So my adrenals have been bad for about 18 months, plus I'm hypo. I've tried a few things (B vits, ginseng, nutri adrenal) and added dhea to the mix on the advice of my dr (off the list).
As I increased the dhea I got really irritable (bordering on the mental) and acne. Nice. So I reduced my dose by half to about 5mg a day. I'm much less moody and skin a bit better, but I've been sleeping worse, tired all the time and now have a full on crash on my hands. Really disappointed as haven't had a bad one for about 6 months.
I'm pre menopausal, which I suspect is why I got hormonal side effects. I'm wondering about trying 7 keto has anyone tried this? And has anyone else had a withdrawal effect?
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Lolalois
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Hi Lolalois-I was advised that my Dhea would probably come back into line once my adrenals started to heal....but we are all different and have different combinations of adrenal and Thyroid. Have you got current adrenal saliva and thyroid blood results as well as iron panel, B12 and D results? It seems if iron or cortisol are low thyroid Meds won't work and vice versa-a delicate balance....I'm struggling to get it all in balance too!
Hi there. I've had my adrenals tested a couple of times. They were totally flat the first time and slightly better the second, but altho the adrenal function had improved the dhea was even lower. All other vits tested and well in range, plus I take b vits, iron, vit C, D3, probiotics. Oh, and thyroxine, thyroid results in range but tissue level low on tests.
Dhea was really good for me in lots of ways but had awful hormonal side effects. I've halved the dose and they are improved but fatigue has increased and adrenals have crashed again. Am going to add in some 7 keto I think and see if that helps.
I take Natrol DHEA daily (50mg per tablet), and if I miss taking it for a single day I feel really drained for the next couple of days. I don't have hormonal or thyroid issues that I'm aware of but just missing the DHEA alone can cause those symptoms.
I had to use hydrocortisone for my adrenal exhaustion....couldn't take DHEA at all made me sick. I'm also perimenopausal it really messes up thyroid adrenal issues. Hope you feel better x
Wao, I dont notice any difference if I take it or not. And I use the Swanson brand, it contains 100mg DHEA per pill, and I take 2 a day usually. Anyway, if you do another 24 hour saliva cortisol, just make sure its one that includes a DHEA test. All the best
DHEA should never be taken in such high doses. A healthy 22 year old male makes 15mg of it daily. 100mg is extreme overkill. It should also only be taken sublingually. This is a hormone. You never want that stuff to pass through your liver. I wish people could do some research.
i realize i'm trolling a 4 year old post here, but DHEA will pass through your liver regardess of if you swallow it or absorb it through your membrane... your liver filters out toxins in your blood regardless of how they get there!!
7 Keto is *not* for adrenal repair. It's complicated to explain (research it) but keto is a completely different thing purely for boosting metabolism and losing weight. It's probably the last thing adrenal fatigue sufferers should be taking. Frustrates the heck out if me that people always refer to them side by side. Misleads a lot of people. Get sublingual DHEA also. Never take it orally (swallowing).
I strongly advise no one to use dhea. It has messed up my sleeping and my life. Dhea is dangerous. Go to the site Webmd or Mayo Clinic. This supplement has done so much damage to me. This is to be avoided.
If you need more information go to webmd or mayo clinic regarding dhea. This supplement should not be sold in health food stores or walmart. It is very dangerous!!!
I have had a similar set of symptoms with Adrenals, perimenopause hormones and thyroid, plus I have ZERO testosterone. I took 25 mg DHEA and it helped tremendously. I withdrew slowly and had side effects that were terrible like crying jags and weakness but it seemed to even out but I never got back to "normal" as perimenopause just isnt "normal" feeling for me... I think I am just super sensitive to hormone changes. However, I did take alot of Ashwagandha which helps adrenal functioning and it seemed to "cure" them. I highly recommend it.. For hormone balancing, I take Maca and Red Clover, Motherswort and Vitex. The last two when taken regularly you will feel the full effects of the balancing of hormones after 3 or 4 months. There were a game changer. Hang in there. Also read Dr Northups book on Menopause also her follow up book on the secret pleasures of menopause which I think has a better more direct selection of herbs including all the above and more. Hang in there. I hope you feel better soon.. I keep reminding myself this will be over some day, it isnt permanent. Take really good care of yourself.
My practitioner put me on 25mg a day of DHEA. I got super irritable and angry and depressed, felt awful. I was on it for about a month. Another practitioner checked my DHEA during and it was only one point away from being high and my testosterone was 48 in the high zone. I stopped taking it cold turkey about 9 days ago. I am laying here in bed feeling completely wiped out today. What on Earth is going on? Did my adrenals get even more messed up? It is scary feeling this tired. BP feels low, and I am light headed....Damn that practitioner that had me take so much DHEA. Is my body crashing?
I am not a professional, but from what I've personally experienced and later read, I've concluded that DHEA supplements are very dangerous for women.
DHEA gave me good energy in general...but caused the following horrific conditions for me, which were not related to menopause as I was only mid-40's and had not yet begun peri-menopause.
