Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean for you. Normal levels vary with age and sex. If you have a normal level, it means your adrenal glands are working the way they should.
This excess may be related to adrenal cancer, tumors, or excess growth of adrenal hormone-producing tissue hyperplasia. If your DHEA level is low, it may mean that your adrenal glands are not making enough hormones. This can be because of damage to the adrenal gland or a diseased pituitary gland. The pituitary gland makes a hormone that stimulates the adrenal glands to do their job. If the pituitary gland doesn't make enough of its hormone, then the adrenal glands won't make enough of their hormone.
Your adrenal glands may stop working for a short time if you start or stop taking certain medicines, like prednisone. The test is done with a blood sample. A needle is used to draw blood from a vein in your arm or hand.
Products and services. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references DHEA. Natural Medicines. Accessed Jan. Pizzorono JE, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA.
In: Textbook of Natural Medicine. Elsevier; IBM Micromedex. Kellerman RD, et al. Popular herbs and nutritional supplements.
In addition, levels may be raised in individuals with cancer of the adrenal glands adrenal carcinoma. High levels of dehydroepiandrosterone have also been linked to reducing the risk of depression , cardiovascular disease and even death in some studies.
Some experts have suggested dehydroepiandrosterone supplements might overcome age-related decline a so-called 'elixir of youth' but this is not supported by current evidence.
Some athletes and bodybuilders also take dehydroepiandrosterone an anabolic steroid to increase muscle mass and strength. Serious side-effects from taking manufactured dehydroepiandrosterone have been reported and it is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. However, exercise and calorie-restriction have been shown to increase natural dehydroepiandrosterone levels in the body and may lead to longer life.
Since , dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation in combination with gonadotropins has been used in reproductive medicine as a way to treat female infertility. Low levels of dehydroepiandrosterone have been linked with shorter lifespan in men but not women. However, the reason for this is not fully understood. In women, low levels of dehydroepiandrosterone are associated with low libido , reduced bone mineral density and osteoporosis. DHEA may also have other roles, for example, as a neurosteroid.
In this role, it would directly affect neuronal excitability. Some say that DHEA enhances athletic performance. Production of DHEA peaks when people are in their 20s and 30s , and then it declines. This is the main reason that DHEA is considered an important chemical in the aging process, and a potential target for anti-aging drugs.
Wild yam and soy contain chemicals that can be converted into DHEA in a laboratory. However, the body cannot convert them in the same way. Eating soy or yams will not increase DHEA levels. Research into DHEA has increased in recent years, but many questions remain about its effectiveness and possible adverse effects. Its activities are not fully understood, but some researchers believe it helps protect neurons from toxins and after injuries, such as strokes. Some research suggests that it may contribute to nerve growth, and that it may help reduce inflammation and prevent cell death.
It may also modulate mood. For this reason, it has been studied for the treatment of mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Research published in the journal Nature in found that DHEA enhanced connections between the amygdala and hippocampus and reduced activity levels in both regions.
These changes are thought to contribute to an enhanced mood and a reduced memory for emotional events. There are also concerns that DHEA can trigger mania, psychosis , and other mood changes, especially in people with bipolar disorder and other mental health issues.
DHEA is not recommended for use alongside various drugs, including antidepressants , mood stablizers, and anti-seizure drugs. Under caloric restriction, for example, DHEA quantities increase.
For this reason, some have suggested that caloric restriction might increase lifespan. Over the last decade, DHEA has been studied for its effectiveness in treating a number of diseases and conditions.
Success rates have varied. Some diseases cause a reduction in bone density. Some research suggests that artificially raising DHEA levels helps increase bone density, especially in women. However, not all studies have produced positive results. Depression has been linked to low blood levels of DHEA. There is evidence that DHEA could help relieve symptoms of depression. A review of research, published in , suggested that DHEA might improve symptoms of depression in people with schizophrenia , anorexia nervosa , HIV , and adrenal insufficiency.
Some evidence suggests that DHEA may help reduce weight in older patients with metabolic conditions.
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