DHEA, short for dehydroepiandrosterone, is a precursor to the male hormone testosterone and is produced naturally by the adrenal glands. It is the most abundant androgenic hormone in humans.
Men often take DHEA to increase their testosterone production, and achieve other health benefits.
In this blog, we’ll talk about the benefits and side-effects of supplementation with DHEA.
Let’s start with the benefits.
- Promotes Fat Loss
As you get older, your metabolism slows down. This leads to un-wanted weight gain. A big benefit of DHEA is that is speeds up your metabolism, which helps you burn more calories. A 2014 study by Harvard Medical School (https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/DHEA_makes_the_fat_go_away) shows that supplementation with DHEA helps fight obesity and ‘makes the fat go away’.
But this doesn’t mean supplement alone is enough for you to lose weight. Supplementation, exercise and controlling your calorie intake go hand-in-hand when you’re trying to lose weight.
- Improves Libido and Performance
Men suffering from loss of libido and erectile dysfunction generally have low DHEA levels, and will greatly benefit from DHEA supplementation. DHEA turns to sex hormone in the body which helps improves ability to perform sexually and boosts libido.
- Improves Cardiovascular Health
Various studies show that DHEA supplementation not only helps fight age-related increases in blood sugar and glucose levels, but also lowers cholesterol, prevents blood clots, lowers blood pressure and prevents clogged arteries. All of these things are directly related to better cardiovascular health.
Low DHEA levels in men have been associated with an increase in the risk of heart disease, ( https://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/home/topics/adrenal/dhea-levels-may-predict-coronary-heart-disease-risk-in-elderly-men/) and some studies also show that DHEA plays a vital role in preventing diabetes. (https://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/54/3/765)
- Increases Strength and Improves Muscle Mass, especially when stacked with Tribulus Terrestris
DHEA is a precursor to testosterone, and a high level of testosterone is directly co-related to increase in muscle mass and strength. It is common among bodybuilders to supplement with DHEA and Tribulus Terrestris stack to spike body’s natural production of testosterone.
- Increases Bone Density
As people age, their bone density falls. Besides this, hormonal imbalances, poor diets and inactivity affect bone density too. DHEA can help prevent the risk of bone fractures or osteoporosis, as it adds more mineral density to bones which are at risk.
A large number of studies (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2435090/) have been done to prove that supplementing 50mgs of DHEA per day directly improves bone mass density.
- Side Effects of DHEA
Side-effects of supplements with DHEA are mostly minor, and are always related to taking too much of it (500mg+/day). You will be fine as long as you’re taking it in small doses, that is, between 50-100 milligrams/day.
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