Publix GreenWise Market Magazine - December 2008
DHEA: Fountain of Youth?
A peek at a hormone with intriguing implications for depression, Crohn's and even aging.
 WHAT IT IS
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands. The body converts it into other hormones, including testosterone and estrogen. At around age 30, natural levels of DHEA start to decline. Scientists still don’t know exactly why or what the health implications may be, although some have suggested that falling DHEA levels might contribute to the aging process.
WHERE TO GET IT
You can’t get DHEA from food, but it is available for purchase as a supplement. |
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THE EVIDENCE SO FAR
In theory, taking supplements to keep DHEA at levels close to those seen in young people might be beneficial, but the evidence for this idea is thin. Beatrice Hong, M.D., an endocrinologist at Duke University Medical Center, says, “Some trials show a modest improvement in bone density, but nothing dramatic. And it may be helpful with adrenal insufficiency,” a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough of several hormones.
A review of the medical literature (Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2007) found some preliminary evidence that DHEA may improve disease activity in people with severe lupus, an autoimmune disease that affects nearly every organ system in the body. There also has been some promising research on the use of DHEA to treat depression, but more studies are needed.
If you’re hoping to sip from the fountain of youth, you may be disappointed. A two-year study from the Mayo Clinic (The New England Journal of Medicine, October 2006) compared older adults who took DHEA supplements with those who didn’t. DHEA levels went up in the supplement group, but there were no differences in muscle strength, aerobic capacity, insulin sensitivity or quality of life. This study and others also have found no conclusive evidence that DHEA increases muscle mass or reduces body fats.
THE JURY’S STILL OUT
DHEA is the subject of research at many institutions. It may eventually prove useful for treating a range of ailments, from hardening of the arteries to Crohn’s, an inflammatory bowel condition. But at this point not enough work has been done to draw definite conclusions. Compared to better-known hormones, such as estrogen, we know little about DHEA, says Marie Savard, M.D., author of The Savard Health Record (Time-Life Books, 2000).
BOTTOM LINE
Recommended dosage is up to 50 mg per day for men and no more than 25 mg per day for women, although effects have been observed at doses as low as 5 mg daily. It’s not suggested for people under 40 unless natural levels of the hormone are known to be low. Potential risks are largely unknown. But since DHEA is a precursor to testosterone and estrogen, it might cause high levels of either or both. People with cancers affected by these hormones (such as breast, ovarian, prostate and testicular cancer) should not take DHEA supplements.
Possible side effects include signs of excess testosterone in women (hair loss on the head, deepening of the voice, facial hair growth, acne and weight gain around the waist) and men (baldness, aggressive tendencies and shrinkage of the testicles). Other possible effects include high blood pressure, decreased HDL (good) cholesterol, drug interactions and, at high doses, damage to liver cells. If you choose to use DHEA, do so under the supervision of your physician.
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