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health advisory Hospital Alternative Medicine 2007-11-16 3:12:21

Answer:

The body makes its own dihydroepiandosterone (DHEA) in the adrenal glands; we get very little in our diets. DHEA production peaks from the age of puberty to young adulthood and then begins to decline after age 30. By age 60, our bodies produce just 5 to 15% as much as when we were 20. DHEA is the primary androgen for post-menopausal women. Exercise in the elderly women tends to increase DHEA. DHEA for sale in stores is made from soybeans.

DHEA is helpful for the autoimmune disease lupus, at least in women. DHEA might also help prevent osteoporosis, although many other interventions are better proven to help. A typical therapeutic dosage of DHEA is 50 mg per day in mood studies and 200 mg daily in lupus studies. A cream containing 10% DHEA may also be used; it is typically applied to the skin at a dosage of 3 to 5 g daily. Physicians sometimes check DHEA levels and adjust the daily dose to achieve blood levels of 20 to 30 nmol/L.

DHEA is available over-the-counter. It has been found to be of some help for depression although the research is still limited. DHEA looks beneficial primarily in women, especially older women. DHEA was found to have beneficial mood, skin, sexual, and bone mineralization effects found in one large study of women over 60 years of age.

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The only thing I have to add to David's answer is that the doctor I used to work for did use DHEA for alot of patients, but he monitored closely any patient that was doing any hormone meds. I wouldn't get it from over the counter. Go to a naturopath or homeopath and let them tell you what you need. He'll probably want to do a DHEA-S blood test every 6 months or so to make sure your levels are ok.

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