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DHEA: Hope or Hoax - Page 2

© Janine Fowlds

As far as fat fighting is concerned, medical reports claim that there is still no proof that DHEA aids in human weight loss.

One controversy that seems to be of greatest concern is that of DHEA's ability to combat cancer. As previously mentioned, DHEA is converted into testosterone, which increases the risk of prostate cancer in men. Even worse, it can amplify any pre-existing prostate cancer or hasten cancerous growth. As for women, DHEA stimulates the growth of endometrial cancer [2]. Another animal study showed that liver cancer was greatly increased by DHEA [3]. Aside from the aforementioned, risks also include an adverse effect on glucose tolerance, irregular or ceased menstruation, and decreased levels of HDL (good cholesterol) in women, which increase the risk of heart disease. Other reported occurrences are acne, hirsutism (unwanted facial hair growth), transient hepatitis, irregular heartbeats, and heart palpitations. Also, before DHEA was administered to any humans for testing, it was tested on lab rats and mice, which incidentally, "...rodents don't produce any DHEA," according to Dr. Casson, [1]. Since this product is labeled as a dietary supplement, it is exempt from the FDA's regulations. But, the director of the FDA's Health Fraud Staff, Joel Aronson, stated that if a manufacturer claims that their product can treat or prevent a disease, then it should be considered a drug and fall under FDA jurisdiction [4]. DHEA benefits are being studied. One possible benefit may be in the treatment of Lupus for which the results have not yet been published. Another experiment in the making is the study of DHEA's antidepressant effects, as well as the consideration of using DHEA as a topical cream in another study. But outside of these experiments, long term effects are still unknown and there are no confirmed reports of benefits. Many doctors also believe that using DHEA may have the potential for irreversible side effects and they are warning their patients and the public not to use over-the-counter DHEA. The National Council Against Health Fraud also advises consumers to steer clear of this drug, even with a doctor's guidance [5]. So now, you know.

References

1. Skerret, P.J. DHEA: Ignore the Hype. Published in Quackwatch, 12 Oct. 1998. Available from: www.quackwatch.com via the INTERNET (24 March 1999).

2. Schardt, David, and Schmidt, Stephen. DHEA: Not Ready for Prime Time. Published in the Nutrition Action Healthletter. Available from: www.cspinet.org via the INTERNET (24 March 1999).

3. Unknown. DHEA Still a Puzzle. Published in NCAHF Newsletter 19-5, 21 March 1998. Available from: www.ncahf.org via the INTERNET (24 March 1999).

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