Though we think of testosterone as the major source of sex drive in men and women, we also need to look at other hormones that influence our overall energy and desires. DHEA is a steroid hormone that's similar to testosterone and estrogen and can actually be converted to these hormones, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) has been considered by many to be the snake oil of medications. It's been marketed as a cure-all that improves just about every system in the body (it started back in the early 1990s, when reports came out that people taking DHEA felt really good).
One big problem: DHEA is considered a food supplement, so it's not regulated tightly by the FDA. Another: Since it's a steroid, it has the same potential long-term side effects as other steroids, such as cancer and a weakened immune system. Just because something makes you feel good doesn't mean it's good for you (think cocaine, heroin, or pints of ice cream).
Nevertheless, I do believe that DHEA can be effective for boosting energy, stamina, and reduced sex drive. So if you are wiped out or have low libido, and you've been checked out by doctors for everything else, maybe— just maybe—low doses of DHEA might help.
You need to talk to your doctor about your own levels and be cautious if you have thyroid issues or a rising PSA, because DHEA is the precursor of androgens, and super high levels of androgens might be linked to prostate cancer; even normal levels may be a problem if you already have the disease.
I don't endorse DHEA as the miracle anti-aging drug that it's often purported to be but, rather, in measured doses as a way to possibly counteract general fatigue and low moods associated with aging, when the usual suspects have been rounded up and no other obvious culprits exist—and then only at the lowest dose that seems to work. My recommendation is to try 25 to 50 milligrams and to monitor if it is working.
One big problem: DHEA is considered a food supplement, so it's not regulated tightly by the FDA. Another: Since it's a steroid, it has the same potential long-term side effects as other steroids, such as cancer and a weakened immune system. Just because something makes you feel good doesn't mean it's good for you (think cocaine, heroin, or pints of ice cream).
Nevertheless, I do believe that DHEA can be effective for boosting energy, stamina, and reduced sex drive. So if you are wiped out or have low libido, and you've been checked out by doctors for everything else, maybe— just maybe—low doses of DHEA might help.
You need to talk to your doctor about your own levels and be cautious if you have thyroid issues or a rising PSA, because DHEA is the precursor of androgens, and super high levels of androgens might be linked to prostate cancer; even normal levels may be a problem if you already have the disease.
I don't endorse DHEA as the miracle anti-aging drug that it's often purported to be but, rather, in measured doses as a way to possibly counteract general fatigue and low moods associated with aging, when the usual suspects have been rounded up and no other obvious culprits exist—and then only at the lowest dose that seems to work. My recommendation is to try 25 to 50 milligrams and to monitor if it is working.
