I keep hearing about this “miracle supplement” called DHEA. Depending on whom I talk to, I hear that it gives them more energy, helps them sleep better and prevents weight gain. I’ve also heard it’s helpful for depression, food cravings, arthritis pain–you name it.
What exactly is DHEA? I would like to know whether any of these benefits have been proven. Also, what about safety? I understand that even so-called “natural products” can have side effects.
DHEA is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland, which lies just above the kidney. In the body, it converts to other hormones, such as estrogens (female sex hormones) and androgens (male sex hormones).
DHEA levels slowly decline as we age; thus the recent excitement stems from the theory that, by taking DHEA supplements to restore our youthful levels, we can combat aging. There is even some evidence for this from animal research. For example, when older mice were given DHEA, not only did they become more active, but they also learned as easily as younger mice to run mazes. Other evidence from animal experiments suggests that this hormone could possibly combat the major diseases of aging, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
What works for mice, however, may not work for humans, and anyone taking DHEA for years is serving as a research subject in an experiment to discover the long-term effects of supplementing the hormone. For example, we really do not know if DHEA increases the risk of breast cancer in women or of prostate cancer in men.
The risk is considerably less if you only take enough DHEA to restore your youthful levels, so I would recommend that, if you wish to experiment with DHEA, you first have your level of the hormone measured to find out how much DHEA you would need to take as a supplement. I’d also recommend against using DHEA if you are younger than 30, as it may suppress your body’s own production of the hormone.
So far the results of the first research on elderly humans are exciting. For example, there is early evidence that DHEA supplementation may improve mood, energy, libido and memory, boost immune system function, slow down the development of heart disease and prevent diabetes. Remember, however, that all these results have yet to be confirmed with well-done, long-term, scientific studies–and we still have much to learn about the dangers of DHEA supplementation.