The Best Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Supplements

If you’re in the market for steroid hormone, you’ll surely come across the Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplements. The DHEA is naturally produced in our body and can perform a lot of significant roles. Its function has been widely studied to determine its possible cure for a wide range of illnesses.

Those who are familiar with the DHEA would refer to it as the “fountain of youth” or a “super hormone”. Yet it’s seen as a pretty complex substance with several unanswered questions.

The DHEA is produced naturally by our body and is then converted to a wide range of hormones, including estrogen and androgen. These are the female and male sex hormones. They are being marketed in the form of supplements and were produced synthetically using the chemicals obtained from wild yam and soy. But it should be noted that consuming yam or soy wouldn’t trigger the body to produce more DHEA.

The best DHEA supplement claims to treat various conditions, such as depression, sexual dysfunction, adrenal insufficiency, lupus, vaginal atrophy, and cervical cancer. It even claims to help with weight loss. However, more research is needed to support these claims.

The DHEA supplement benefits are pretty controversial since they are hardly supported by research. Add to that is the fact that the overall quality of the various DHEA supplements in the market is not that consistent.

What is Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)?

Dehydroepiandrosterone is a type of endogenous steroid hormone, which means it’s a type of hormone that the body produces naturally. It triggers certain cells and tissues in the body to work. This hormone is among the most abundant in the body and is produced by the brain, gonads, and adrenal glands.

The hormone usually comes in the form of DHEAS or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, where the human body holds them in reserve before converting into certain hormones when necessary. These hormones are important in producing androgen and estrogen hormones that contribute to the development of androgenic effects and are responsible for the changes in body odor, production of oil in the skin, as well as the growth of pubic hair, etc.

The DHEA also plays several other roles. For instance, it also serves as a neurosteroid, which has direct effects on neuronal excitability. Some users also claim that the DHEA may help improve athletic performance. But then again, there’s very little evidence to support this claim. Furthermore, the use of steroids in any sporting event is strictly prohibited.

The production of the dehydroepiandrosterone hormones will be at its peak when people reach the age of 20s or 30s and will decline after that. It is for this reason why this hormone plays an important role in the process of aging. Some experts are also looking into the possibility of using it as an anti-aging drug.

Over the past few years, there has been an increasing number of studies regarding the dehydroepiandrosterone function and its effects on the body. Yet, there are still so many questions that remain unaddressed.

How Does Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Work?

In the human body, the DHEA is produced by the adrenal glands that are close to the liver and kidneys. Its main function is to produce female and male sex hormones. As you get older, you will most likely suffer from low DHEA levels. It’s even lower on people suffering from depression and women on postmenopausal.

What Are the Symptoms of Low DHEA?

Here are some of the most common symptoms of low DHEA.

· Low Energy

If you have a low level of DHEA in your body, you could experience fatigue and low energy. Again, this has something to do with the lack of sex hormones in the body. If you don’t have enough of these hormones, you’ll lose muscle mass and your immune system will be weakened.

This is the reason why you’ll find yourself feeling weak and tired at all times. Even if you are getting enough sleep at night, you will still find yourself feeling sluggish upon waking up and you’ll feel tired all throughout the day.

· Depression

Aside from making you suffer from issues on your physical health, not having enough DHEA can also affect your mental health. Having low DHEA levels can also make your hormones to fluctuate, resulting in hormonal imbalances.

As you suffer from hormonal imbalance, you’ll also notice changes in your mood. You’ll be prone to mood swings and you’ll feel depressed even for no reason at all! Even though depression can be due to many reasons, having low dehydroepiandrosterone levels can make the symptoms even worse.

· Low Libido

If you feel like your sexual performance has declined or that you suddenly lost the desire to have sex with your partner, you could be suffering from a low level of DHEA. Remember, your body relies on the DHEA in producing more sex hormones and these are responsible for enhancing your sexual performance.

Sometimes, this condition may also be directly attributed to estrogen or testosterone. But it usually has something to do with not having enough dosage on DHEA dosage for testosterone. Women who suffer from low sexual libido can also benefit from vaginal DHEA cream.

· Weak Immune System

Another thing that could happen if you’re having low DHEA is that your immune system will go weak. And if your immune system is weak, you’ll be prone to various illnesses. You could easily develop infections that could eventually lead to diarrhea, allergies, and other conditions.

If this goes on, your external and internal organs could be compromised leading to inflammation. This is why taking the best DHEA supplement can do wonders for your body.

· Joints Pain

If you’re already suffering from aching joints, this could get even worse if you don’t have enough DHEA. As we get older, those fibrous tissues in our joints will start to deteriorate and will cause the bones in our joints to rub closer together leading to excruciating pain.

If you’re able to increase the DHEA level in your body, you can avoid this from happening.

· Weight Gain

One of the keys to maintaining a healthy weight is to have a fast metabolism. To ensure that you have a fast metabolism, you need to be able to maintain a good level of DHEA in your body.

Otherwise, your body can’t burn calories fast and you will suddenly gain weight even if you are following a proper diet. If this goes on, you could end up overweight and obese that will also put you at risk of various illnesses.

What Are the Benefits of Taking Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)?

Medical researchers have been studying the effectiveness of DHEA for the treatment of a wide range of conditions in the past decade. These studies led to varying results.

