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Arthritis Pain Relief 101
Coming of age equals coming of a variety of body pains. And do you know what most of our oldies would complain about regarding this issue? Arthritis. An estimate of over 50 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other...
Building A Strength Training Routine For Your Child
Copyright 2005 strength-training-woman.com Sally is ready to join the basketball team this year. You encourage her, tell her to practice everyday, and even join in on the team's fundraising efforts. As adults we know the positive health...
Chronic Pain Relief: An Overview
Everyone will experience pain at some point in their lives. Pain is a necessary form of protection against injuries, diseases, or conditions that would otherwise impair or even kill us. Pain alerts us that something is wrong. Pain can be either...
Conquering Goals: The Battle Plan
“To accomplish great things we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.”(Anatole France) While these three items define success, without all of them success would be unattainable. Without a dream, you will be without...
Diet Information:Body for Life
Body for Life was the brain child of Bodybuilding publisher Bill Phillips and was designed initially as a competition to motivate the masses into exercising and eating healthily. He understood the pressures of modern living and devised a program of...
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Fighting Age with DHEA
DHEA is another controversial antiaging hormone. However,
unlike the Human Growth Hormone (HGH) there have been more studies done, but with often conflicting results.
DHEA is a naturally occurring steroid hormone that is a precursor to the male hormone testosterone and the female hormone estrogen. There seems to be little dispute that DHEA
levels steadily decline as we age, so that by the age of 70 a person is only producing about 20% as he did in his teens or 20’s.
Proponents of supplemental DHEA claim that taking the hormone will improve your memory, increase libido, improve muscle tone and stamina, reduce depression, anxiety and fatigue, rejuvenate cells leading to firmer, less wrinkled skin, add sheen and
strength to damaged hair and nails and help with weight control.
A German study done in the late 90’s showed that women who took
DHEA for four months were less likely to be depressed, anxious or
hostile and more likely to have sexual thoughts and enjoy sex. These
results seemed to confirm other studies that DHEA can effect moods
and perhaps reduce depression. It might also aid in the treatment of
chronic fatigue syndrome.
However two studies in 2003 gave contradictory results as far as the
effect of the hormone on heart disease and doctors are very worried
that the hormone might, in fact, worsen heart conditions.
More recent studies have shown that DHEA can cause significant
reductions in abdominal fat, which is associated with diabetes and
blood plaque build up in the arteries. So the effect of the hormone
on the heart is still undecided.
DHEA is also proven to help some lupus suffers.
As with all hormone therapies, the experts warn that the long term
risks are unknown. There is concern that DHEA may cause or worsen
heart conditions or cause or accelerate prostate cancer or other
tumors.
The hormone is available as a supplement and not patentable, so no research is likely to be done by the
pharmaceutical industry. As a matter of fact, DHEA was briefly banned
in the US, but is now legal, to the chagrin of many doctors.
Other physicians feel that a dosage up to 50 mg a day would probably
not be harmful. But even they call for more studies.
DHEA is probably not needed before the age of 40. A blood test can be
used to establish if you are suffering from a deficiency.
There is nothing to prevent anyone from buying and taking DHEA. There
are many short term benefits and long term hazards, if any, have not
yet been proven.
If you feel you might benefit from DHEA, consult a qualified physician
first. This article is for informational purposes only. It does not purport to offer medical advice.
About the Author
Ms. Bowler has been a teacher all her life. She has taught grade school, ballet and aerobics. She has also been a personal trainer.
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