what is DHEA exactly, and how does it work?
DHEA is the most common steroid hormone in the body. It is produced mainly by the adrenal glands, and to a lesser extent, elsewhere in the body (including fat cells). DHEA is metabolized from pregnenolone, the body’s “master hormone,” which itself is metabolized from cholesterol. DHEA can be metabolized into other sex hormones, including testosterone and the estrogens, and up to 150 individual metabolites. Although there are still important research questions to answer, there is no question that youthful DHEA levels are closely associated with good health, and that low levels have been connected to various diseases. Unfortunately, after about age 35, DHEA begins to decline (Pavlov EP et al 1986; Nafziger AN et al 1998). Women, who tend to have lower levels, lose DHEA much more quickly than men as they age. Concentrations remain roughly 30% higher in men (Orentreich N et al. 1984). DHEA levels also vary according to ethnicity (Orentreich N et al. 1984; LaCroix AZ et al. 1992; Hornsby PJ