The plant species Urtica dioica, or stinging nettle, grows wild in North America and Europe. The plant is covered in tiny hairs that "sting" you if you brush against them. Throughout history, civilizations have used stinging nettle to treat a variety of conditions, and modern herbalists use nettle for benign prostate hyperplasia, or an enlargement of the prostate, according to Langone Medical Center at New York University. The hormone DHEA occurs naturally in men and women, and people take DHEA supplements to improve mental function, slow the aging process and promote weight loss, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Step 1
Talk to your doctor before taking DHEA. Elevated levels of this hormone can have severe side effects. If your doctor has advised you to take DHEA for lupus, Alzheimer's, HIV or another disease, tell your doctor before taking nettle. The two supplements together can cause extreme sedation, loss of motor function and the risk of coma, according to the drug interaction site Let's Drug.
Step 2
Take no more than 5 mg of DHEA daily if you're older than 40 or you've been diagnosed with low DHEA levels. Take a nettle supplement on separate days from DHEA because of the possible interaction. Take time away from DHEA or discontinue taking it eventually as long-term effects of this supplement are not well-understood.
Step 3
Ask your doctor for a true DHEA supplement rather than plant-derived diosgenin, which may not increase DHEA levels. Read the label on a DHEA supplement to ensure it only contains DHEA and not diosgenin.
Step 4
Start DHEA and nettle supplementation with a small portion of the dose recommended on the label, especially if you are taking both supplements on alternating days. Both DHEA and nettle can increase steroid hormones and cause the symptoms of an excess of these hormones in the body, such as hair loss, acne and swelling of the breasts, according to Dr. Ray Sahelian.
Step 5
Avoid DHEA and nettle if you are pregnant or nursing. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, DHEA use in healthy, pre-menopausal may not have a benefit. According to Langone Medical Center at New York University, nettle extract has been used to induce abortion. However, it has also traditionally been given to pregnant and nursing women.
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