How Safe Is DHEA, Really?

Q: I'm in my mid-40s and already going through menopause. My doctor has putme on estrogen replacement therapy, but I wonder if I should also be taking DHEA? I keep hearing that it's a fountain of youth in a bottle. Do you recommend it?

A: It's easy to find out if you should take DHEA. Have your blood levels of the hormone and its active form (DHEA-S) measured. If your levels are normal, I would be very cautious about taking the hormone. If your levels are low, it's something to consider under your doctor's careful supervision.

DHEA has been called the mother hormone. It's a precursor to sex hormones, both male and female. The body will take DHEA and convert it into other hormones, a process that is uniquely dependent on each individual's chemistry. For that reason, taking a DHEA supplement can be both a blessing and a curse. One of my patients was unable to conceive and was quickly successful using DHEA. Another patient decided, on her own, to take high doses (100 milligrams a day) and developed facial hair that did not go away even after she stopped taking the hormone. A year later, she still has to wax her mustache. DHEA must have stimulated excess male hormones in this woman.

Family history is important in understanding the possible risks associated with taking any hormone. If there is a history of cancer, for instance, hormone supplements may be risky. In general, I recommend DHEA supplements in patients whose levels are low, or in some patients with autoimmune disease, since studies have shown that the hormone helps patients with lupus, allowing them in some instances to wean themselves off cortisone.

PHOTO (COLOR): DHEA

BY DR. RICHARD FIRSHEIN