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DHEA Products
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DHEA
Frequently asked questions
General
information
Therapeutic
uses
DHEA & depression
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DHEA,
which stands for dehydroepiandrosterone, is an amazing
natural hormone produced by the adrenal glands with
numerous potential benefits. Although this hormone is
the most abundant hormone produced by the adrenals,
conventional medicine has paid little attention to it.
Recently, research in animals and humans suggest that
a deficiency in the body of DHEA may contribute to a
variety of medical problems. Conversely, the supplementation
of DHEA when it is low seems to help many medical problems.
Like cortisone, testosterone
and estrogen, DHEA is a steroid hormone. The original
precursor of all steroid hormones in the body is cholesterol.
We sometimes think of cholesterol and hormones as being
bad; but, they are absolutely essential for life and
health. The key point is that the hormones need to be
in balance. Hormonal imbalances may be caused by genetic
or inherited tendencies, nutritional deficiencies, toxic
exposures, infections, aging and stress of all kinds.
DHEA or DHEA Sulfate blood
levels can be measured easily to determine if there
is a deficiency of this hormone. Frequently, this hormone
is low in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, cancer,
ulcerative colitis, allergies, chronic fatigue, multiple
sclerosis, lupus erythematosus and AIDS.
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What is the evidence for
the value of DHEA in various conditions? In one study
published in the New England Journal of Medicine, men
with apparently healthy hearts and low DHEA levels had
a 3.3 times greater chance of dying of heart disease
during the next 12 years when compared to men with normal
DHEA levels.
Both animal and human studies
indicate that low DHEA levels predispose to breast cancer.
DHEA may be of value in preventing and even treating
cancer--especially breast cancer. Dr. Hans Nieper in
Germany has used DHEA in many of his cancer patients
for years.
Autoimmune diseases are
a result of the body's immune system attacking itself.
Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, ulcerative colitis, diabetes
mellitus, multiple sclerosis and many other diseases
involve autoimmune problems. Animal and human studies
indicate that DHEA can be very helpful in all of these
conditions.
Many of our multiple sclerosis
patients with fatigue and patients with chronic fatigue
and allergies frequently show significant improvement
when given DHEA. DHEA generally goes down as a person
ages. Supplementation with DHEA may retard the aging
process. In addition to its own activity, DHEA can be
converted to both testosterone and estrogen. It appears
to have bone strengthening qualities by retarding bone
resorption and stimulating bone growth.
In summary, natural DHEA
appears to be potentially valuable as a therapeutic
agent.
© 1996 Michael Schachter,
M.D., F.A.C.A.M.
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