Senior Writer
- August 24, 2022
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Table of Contents
What is dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)?
Dehydroepiandrosterone is a pre-hormone that is converted into male and female sex hormones in your body. It is a natural hormone and also available in supplement form that influences other hormones in your body. As a result effect your muscle strength .
The adrenal glands and the liver both produce DHEA. As people age, their DHEA levels appear to decrease. After menopause and in depressed individuals, DHEA levels appear to be reduced.
Why dehydroepiandrosterone is needed as a supplement in old age?
After production from the adrenal gland, dehydroepiandrosterone converts into male and female sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. However, with advanced age, the level of dehydroepiandrosterone decreases. It has been determined that DHEA levels might drop by up to 80% as adults.
Decreased level of DHEA is linked with heart diseases, depression, and mortality. Subsequently, the low level affects your bone density, muscle strength, and skin colour. Therefore, the medicine should be taken in supplement form to increase its level and counter its negative effect.
Does DHEA work?
Many of the medical claims made for DHEA have not been supported by evidence. However, some research suggests that it may increase fertility in women undergoing assisted reproduction, improve the appearance of aged skin, and alleviate depression (albeit not as first-line treatment). Many professional sports organizations forbid the use of DHEA, despite the claims of many sportsmen that it improves athletic performance and builds muscle.
A clinical trial of dehydroepiandrosterone on age-advanced men and women
Healthy men and women 50 to 60 years of age were tested under a controlled trial. They were non-obese and age-advanced participants. The one-year trial, which involved six months of placebo and six months of daily 100 mg oral DHEA, was completed by sixteen participants.
Fasting early morning blood samples were taken from all the participants, and certain factors like Serum DHEA, DS, sex steroids, IGF-I, IGFBP-1, IGFBP-3, growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) levels and lipid profiles as well as body composition (by DEXA) and muscle strength (by MedX testing) were measured before and after the treatment.
Result of the clinical trial for muscle strength
DHEA, DS, androstenedione, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were all at or below the lower range of young adult values in the basal serum levels.
A daily dose of 100 mg of DHEA restored serum DHEA levels to those of young adults in both sexes and serum DS to levels at or slightly above the young adult range. The DS/cortisol ratio increased to pubertal levels even though serum cortisol levels remained unaffected.
Serum levels of A, T, and DHT increased to levels exceeding those typical of young adults in women but not in men. Basal SHBG levels were high in women, 7 of whom were receiving estrogen replacement treatment, but were within the usual range in men. IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 serum levels remained unchanged, but GHBP levels decreased in women but not in men. In men, the body fat level decreased while knee muscle strength and lumber back strength increased.
An increase in total body mass was observed in women. In terms of basal metabolic rate, bone mineral density, urinary pyridinoline cross-links, fasting insulin, glucose, cortisol, or lipid profiles, neither gender experienced any modifications. No obvious negative impacts were seen.
have previously noticed that giving age-advanced men and women a 50 mg dose of DHEA daily for three months caused a 10% increase in the serum levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), as well as an improvement in the subjects’ self-reported physical and mental wellness.
They have previously noticed that giving age-advanced men and women a 50 mg dose of DHEA daily for three months caused a 10% increase in the serum levels of IGF-I, as well as an improvement in the subjects’ self-reported physical and mental wellness.
Other beneficial effects of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate;
1. Slow ageing process;
Taking DHEA supplements to sustain DHEA levels could delay the onset of ageing and possibly enhance wellbeing, cognitive performance, and body composition. However, no research has so far established this to be accurate.
More research is required to determine whether taking supplements of DHEA can reduce some of the consequences of ageing. According to a tiny study, aged persons who use DHEA supplements may see an improvement in their skin’s firmness and moisture as well as a reduction in age spots.
2. Depression;
When compared to a placebo, DHEA may be more beneficial in treating depression, especially in those with low DHEA levels.
3. Osteoporosis;
Mixed results from studies have been found regarding the use of DHEA supplements in the management of osteoporosis. If using DHEA supplements increases bone density in older persons with low DHEA levels, more research is required to make this determination.
4. Vaginal atrophy;
In postmenopausal women, vaginal dryness may be improved with DHEA.
5. Cardiovascular diseases;
DHEA has an anti-inflammatory, vasorelaxant, and anti-remodelling action in addition to modulating cardiovascular signalling pathways. Low levels are associated with higher mortality from all causes and cardiovascular disease.
6. Anti-allergic;
In asthma and allergies, DHEA and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate seem to be protective. Eosinophilia, airway hyperreactivity, and T helper 2 allergic inflammation are all diminished by it. Adrenal suppression is accompanied by low DHEAS levels. It might be used to check for steroid side effects.
The circulation levels of DHEA, DS, and the DS/cortisol ratio were increased after taking 100 mg of DHEA orally every day for six months. In contrast to men, women underwent biotransformation to powerful androgens that are close to and somewhat above those of their younger counterparts.
Given this hormonal environment, both sexes showed an increase in blood IGF-I levels, although dimorphic responses were seen in fat body mass and muscle strength that favoured men. This gender-specific response to DHEA and/or the presence of confounding factors in women, such as estrogen replacement therapy, could explain these variations in response to DHEA administration.