Page 12 - The DHEA Debate - Life Extensions Magazine

In other words, if a woman takes too much DHEA, she may experience side effects from the
conversion of DHEA to testosterone. The first sign is oily skin. If she ignores this and does not
reduce her dose, she may develop testosterone-related acne. If she ignores the acne and
continues to overdose, she may start to see hair growth on her upper lip. Importantly, these side
effects are reversible and certainly not life threatening.

Naysayer: Still, such side effects are distressing.

Stephen Cherniske: But you’re talking as if side effects are common, when in fact they are rare.
At the clinically effective dose of 5 to 25 mg, the incidence of androgen-related side effects is
less than 2%.123Compared to the known benefits, and the ease by which a safe dose can be
determined, it is unreasonable and unscientific to harp on side effects that are rare and
innocuous. Tremendous health benefits are obtainable from 5 to 25 mg of DHEA. It significantly
reduces risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease at 25 mg per day.3 These two
degenerative diseases account for more than 70% of deaths in the US and all you can do is
wring your hands about an adverse effect that might occur at four or five times that dose.

Naysayer: Well, DHEA is sold in health food stores. People are naturally going to think that any
dose is safe.

Stephen Cherniske: Aspirin is sold in convenience stores and gas stations. Aspirin can cause
gastrointestinal bleeding and other side effects.
There is an absurd double standard being used here. You promote the sale and use of high-
dose aspirin, which can have serious side effects, because you believe in the principle of
informed choice. Yet when it comes to DHEA, you don’t think people are capable of making an
intelligent decision.
Naysayer: But women do not know how much DHEA they are presently producing.

Stephen Cherniske: Exactly. This is part of the education process that should be in high gear;
but the exact opposite is taking place. Instead of encouraging women to measure their DHEA
levels, many doctors are telling them that it doesn’t matter. Instead of receiving guidance on a
critically important aspect of health and wellness, patients are being misled. With what we know
about the influence of DHEA on health and disease, this should be a top priority. Women with
severe symptoms associated with menopause (known as climacteric syndrome) have DHEA
levels that are roughly half those of age-matched controls,125 but few physicians know this.
FACT: For 70% of women, the gynecologist is the only doctor they see.

Naysayer: You keep talking about DHEA supplementation, but couldn’t people just exercise and
get the same benefit? After all, studies show that individuals who exercise regularly have higher
levels of DHEA and IGF-1.126,127

Stephen Cherniske: I agree, but let’s look carefully at this correlation. In a recent study with
elderly women, DHEA and IGF-1 were directly related to daily activity, physical exercise, muscle
strength, and respiratory efficiency. The authors conclude that exercise must therefore have a
positive effect on anabolic hormones.128 I call this the Jack LaLanne effect, but it is important to
understand that the converse is also true; that some people have a genetic ability to maintain
higher levels of DHEA, which stimulates IGF-1, and this maintenance of anabolic drive is what
enables them to remain active and to perform physical exercise. The vast majority of Americans
do not have this genetic advantage. If people are on the “catabolic” side of life with poor
exercise tolerance, telling them to “just exercise more” is unfair and unscientific. Better to