| The adrenal cortex, when healthy, produces adequate levels of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA boosts our moods, energy, sex drive, resistance to stress, self defense mechanisms (immune system), and general well-being.
What is DHEA?
DHEA is short for dehydroepiandrosterone (D-hi-dro-epp-E-an-dro-ster-own), a hormone made by the adrenal glands located just above the kidneys. Scientists have known about this hormone since 1934. More than 150 hormones are made by the adrenal glands. However, the most abundant hormone made by the adrenal glands is DHEA. After DHEA is made by these glands it goes into the bloodstream, and from then on it travels all over the body and goes into our cells where it is converted into male hormones, known as androgens, and female hormones, known as estrogens. Small amounts of DHEA are also made in the brain by neurons (brain cells).
DHEA is notoriously low in FMS and CFS patients. Chronic stress initially causes the adrenals to release extra cortisol. Continuous stress raises cortisol to abnormally high levels. Then the adrenal glands get to where they can’t keep up with the demand for more cortisol. As the cortisol levels continue to become depleted from on going stress, the body attempts to counter this by releasing more DHEA. Eventually they can’t produce enough cortisol or DHEA. Aging makes holding on to DHEA even tougher. Even in healthy individuals, DHEA levels begin to drop after the age of 30. By age 70, they are at about 20% of their peak levels.
Stress and DHEA
DHEA helps prevent the destruction of tryptophan (5HTP), which increases the production of serotonin. This helps provide added protection from chronic stress. Studies continue to show low DHEA to be a biological indicator of stress, aging, and age-related diseases including neurosis, depression, peptic ulcer, IBS, and others.5
DHEA and Immune Function
The decrease in DHEA levels correlates with the general decline of cell-mediated immunity and increased incidence of cancer. DHEA protects the thymus gland, a major player in immune function.
Billie Jay Sahley, PhD, writes, “over secretions of the stress hormones [cortisone, cortisol, and corticosterone], caused by long-term mental or physical effort, could lead to cancer, arthritis, and susceptibility to infections. Many psychosomatic disorders are transmitted from the brain to the skeletal muscle system. Anxiety, stress, anger, or any other psychic state can greatly change the amount of nervous stimulation to the skeletal muscles throughout the body, and either increase or decrease the skeletal muscular tension.”
These same stimulatory responses that affect the muscles also cause changes in various bodily organs: abnormal heartbeats, peptic ulcers (too much stomach acid), hypertension, spastic colon, and irregular menstrual periods. This is why you can’t separate emotional stress from physical stress. Testing for DHEA levels is recommended. However, Dr Murphree often places his patients on a trial of 25mg (women) or 50mg (men) of DHEA prior to testing.
Direction For Use: Adults Take 1 tablet daily
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