Prior to taking DHEA, I was healthy, had always had a regular menstrual cycle--I'd never had irregular bleeding in my entire life--and had none of the following problems that began and continued as long as I was taking DHEA:
1. Accelerated growth of my uterine lining and uterine fibroids, resulting in the need for years of diagnostic tests (including biopsies), a uterine fibroid embolization under anesthesia and hospitalization, and hormone pills to try to correct the condition.
2. Massive and constant uterine bleeding as long as I took DHEA.
3. Severe anemia, resulting from months of very heavy (and constant) uterine bleeding.
4. Fatigue and months of time lost, due to the anemia.
5. Very sudden dry eye syndrome, diagnosed damage to my meibomian (tear) glands, possibly connected to the general lack of oxygen to my eyes or hormonal imbalance.
6. EXTREME HAIR LOSS! This is likely due to the higher levels of testosterone from DHEA.
Any ONE of these conditions should scare women away from DHEA.
The irony is that I followed the advice of an endocrinologist when I started taking DHEA! This may be why I didn't do the research myself and didn't see DHEA as the culprit.
I didn't connect the symptoms with DHEA at first because...
--I blamed my own body for having problems or early menopause.
--A good friend was also experiencing heavy uterine bleeding, and together we researched causes for unusual uterine bleeding--none of which listed DHEA. This research caused me to rationalize the bleeding in other ways.
--When I started DHEA, I was following the advice of an endocrinologist, who said that it was good to begin to supplement with DHEA, to slow the aging process.
--I had started taking several new supplements at one time (not a smart scientific method).
--I was given other explanations/diagnoses by my ob-gyn, who said uterine fibroids were common, almost normal in women my age (I was mid 40's at the time).
Long story short: How I wish I had researched DHEA prior to taking it.
Hormones in general are frightening supplements.
I'm praying my system will be restored and I appreciate your prayers and positive thoughts.
Thanks. I hope this helps someone else avoid DHEA as a supplement.
I have been on a high dose of DHEA for 3 months and have experienced some of the same things you have. Especially hair loss! Oh my gosh! I was put on this by a practitioner. Have you heard if it is ok to stop cold turkey or is this something that needs to be tapered from? I'm also tapering from Prednisone right now.
I think I tapered off...but you might check with your physician.
My hair got fuller after I stopped the DHEA. But there's a connection between estrogen and hair loss, too. (After giving birth, a drop in a new mom's estrogen can cause hair loss, and drops in estrogen in general can cause hair loss.)
The logic I came up with in my own head (could be wrong): that DHEA is a precursor to testosterone, which competes with/can lower estrogen levels in terms of BALANCE, and may therefore cause hair loss.
Who knows?
I did read that DHEA is like testosterone, somehow.
I'll never take it again, unless my estrogen gets too high or something.
Hi Aunt_Jen-Jen I have just come DHEA after takin 50mg for 6 weeks and can see adverse and profound effects on my mood and sleep. Wondering if your issues stemming from DHEA have resolved? Can I ask the dosage you were on? Thanks for your insight and from everyone else on this thread. Much appreciated! Bee
Hi Nix21~ I was on 25mg per day for over a year, based on an Ob-Gyn internet seminar, without knowing how dangerous it was to mess with my hormone levels apart from my own physician's input.Yes, all seems to have resolved in a very short time, and I now take only the HRT prescribed by my Dr.
I really hope your mood and sleep patterns can level out in a short time. Be patient, as our bodies know how to adjust but it can take time.
By the way, did you consider tapering off of it gradually, by decreasing the mg? I was using a Swanson Vitamins product that I could bite into pieces if I wanted a half-dose. Maybe your body could adjust your dose gradually? (Maybe you needed to stop altogether--no need to reveal your reasons. Just brainstorming.)
The best thing I can say is don't "hate" yourself while you feel like crap. You WILL get your normal moods and sleep cycle back. Be super kind to yourself while you let your body adjust.
Hi bit later in asking you but desperately want to taper off DHEA as it has increased my heartbeat. Was taking 13mg since April 22 reduced to 5 days a week in November 2022 then 4 days week March 2023. Doctor prescribed 8mg per day and 10 days in heartbeat is now at 118 quite regularly! Planning on not taking it tomorrow as travelling but would desperately love to know how you tapered of? Feel need to get down to every 2nd day asap to stop the fast heart beat and then reduce by one day a week til off? Any advice would be helpful thanks
I was put on 15mg of dhea by this integrated gp.My dhea before the synthetic dhea was 4.6. I took this for two months and stopped and my dhea is so low now 3!!! And I am on glandulars now! Wtf??!!!!!!!! Anyone advise? When will my dhea recover and go back to how it was two months ago before I started with the synthetic dhea?
I was put on 15mg of dhea by this integrated gp.My dhea before the synthetic dhea was 4.6. I took this for two months and stopped and my dhea is so low now 3!!! And I am on glandulars now! Wtf??!!!!!!!! Anyone advise? When will my dhea recover and go back to how it was two months ago before I started with the synthetic dhea?
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