· Helps with Depression

Having low levels of DHEA could make one suffer from depression. There have been a few pieces of evidence showing that an increased level of DHEA could help relieve some of the symptoms of depression.

In a study that was published in 2014, it’s been found that the DHEA might help to minimize the depression symptoms on people suffering from anorexia nervosa, schizophrenia, adrenal insufficiency, and HIV.

But it’s not recommended to use the DHEA supplements as replacement of those medications prescribed by doctors when treating the conditions mentioned above.

· Increases Bone Density

Certain illnesses could reduce bone density. However, research shows that increasing your DHEA may help to improve bone density, especially among women. But not all of these studies were proven to be true.

· Helps You Lose Weight

In some studies, it has been found that DHEA can possibly help to reduce weight among certain individuals suffering from metabolic conditions.

In one review done in 2013, it has been found that supplementation of DHEA among elderly men may help to induce a small yet significant impact on the overall body composition. However, this can only happen if the body will be able to transform the DHEA into estrogen or androgen hormones.

Increase BMI

In a study done on a group of people suffering from anorexia nervosa, it’s been found that those who had the supplements for six months were able to increase their BMI and enhance their mood at the same time.

· Treats Adrenal Insufficiency

Adrenal insufficiency is a condition that happens if the adrenal glands cannot produce a good amount of steroid hormones. Thus, DHEA supplementation may help to minimize the symptoms that come with adrenal insufficiency. But further evidence is required before this can be confirmed.

· Helps with Lupus

Lupus is a type of autoimmune disorder that affects the organs and the skin. It has been found that those who suffer from lupus tend to have lower DHEA. Therefore, it is believed that taking DHEA supplements may help to improve the symptoms of this condition.

· Cures Sexual Dysfunctions

There are also a few studies suggesting that taking DHEA could help cure a number of sexual dysfunctions and improve libido. But the results of these studies are not yet conclusive.

The effect of DHEA has been found to be more significant in women undergoing menopause. A review in 2012 has concluded that administering DHEA for sexual dysfunction on men is not that effective.

· Prevents Aging

Some evidence suggests that taking the supplements made of DHEA can possibly prevent signs of aging. But the results have not been proven. Also, it may come with some side effects such as heart palpitation and reduction of good cholesterol.

· Helps with HIV

There are some studies suggesting that DHEA could help to minimize the reproduction of the human immunodeficiency virus or HIV by bolstering one’s immune system.

However, the authors of the study found that it really doesn’t have any effects. Also, the researchers have not recommended using the supplements routinely as an added therapy on HIV patients.

· Treats Cervical Cancer

Laboratory studies suggest that the DHEA may help to impede the spread of the cervical cancer cells and may help to prevent the movement of cancer cells. But further studies are required to confirm the results.

Does Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Help Increase Muscle Size or Strength?

Usually, when people hear about steroid supplements, they will immediately think of it as something that could increase muscle mass and strength. Yes, this may be true, but this is not the case with DHEA supplements. Studies show that these supplements won’t increase one’s muscle size or improve muscle performance.

There are a number of studies done in this subject that did not show any improvement in the physical performance of adults, although some people reported an increase of lower and upper body strength.

How to Use Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)?

In the US, the DHEA is being marketed as a type of dietary supplement. Thus, a prescription is not necessary to obtain these supplements. But in some developed countries, the DHEA is considered a type of controlled substance.

These supplements are being marketed as something that can offer a significant number of benefits. Some of the DHEA supplement benefits are mood enhancement, anti-aging, cancer prevention, and more. But as shown above, most of these claims have been unfounded, except, perhaps, on the improvement of female sexual health.

Is It Safe to Take Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)?

Several sources would advise against the use of DHEA, most especially without consulting with a doctor who could advise the proper DHEA dosage. That’s because some of the DHEA side effects are pretty harsh. It could affect the endocrine system and could trigger hormonal changes that can affect your overall body system.

Also, there were a limited number of studies and tests done on the dehydroepiandrosterone uses so it’s not really clear what its long-term effects are.

Some of the reported DHEA side effects are the following:

• Night sweats
• Mood swings and emotional changes
• Mania in people suffering from bipolar disorder
• Insomnia
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Eye problems
• Dizziness
• Diarrhea
• Crawling sensation at the scalp area
• Chest pain and abnormal rhythm of the heart
• Blood in the urine
• Anxiety, nervousness, agitation, aggressive behavior, restlessness
• Acute respiratory failure
• Weight gain
• Rashes
• Low blood pressure
• Bleeding and blood-clotting problems
• Acne

It’s also worth noting that the DHEA may have different effects on males and females. Also, there are certain DHEA for men that may not work for women and vice versa.

Buy The Best Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

You can now purchase the DHEA supplements online but make sure you buy it from a reputable DHEA powder supplier. It’s usually being sold in the form of a powder and can be sent to the US and in some selected countries all over the world.

But then again, you need to make sure you are buying from trusted vendors to ensure you’re getting authentic products. Take time to read DHEA reviews to find out if the vendor can be trusted. Remember, the Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplements will only work if you are using pure and quality products.

Article by:

Dr. Liang

Co-founder, the company’s core administration leadership; PhD received from Fudan University in organic chemistry. More than nine years of experience in organic synthesis field of medicinal chemistry. Rich experience in combinatorial chemistry, medicinal chemistry and custom synthesis and project management.

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