Produced naturally by the body's adrenal glands, the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone, is essential to human development. Women's Health America reports that dehydroepiandrosterone is used by the body to construct estrogen and testosterone hormones. DHEA is safe but has been identified by some as potentially dangerous when taken as a supplement, leading to the development of natural and synthetic substitutes. Consult your physician before beginning any DHEA or supplemental regimen.
Importance of DHEA And DHEA Substitutes
The body's DHEA levels are highest when a person is in their mid-30s, according to Women's Health America. Normal DHEA levels in blood are 200 to 400 micrograms per deciliter in women and 500 to 700 mcg/dl in men. Dropping below that threshold can speed up signs of aging, including memory loss and reduced energy, as well as raise the incidence of heart disease in men.
Pregnenolone
Pregnenolone is a precursor hormone like DHEA. And, much like its sister hormone, it offers anti-aging benefits. Karlis Ullis writes in "Super T: The Complete Guide to Creating an Effective, Safe, and Natural Testosterone Supplement Program for Men and Women" that pregnenolone improves alertness and memory. It is also found at the foundation of progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, cortisol and DHEA.
7-oxo DHEA
Dr. Henry Lardy, a University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher, is one of the leading scientists in the field of genetics and DHEA. His work focused not only on the benefits of DHEA, but the other steroidal hormones that could be derived from it. The end result was 7-oxo DHEA, a metabolite that Humanetics reports is 2 1/2 times more productive than its parent hormone at producing a pair of enzymes crucial to metabolizing substances within the body for energy.
Human Growth Hormone
Human growth hormone, or hGH, is most commonly known as a performance-enhancing compound used illegally by athletes. Its primary use is to stimulate growth in children with insufficient pituitary gland functions, but a market has grown for people seeking a similar impact on aging as DHEA. According to the National Institute on Aging, studies proving hGH's effectiveness on aging differ. The NIA reports that hGH levels drop with age, but supplementary injections of the hormones have not shown improved tissue or muscle strength.
References
- Women's Health: DHEA: Is It a Fountain of Youth?
- "Super T: The Complete Guide to Creating an Effective, Safe, and Natural Testosterone Supplement Program for Men and Women;" Karlis Ullis, et al; 1999
- Humanetics: The 7-Keto Story
- National Institute on Aging: Can We Prevent Aging?
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