Description
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a steroid hormone precursor that helps maintain healthy hormone levels and helps support the stress response system. DHEA functions as the counterpart to the stress hormone cortisol. Maintaining healthy DHEA levels is crucial for balancing the catabolic effects of cortisol. Each capsule provides 25 mg of DHEA derived from the wild yam, allowing for incremental oral supplementation and flexibility with numerous hormonebalancing and stress-fighting protocols.
Overview
DHEA is a steroid hormone secreted primarily by the adrenal glands and, to a lesser extent, by the testes and ovaries. DHEA and its sulfate, DHEAs, are the most abundant steroid hormones in the human body and can be found in blood, saliva, urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).1 DHEA serves as a “buffer” reservoir to be used for the intracellular synthesis of various estrogens and androgens throughout the human body. DHEA production peaks during the second decade of life. Beginning in the early 30s, DHEA levels typically decline by 10% per decade. In addition to the normal decline associated with aging, other possible causes of a decline in DHEA production include inflammation, blood sugar imbalances and long-term stress. Secretion of DHEA is affected by pituitary adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secretion. In addition to being a precursor for sex hormone formation, DHEA also serves as a cortisol antagonist, maintaining normal inflammatory balance and protecting brain tissues from free radical stress. It is especially important in the hippocampus, where excessive cortisol secretion can affect mood regulation and memory. DHEA has been shown to reverse classic stress-induced physiological responses and support healthy aging. DHEA supplementation is particularly important for those that have been found to be deficient through testing, as well as those that need cortisolto- DHEA ratio support.
