic women. J Allerg Clin Immol 1996;97:1-8.
  • Wolkowitz OM, Reus VI, Roberts E, et al. Antidepressant and cognition-enhancing effects of DHEA in major depression. Ann NY Acad Sci 1995;774:337-9.
  • Yen SS, et al. Replacement effect of DHEA in aging men and women. Potential remedial effects. Ann N Y Acad Sci 774:128-42, 1995.
  • Zumoff B et al. Abnormal 24-hr mean plasma concentrations of dehydroisoandrosterone and dehydroandrosterone sulfate in women with primary operable breast cancer. Canc Res 1981;41:3360-3.

Browse Our Wide Selection of DHEA Products

Have you or a family member had an experience with this? Help others by sharing your story now.

  7. Leave this field empty

Required Field