Your body manufactures a hormone that it secretes through the adrenal gland called dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA. DHEA serves as a precursor to the male and female sex hormones androgen and estrogen, respectively. The levels of DHEA in your body start to decrease once you reach the age of 30, and some people who are critically ill or who have anorexia, end-stage kidney disease, AIDS or adrenal insufficiency may have low levels of DHEA. Speak to your physician before taking DHEA, as adverse side effects are associated with this supplement.
Safety
Using DHEA supplements for a just a few months is considered possibly safe for most people, MedlinePlus reports. However, side effects such as acne, hair loss, stomach upset and high blood pressure have been reported. Some women have reported changes in their menstrual cycles, facial hair growth and a deepening of their voice after they take DHEA. It is possibly unsafe to take DHEA in doses greater than 50 to 100 mg a day or for a long period of time because both of these cases increase the chance of side effects.
Other Concerns
There is a good possibility that DHEA is unsafe when taken orally during pregnancy or breast-feeding because DHEA can cause higher than normal levels of the male hormone androgen, which may be harmful to the baby, MedlinePlus reports. Conditions that are sensitive to hormones such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis or uterine fibroids might be made worse by taking DHEA because DHEA can affect how estrogen works in your body. DHEA can possibly worsen liver problems and polycystic ovary syndrome. If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar carefully when taking a DHEA supplement because it can affect how insulin works in your body. DHEA can cause excitability and impulsiveness in people with mood disorders as well as irritability and sexual inappropriateness.
Uses
DHEA has been used to treat various conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus, adrenal insufficiency, depression, osteoporosis, obesity, erectile dysfunction, low libido in women, aging, HIV, menopause and inflammatory bowel disease. In many cases, the results of using DHEA are mixed, and more research is needed to determine the actual efficacy of DHEA as a reliable treatment, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. In all cases, only a doctor should determine if DHEA is an appropriate treatment.
Availability
Most DHEA supplements are produced in laboratories from diosgenin, an extract taken from Dioscorea villosa, the Mexican wild yam. Take note that some extracts from wild yam are marketed as "natural DHEA" and are claimed by some manufacterers to be converted into DHEA by the body. There is no evidence that such a conversion can take place so it is best to look for labels that lists DHEA instead of diosgenin. DHEA is available in capsules, tablets, chewing gum, drops that are applied under the tongue and creams that are applied to the skin.
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