Keep Your DHEA Levels Balanced Now, to Avoid Health Complications Later on in Life

Hailed by anti-aging industry leaders as “the mother of all hormones”, DHEA is known to boost libido, enhance memory and brain function, improve mood, restore energy and protect the autoimmune system. DHEA is a precursor to over 50 various hormones in the human body. Natural production of the hormone slowly tapers off once we reach our twenties – in fact, by the time we hit 80, our DHEA level is only 10 to 20 percent of that which it was when we were in our 20’s. DHEA is the only hormone that declines in a linear pattern in both men and women alike, making it one of the most reliable methods in gauging the aging process.

When DHEA levels fall out of range, the imbalance can bring forth the onset of disease and medical conditions such as obesity, depression, osteoporosis and auto-immune disorders. There’s more to hormonal health than just hormones. Fitness and nutrition play vital roles in your hormonal health and all-round wellness. I believe that how you look on the outside is directly related to how feel on the inside – if you look good, you feel good. The older we get, the more a sedentary lifestyle becomes a recipe for disaster. This is because as we age, we naturally lose our resiliency. Aging however, does not have to be a process of decay. With light daily aerobic activity such as brisk walks that last about 30 minutes, it is possible to sidestep many of the health complications associated with aging. Nutrition and fitness go hand in hand – I tell my patients that optimal health and wellness is a package deal and it’s all or nothing. Nutrition isn’t just about avoiding the foods that you shouldn’t be eating such as processed foods containing simple sugars and carbohydrates – nutrition also means eating the foods you SHOULD be eating such as those rich in antioxidants.

Scientists believe that diseases such Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, coronary disease and diabetes as well as many other contributing factors to disease such as obesity, all share one common denominator: low levels of DHEA.

Low levels of DHEA can cause symptoms including:

• Fatigue
• Loss of strength and muscle mass
• Depression
• Aching joints
• Decreased sex drive
• Impaired immune function

DHEA can also aid in the prevention of:

• Auto-immune disorders
• Obesity
• Senile dementia
• Osteoporosis
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Depression

Low levels of DHEA or any hormone for that matter can often lead to a host of unpleasant symptoms and can even propagate the development of serious disease and illness. As an anti-aging physician, I treat these hormonal imbalances using a three-pronged approach to wellness. Based on the results of comprehensive diagnostic testing, I prescribe customized dosages of bioidentical hormones, when necessary, to each of my patients, in addition to helping them develop a customized program integrating nutrition, fitness, and stress reduction to negate the onset of hormonal imbalance and the myriad of diseases that follow.