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DHEA
Bioidentical
DHEA
DHEA Profile
DHEA
DHEA is an abbreviation for dehydroepiandrosterone.
Main Entry: de•hy•dro•epi•an•dros•ter•one
Pronunciation: ( )d - h -dr - ep- -an- dräs-t - r n
Function: noun
: An androgenic ketosteroid C19H28O2 secreted by the adrenal cortex that
is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of testosterone -- abbreviation
DHA, DHEA
DHEA is a weak androgen produced and released primarily in the adrenal
gland. It is converted into estrogen, which is the female sex hormone,
and androgen, a male sex hormone (like testosterone). DHEA levels
naturally decrease with age in the human body.
In some menopausal women, daily supplements of DHEA have been found to
reduce some symptoms of menopause, with no side effects. Still, it is
important for blood tests to be done before a DHEA supplement regimen is
started, as to determine a safe dosage for each individual person
Bio-identical
DHEA
DHEA is short for Dehydroepiandrosterone. DHEA is a steroid hormone that
has a unique chemical structure that separates it from others. DHEA is
produced by the adrenal glands, which are located just above the
kidneys, as well as by the brain and the skin. DHEA is the most abundant
steroid in the human body.
When we are newborns, we have an extremely high level of DHEA, but
within a few days after birth, our DHEA level drops to nearly zero. Then
between the ages of six and eight, our adrenal glands begin to “wake-up”
and get ready for puberty. At the same time our DHEA level begins to
rise steadily and continues to rise until it peaks at around age
twenty-five to thirty. From then on, our levels begin to decrease about
2% per year, and we won’t begin to feel the results of this decline
until around our mid-forties. By eighty, our DHEA level is only 15% of
what it was when we were twenty-five. This drop in DHEA levels relates
directly with the signs and "symptoms" associated with aging.
DHEA is currently one of the steroid hormones that are at the center of
the focus of some of the most crucial medical research of this century.
Researchers all over the country are studying the properties and promise
of DHEA. It is proving to be a potent protector against cancer. It also
has been proven that it protects against heart disease by lowering blood
cholesterol and preventing blood clots. Studies have also demonstrated
that DHEA improves memory, strengthens the immune system, prevents bone
loss, and may even protect us from diabetes and autoimmune disease.
Other studies have shown that it is
able to help fight fatigue and depression; it enhances feelings of
well-being and increases strength. DHEA alleviates symptoms of
menopause, reduces body fat, and is even known to enhance libido.
DHEA Profile
Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is the highest naturally occurring
steroid in human blood. DHEA is produced in the adrenal cortex and it
can also be independently synthesized in the brain. There are many
biological effects of DHEA, including changes in the immune system,
inflammation, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, anticarcinogenic
effects, neuroprotection, and antioxidant effects.
DHEA levels have been proven to significantly decline with age, and the
decline of DHEA has been linked to varying degrees of many complications
associated with aging, such as cardiovascular disease and high
cholesterol levels, insulin resistance and diabetes, obesity, and
neurodegeneration.
DHEA in humans has been proven in
its ability to reduce body fat, alleviate angina, and reduce LDL
cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, and DHEA has also been deemed useful
in the treatment of cancer, multiple sclerosis, coronary artery disease,
lupus, Alzheimer's, HIV/AIDS, depression, PMS symptoms, and
osteoporosis. In animals, it has been reported that DHEA has decreased
body fat and has had beneficial effects in rodent models of diabetes,
lupus, anemia, arteriosclerosis, and breast, colon, lung, and skin
cancer. DHEA also has been proven to improve memory performance and has
immuno-stimulating and anti-glucocorticoid properties. Because of these
studies and proven reasons, DHEA has been labeled the "fountain of
youth".
However beneficial, DHEA does have some problems. One example is that it
converts to both estrogen and testosterone (and subsequently DHT),
subsequently making the estrogenic conversion generally greater. This
also introduces exogenous hormones into the body, which makes cyclic use
necessary. In studies done on animals, high doses of DHEA have been
found to increase liver weight and the risk of liver cancer.
The profiling of DHEA in aging adults helps healthcare professionals
diagnose a need for DHEA supplements, or other treatment options, due to
the decrease of its levels with age.
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