These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
Dehyroepiandosterone
Question: What is this medication and can it be used to aid in weight loss to increase the feeling of well-being? My husband heard a reporter on newscast claim of losing weight, etc. while taking this medication. Would appreciate any information you can give.
Answer: DHEA is the abbreviation for dehyroepiandosterone. It comes from a class of chemicals called steroids due to their particular molecular configuration. DHEA has received lots of attention in the media as a drug for perpetual “youth” also being investigated are the possibilities of this drug in different kinds of cancers, improving concentration and ability to deduct, heart disease, osteoporosis, and endocrine disorders-including diabetes mellitus. DHEA and DHEA-S are steroids naturally produced in everyone’s adrenal glands and are especially high in women’s plasma. Recently, a review was published by Casson, et al. in Reproductive Endocrinology (1995: 13:247-56). This review found that DHEA may play a role in the immune system and that supplementation may have a beneficial effect. Supplementation of DHEA have also been shown to change the bodies cholesterol levels; unfortunately, in the wrong direction. Other evidence is currently relatively slim concerning concentration, osteoporosis and other claims. Like many other things in medicine, the claims are present before the evidence, it may be that this drug is beneficial in selected areas. However, our general outlook is that steroid supplementation is potentially fraught with serious long term consequences.
