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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 4WD on February 27, 2008, at 9:49:27
What purpose does DHEA serve? What is it supposed to help with? My husband takes it and says it makes him feel better but I'm wondering if it's a placebo effect or if it really can help. With what? Depression? Anxiety?
Marsha
Posted by bleauberry on March 2, 2008, at 13:51:05
In reply to DHEA - What is is good for?, posted by 4WD on February 27, 2008, at 9:49:27
DHEA is a natural hormone related to the adrenal glands. As with all hormones, its effects are numerous and not well understood. It is commonly used for depression and anxiety and sexual libido. It can sometimes worsen those things in some people. DHEA is a popular hormone replacement supplement sold over the counter just about anywhere...drug stores, health food stores, grocery stores, big box retailers, so I would guess there are a lot of people that use it or have tried it.
A drawback mentioned frequently on the net is that if too much is taken it can create a bad version of testosterone that causes hair loss, acne, and psychological symptoms of agitation, anxiety, or depression. While common doses are generally assumed to be 25mg to 50mg, there are doctors now who say it should not be more than 5mg to 10mg. But as with anything, personal trial and error is the only way to find out if it is helpful and at what dose.
DHEA naturally declines with age, so some people take it just to feel a little younger.
DHEA can easily be lab tested to see what one's levels are. I don't think many people do that though.
Posted by Sigismund on March 2, 2008, at 16:57:23
In reply to Re: DHEA - What is is good for?, posted by bleauberry on March 2, 2008, at 13:51:05
My (natural) levels of DHEA are in the upper range, which was a surprise.
Posted by 4WD on March 2, 2008, at 18:00:23
In reply to Re: DHEA - What is is good for?, posted by bleauberry on March 2, 2008, at 13:51:05
I was considering adding it to my regular meds - in hopes of combatting depression and anxiety. But I have a tendency to have paradoxical reactions. And I am in the middle of a Celexa washout preparatory to starting Nardil on March 6th so maybe this is not a good time to start an experiement with DHEA or any other supplement.
Thank you for answering my post.
Marsha
> DHEA is a natural hormone related to the adrenal glands. As with all hormones, its effects are numerous and not well understood. It is commonly used for depression and anxiety and sexual libido. It can sometimes worsen those things in some people. DHEA is a popular hormone replacement supplement sold over the counter just about anywhere...drug stores, health food stores, grocery stores, big box retailers, so I would guess there are a lot of people that use it or have tried it.
>
> A drawback mentioned frequently on the net is that if too much is taken it can create a bad version of testosterone that causes hair loss, acne, and psychological symptoms of agitation, anxiety, or depression. While common doses are generally assumed to be 25mg to 50mg, there are doctors now who say it should not be more than 5mg to 10mg. But as with anything, personal trial and error is the only way to find out if it is helpful and at what dose.
>
> DHEA naturally declines with age, so some people take it just to feel a little younger.
>
> DHEA can easily be lab tested to see what one's levels are. I don't think many people do that though.
Posted by zatar on March 2, 2008, at 23:16:37
In reply to Re: DHEA - What is is good for? » bleauberry, posted by 4WD on March 2, 2008, at 18:00:23
I don't think it's a good idea to mix any meds when trying a new regimen. I, too, have paradoxical reactions to medications (though I think perhaps they are side effects at low doses) and have found out recently that I have elevated DHEA and DHEA-S. I feel that my symptoms of anxiety, hair loss, acne, irritability, etc. may be related to the elevated DHEA and will be seeing an Endocrinologist to determine what's going on. So it might not be wise for you to try DHEA until you have your symptoms under control.
And I would never consider supplementation with DHEA unless I had blood levels drawn as elevated levels of DHEA have been associated with an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/dhea
Good luck!
-zatar
> I was considering adding it to my regular meds - in hopes of combatting depression and anxiety. But I have a tendency to have paradoxical reactions. And I am in the middle of a Celexa washout preparatory to starting Nardil on March 6th so maybe this is not a good time to start an experiement with DHEA or any other supplement.
>
> Thank you for answering my post.
>
> Marsha
>
>
>
>
> > DHEA is a natural hormone related to the adrenal glands. As with all hormones, its effects are numerous and not well understood. It is commonly used for depression and anxiety and sexual libido. It can sometimes worsen those things in some people. DHEA is a popular hormone replacement supplement sold over the counter just about anywhere...drug stores, health food stores, grocery stores, big box retailers, so I would guess there are a lot of people that use it or have tried it.
> >
> > A drawback mentioned frequently on the net is that if too much is taken it can create a bad version of testosterone that causes hair loss, acne, and psychological symptoms of agitation, anxiety, or depression. While common doses are generally assumed to be 25mg to 50mg, there are doctors now who say it should not be more than 5mg to 10mg. But as with anything, personal trial and error is the only way to find out if it is helpful and at what dose.
> >
> > DHEA naturally declines with age, so some people take it just to feel a little younger.
> >
> > DHEA can easily be lab tested to see what one's levels are. I don't think many people do that though.
>
>
Posted by cumulative on March 3, 2008, at 7:03:15
In reply to DHEA - What is is good for?, posted by 4WD on February 27, 2008, at 9:49:27
It is probably not a placebo effect. DHEA is a sigma-1 agonist (rebuilds the hippocampus, like SSRIs) and has consistently shown effectiveness versus placebo in studies.
If you want to see something really cool, check out the studies on it's effectiveness in schizophrenia, both positive and negative symptoms. It seems to buffer both excesses and deficits of certain neurotransmitters, hence it's probable effectiveness in the biological etiologies of this weird little disease, which are characterized by toxic extremes.
Posted by zatar on March 5, 2008, at 13:53:49
In reply to Re: DHEA - What is is good for?, posted by cumulative on March 3, 2008, at 7:03:15
> It seems to buffer both excesses and deficits of certain neurotransmitters, hence it's probable effectiveness in the biological etiologies of this weird little disease, which are characterized by toxic extremes.<
Does that imply that you might see an elevated levle of DHEA in some people who have too much or too little of other neurotransmitters? I know it can be elevated in panic, but whether it's cause or effect, I don't know. Probably subject specific, too.
-zatar
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