In society’s eternal quest for youth, many scientists thought that they had found the answer: dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). However, it seems that the search must go on, as a recent study shows that the supplement does not deliver on its promises.
First, let’s take a look at DHEA so that you can have a better understanding of what this news means. DHEA is a steroid hormone that is produced in both males and females. It is important to note that we humans have way more of this hormone in our bodies than other animals do. Made from cholesterol, DHEA is an integral ingredient in other hormones, mainly estrogen, testosterone, and androstenedione.
Once you hit age 25, your levels of DHEA start to drop, initiating many unpleasant effects, such as loss of strength, eventually leading to menopause or andropause (“male menopause”). This is one aspect of aging that most of us are seeking to avoid or at least put off for as long as we possibly can.
Among many other properties, DHEA is obviously purported to have anti-aging effects. That’s why it has been so hugely popular lately — it’s the latest belle at the natural health world ball. However, the party could be over for this substance.
A joint study, done by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and the University of Padua in Italy, seems to prove that DHEA supplements’ claims to reversing aging are not based on fact. Now, you might ask, how can an unproven substance already be in use? Well, in this case, DHEA is considered a supplement, not a drug, and therefore it does not have to meet the same standards as a pharmaceutical would.
There have been studies on the effectiveness of DHEA against heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, but these have all been done on animals (remember, humans have huge amounts of this hormone in their bodies, compared to other animals, which means that a DHEA supplement would probably affect us quite differently). Recent human studies have only shown that the hormone could boost the female sex drive.
This latest study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, was done over two years’ time. Researchers looked at 87 men and 57 women over the age of 60 with low levels of DHEA in their bodies (plus, the men had low testosterone levels). The men were split into three groups, each receiving a different treatment: 29 were put on DHEA supplements, 27 on testosterone patch, and 31 were given placebo. The women were divided into two groups: 27 were given DHEA and 30 were given placebo.
After careful monitoring, surveying, and physical examinations, it was determined that there were very few significant effects on body composition (e.g. fat versus muscle), physical fitness (e.g. oxygen intake, flexibility and muscle strength), blood sugar regulation, or overall quality of life in patients taking DHEA, testosterone, or placebo.
The men on the testosterone patches were found to have a small increase in non-fat mass and those on DHEA or testosterone were found to have slightly improved bone density in the neck. Women taking DHEA only seemed to have an increase in forearm strength. The researchers did not consider these positive changes to be significant.
So, it seems that DHEA supplements are not all they’re cracked up to be. While this study does show that the hormone doesn’t have any negative side effects, many scientists still believe that it could put some patients at greater risk for breast or prostate cancer.
If you’re currently taking DHEA supplements, or are considering adding them to your daily regime, you should definitely talk to your doctor about it. As for fighting off the effects of aging, your best course of action is to maintain a healthy diet, exercise daily, and avoid negative lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking alcohol in excess, etc.). I know that an anti-aging pill sounds much easier, but it just doesn’t exist.
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Tags: obesity, prostate cancer
