Bodies change with age -- it's a part of life. And while some things may improve over time, health is generally not one of them. That is why it is vital for elderly people to take care of their bodies to protect against the harmful effects of aging.
One concern for elderly people is the risk of developing diabetes, which is triggered by excess abdominal fat and high insulin levels. However, studies may have found a way to decrease this risk: dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) replacement therapy. DHEA is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, which peaks at age 20 and gradually declines with age. In fact, by the time one reaches 70, only about 20 percent of the peak amount is still circulating throughout their body.
In order to discover if DHEA replacement could reverse some of the metabolic complications of aging, researchers conducted experiments on rats. They found that DHEA replacement might protect against the insulin resistance brought on by a high-fat diet, as well as lower insulin responsiveness that takes place with aging.
In a study using a MRI measurement of abdominal fat, researchers discovered:
Compared to the placebo group, those who received DHEA experienced a decrease in abdomen fat of 10.2 percent (women) and 7.4 percent (men)
Both men and women who received DHEA had a 6 percent decrease in subcutaneous abdominal fat (below the skin surface)
Those who received DHEA had lower insulin levels during oral glucose tolerance tests than they did at the start of the study
No adverse effects of DHEA therapy were discovered
JAMA November 10, 2004;292:2243-2248
Six years ago, I started working with bioidentical hormone therapy. However, I was using saliva testing and did not understand how to optimize hormones. Earlier this year one of my early mentors, Dr. Gary Oberg from Crystal Lake, Ill., encouraged me to reconsider this valuable tool, as he felt I was missing a major piece of the puzzle. As it turns out , he was right on target.
Now , I regularly check serum, not saliva, levels of DHEA in more than half of my patients and I have learned that a large percentage of the men and half of the women I examine would benefit from DHEA. I even found that I had levels that were less than 20 percent of what they should have been, so am currently taking DHEA replacement therapy.
While I am a great fan of DHEA, I must tell you that I am NOT AT ALL in favor of it being available without a physician’s prescription. Although it is likely most of you reading this would benefit from taking it, one has to be very careful in using it, as it may cause more problems than it solves.
First of all, I am convinced that women should not take DHEA unless they are also using bioidentical estrogen and progesterone therapy. Also, women need to pay very careful attention to ensuring their dosage is carefully adjusted. (Most women should not be on more than 15 mg of DHEA a day.)
Although men have much greater leeway with DHEA than women , however, it too can be highly problematic. It could actually increase the risk of prostate cancer if one is not careful. DHEA can easily be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can cause male pattern baldness and increase the risk of prostate cancer.
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Hormone Replacement Therapy When Is It Necessary?
Your Waist Size is a Powerful Tool to Predicting Diabetes
Metabolic Syndrome: An Epidemic Among Overweight Non-exercisers
Nearly 2 Billion are Overweight or Obese
Obesity and Diabetes in US Continues to Climb