DHEA does it affect memory and sexual desires ,

[1959Julie]

Do I understand Right that DHEA is a controlled substance in UK. This is a hormone and is sold in health food stores. I was diagnosed with low DHEA about 8 yrs ago. I took 25 mg day for yrs and I go frightened because facial hair was going nuts. I dont remember any withdrawal. But I wonder if I shouldnt have stayed on it, because mt memory and sexual desires are both bad Memory bad Sexual desire is null.. Does any one know if it affects these

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

1959Julie,

Have a look here:

Prasterone (Dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA) C 4 Pt2

gov.uk/government/publicati...

Which UK health food stores sell DHEA? (Be careful not to include websites which look as if they are in the UK.) If it were usual, one might expect Holland and Barrett to sell it. They certainly don't list it.

[1959Julie in reply to helvella]

I am sorry I am in US.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to 1959Julie]

1959Julie,

Yes - different countries have different rules - whilst often similar, sometimes very, very different.

[1959Julie]

I seen from the above site it was a controlled substance. Is it because it is mind altering or bad. I really never noticed anything like that and I toke it a long time. Like I said Istopped because excessive hair growth. Then I read an article that said it was normal as age to have decreased levels and it would not affect memory, so I stopped. I thought maybe my iron overload was causing it , it has a lot of negative affects. Thanks for replying

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to 1959Julie]

It's because some UK athletes allegedly took it to enhance performance.

[twinkleyt]

I also tried DHEA but only 5mg per day as I read it was testosterone - the male hormone- and had been successfully used to strengthen frail elderly ladies. I got it off the internet.

At first it worked wonders and I was delighted so upped the dose to 10 mg daily. My calves developed massively but so did my rear end which I didn't mind being a tiny thing all my life.

However, suddenly my breasts became tender and lumpy, no breast cancer but fibrous tissue.

Researched the side effects of DHEA more and found that sometimes it turns into Oestragen if you are female and only stays as testosterone if you are male.

I had developed an overload of oestragen so as I was taking HRT I stopped the DHEA.

Tried it again a year later but it didn't work at all. Think my brain had a memory button and decided to ignore the hormone this time and not bother with it. Shame but may not have the same effect with other women.

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to twinkleyt]

DHEA converts to androgens (like testosterone) in women too. See journals.plos.org/plosone/a... (Ok the study used female rats, but still). In both sexes it can then be aromatized to oestrogen. I take it as I can't tolerate testosterone directly (gives me 'roid rage). It apparently also ends up in your hair! clinchem.aaccjnls.org/conte...

[Angel_of_the_North]

I have it on prescription and it did help with brain fog etc, but I also had progesterone and oestrogen at the same time so I can't tell which one made the most difference. If my DHEA prescription is lowered, I get tired and apathetic more quickly. I only take 12.5 per day. My tache hasn't grown!

[milupa]

Hi 1959Julie - it is impossible to predict along which pathways a hormone will be converted, especially when all hormones are out of balance already. That's why practitioners prefer to give end-hormones (i e cortisol).

Facial hairgrowth might mean your DHEA supplement was converted to testosterone. 25 mg is quite a large amount anyway. I know many anti ageing 'gurus' support taking mega doses, but I would err on the side of caution.

Why not retest hormones and go from there?

De Myhill has interesting things to say about pregnenolone and DHEA in context of adrenal fatigue and thyroid problems.