New Thinking on DHEA and Aging
Your patients may be confused over conflicting reports about the benefits and risks associated with using the DHEA hormone supplements.
Reports in many health and general interest magazines have touted the "mother hormone's" supposed anti-aging effects and its potential as a treatment for impotence, cancer, heart disease, and lupus.
The October 1997 issue of Health listed DHEA among its "Reliable Guide to 10 Top Natural Remedies" and reported on a study by Raymond Daynes at the University of Utah School of Medicine that found a significant increase in the longevity of mice given the hormone compared with mice that received no supplementation.
The article also commented on claims by William Regelson (author of Super-Hormone Promise) that DHEA lowers the risk of cancer.
But, the article also notes that an essay in the Journal of the American Medical Association emphasized the possibility that DHEA might increase a person's odds of developing ovarian, prostate, and other cancers because it raises the levels of sex hormones in the body.
Some reports have not been as cautionary.
The October 1997 issue of Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine lists DHEA as one of its "Stress Busters" claiming that "the solution to your health problems may be just down the street at your local health food store."
Though it doesn't list any of the possible risks of hormone supplementation, the article does advise use of DHEA only under the guidance of a physician.
However, in the same month, the Vegetarian Times reported that the National Institutes on Aging issued a warning to consumers that there is insufficient research to prove that DHEA is beneficial and taking the supplement may cause unexpected side effects, like confusion, headaches, drowsiness, and liver damage.
A March 1997 article in Men's Health, "DHEA: Does it Work?" is even more critical.
"DHEA is snake oil at this point," claims Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, MD, a professor at the University of California-San Diego and a recognized authority on the hormone. "There have been no long-term clinical tests in people, and the animal studies are meaningless-animals don't even have DHEA."
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