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DHEA is the most abundant steroid hormone produced in the human body, and, as such has been called the "mother" of all steroids. William Regelson, M.D., a well-known anti-aging physician-researcher calls DHEA the "superstar of the superhormones." In the past, DHEA was thought to be simply a precursor to other hormones with no particular physiological function. DHEA levels peak around 29 years of age, then steadily decline by 50% in our forties and decline further to around 15% of our youthful levels by age 80.
Benefits of DHEA
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decreases risk of heart disease
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fights stress
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boosts immune function
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reduces depression
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improves memory
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relieves symptoms of menopause
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prevents bone loss
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enhances libido
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improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance
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increases lean body mass
DHEA has the ability to "tame" cortisol. When our bodies are under stress, cortisol is produced. Excessive cortisol can lead to depression of the immune system. A depressed immune system increases the likelihood of illness and hastens the pace of aging. Studies have also linked depression with imbalances between cortisol and DHEA. By taking supplemental DHEA, we are able to ameliorate some of the negative effects of cortisol. Alzheimer patients are often found to have high stress hormone levels and low
DHEA-S.
In Dr. Regelson’s cancer research, DHEA appears to have the ability to block the action of cells to divide uncontrollably.
Since menopausal symptoms are a manifestation of a deficiency in estrogen and progesterone, some researchers suggest that DHEA supplementation may decrease the severity of these symptoms. Since DHEA is the precursor to testosterone, it does have a positive effect on decreased libido in both men and women.
Salivary testing measures the "free" (non-protein bound) fraction of DHEA circulating in the body. We advise obtaining a baseline value before implementing DHEA supplementation and then re-checking with the same type of test from the same laboratory six or eight weeks later to ensure that the desired level has been achieved.
To reach our desired levels, we typically use between 5 and 25 mg of DHEA per day. We suggest taking a "vacation" from both DHEA and pregneneolone at least one day each week and one month out of every four (i.e., take hormone supplementation for three months, then take one month off).
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