What is DHEA?
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone that does not get a whole lot of attention but should. We need DHEA to help us reach maturity and then once there help us keep our systems on track. DHEA is secreted by the adrenal gland and is vitally important in our bodies. First, it is the most abundant hormone in your body which explains why it is known as the “mother of all hormones”. Secondly, it is derived from cholesterol and is an important building block that works as a precursor to produce other important hormones including Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone.
What Does DHEA Do?
There are over 2,500 Journal Articles that have researched DHEA and the benefits on the human body. Studies in the New England Journal of Medicine and the National Institute of Health showed that a lack of DHEA in the body:
- Decreased your lifespan
- Increases the risk of cancer
- Increases the risk of cardiovascular heart disease
Low DHEA Levels
Symptoms of low levels of DHEA include:
- Fatigue
- Loss of strength and muscle mass
- Depression
- Aching joints
- Decreased sex drive
- Impaired immune function
Optimizing DHEA Levels
Optimizing levels of DHEA within the body are associated with :
- Increased insulin sensitivity
- Improved immune response
- Improved muscle weakness and fatigue
- Improves stress
- Improves energy
- Better cognitive enhancement
There continues to be research reports on the benefits of DHEA. It is known that the average DHEA level drops in half between the ages of 20 and 40 years old. Research concludes that DHEA is an important hormone and keeping the level in the higher range with pure good quality DHEA improves the quality of life and delays many of the effects of aging.
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