BENEFITS, DOSAGE, AND SIDE EFFECTS OF DHEA SUPPLEMENTS-min

BENEFITS, DOSAGE, AND SIDE EFFECTS OF DHEA SUPPLEMENTS

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Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the richeststeroid hormone produced naturally by the body and performs several roles. A portion of DHEA is converted into female and male sex hormones;estrogen and testosterone. It is particularly synthesized by the brain, adrenal glands, and gonads.

Many people claim that balancing body hormones is a key to feeling and looking better. Althoughvarious natural strategies help balance body hormones, supplements or medications can also change the hormone degree and offer health advantages. DHEA includes a popular supplement, and natural hormone affects the amounts of various hormones in the body. The estrogen and testosterone activities can also fuel its impact after conversion. DHEA is a complex compound that leaves many unanswered questions. Therefore, those questions need to be tackled comprehensively; hence, this blog will explain the benefits, dosage, and side effects of DHEA supplements.

Health Benefits

Bone Density

Low DHEA amounts decrease bone mineral density which lowers as you grow. Some illnesses cause a reduction in bone density. Some studies suggest that raising DHEA amountsartificially assist in increasing bone mineral density, particularly in women. Small DHEA levels are linked toelevated changes in bone damages. Due to these conditions, multiple studies have researched if DHEA could boost bone mineral density in older people. Researchers report that consuming DHEA supplements for about two years can boost bone mineral density in older women, excluding men. As such, older women are advised to consume DHEA supplements for enough time to enjoy elevated bone mineral density.

Fights Depression

Depression has been associated with low DHEA blood levels. Shreds of evidence show that DHEA could help relieve depression symptoms. For example, research done in 2014 found that DHEA may improve symptoms of depression in individuals with anorexia, schizophrenia, Nervosa, HIV, and adrenal insufficiency. However, the utilization of DHEA is not recommended with drugs commonly used to diagnose these conditions. People with extreme depression usually have lower amounts of DHEA than thosewith milder depression. Other studies have suggested that DHEA can help diagnose depression, particularly in people with depression that is not severe or those who don’t respond to the appropriate diagnosis.

Boosts Sexual Function, Fertility, And Libido

Some research reports that DHEA may assist people with deficits in sexual function, libido, and erectile dysfunction, with effects beingmore advantageous in women who have undergone menopause. Usually, a supplement that affects the female and male sex hormones also interferes with sexual activity. For beginners, DHEA supplements might boost the functioning of the ovaries for women with weak fertility. For instance, theyelevated the success of Vitro fertilization (IVF) in 25 women undergoingfertility difficulties. These women passed through IVF before and after the DHEA diagnosis. After diagnosis, the women synthesized extra eggs, and a greater percentage of them were fertilized by 67% compared to 39 before diagnosis.

Another research also showed that women who consumed DHEA supplements during IVF experienced a 23% live birth rate, compared to 4% in the control group. Moreover, much researchhas revealed that these supplements might hike libido and sexual performance in women and men. However, the highest aids are experienced in people with weak sexual performance.

Can Help You Deal with Some Adrenal Problems

Adrenal insufficiency occurs when the adrenal gland does not synthesize sufficient steroid hormones, including DHEA. This issue can generate weakness, fatigue, alterations in blood pressure, and even become life-threatening. However, supplementing with DHEA can lower symptoms of adrenal insufficiency.

DHEA supplementsundergo testing as a strategy to diagnose symptoms of adrenal inadequacy. Some studies reveal that these supplements may boost life in those individuals.DHEA also reduces emotions of depression and anxiety and improves general well-being and sexual fulfillment in women with adrenal inadequacy. When suffering from adrenal inadequacy, choose to consult your physician whether DHEA could favor you.

Helps in Fat and Weight Loss

Some studies have shown that DHEA may help shed weight in older patients with metabolic conditions. A review in 2013 demonstrated that DHEA supplementation in older men could induce a minute but significant positive impact on body composition. This happenswhen the body converts the DHEA in the supplements into estrogens or androgens. Further studies also suggest that DHEA supplements can cause a small decrement in fat mass, particularly in older men or adults whose adrenal glands don’t work effectively.

 A research analysis found that DHEA reduced fat mass by approximately 4% over four months, although in patients with adrenal gland challenge. A supplement referred to as 7-keto DHEA is known to hike digestion in obese women and men.Also, an 8-week study on overweight adults showedthat the fat mass and body weightde-escalated three times more after consuming 7-keto DHEA supplements than placebo. From this study, people consuming the supplement shed approximately 6.4 pounds (2.9 kgs) of body weight and 1.8% body fat. Contrary, those in the placebo group only shed 2.2 pounds (1 kg) and 0.6 body fat.

Dosage and Side Effects

Although some doctors recommend dosesbetween10 and 500mg, a popular DHEA dose is between 25 and 50mg daily. Considering the time factor,adosage of 50mg has been safely utilized for a year and 25mg for two years. DHEA supplements have been properly used in research for a maximum of 2 years without extreme side effects. However, the supplement usually affects the endocrine system, interfering with hormonal activity.

 Hormonal alterations can impact many body systems leading to several side effects, includingenclosed acne, greasy skin, and high hair growth in pubic and armpits areas. These effects vary in distinct age groups and between diseases. Notably, DHEA supplements should be consumed by people with cancers influenced by sex hormones.

Conclusion

The beneficial impacts linked with DHEAare experienced in folks with low DHEA amounts or certain health issues. For young and healthy people, DHEA may beunnecessary since thehormone is synthesized naturally in the body, and its excessive amount is insignificant. Nevertheless, DHEA’s supplement mighthelp some older adults and those with certain sexual, adrenal, or fertility complications. However, pregnant, breastfeeding, or women on medication should avoid DHEA supplements since they have a complex role in the body and may interact with other medications. Therefore, people should only use DHEA supplementsafter getting the correct advice from the health provider.

Nataly Komova

Nutritionist. Bluffton University, MS

In today's world, people's eating and exercise patterns have changed, and it is often lifestyle that is the cause of many diet-related illnesses. I believe that each of us is unique – what works for one does not help another. What is more, it can even be harmful. I am interested in food psychology, which studies a person's relationship with their body and food, explains our choices and desires for specific products, the difficulty of maintaining optimal body weight, as well as the influence of various internal and external factors on appetite. I'm also an avid vintage car collector, and currently, I'm working on my 1993 W124 Mercedes. You may have stumbled upon articles I have been featured in, for example, in Cosmopolitan, Elle, Grazia, Women's Health, The Guardian, and others.

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