DHEA for TRT

[stat1951]

An individual (*) on another hypo board has repeatedly raised the question of "why not use DHEA for TRT"...

I know that this is not a practical approach for truly hypogonadal purposes, but am hoping that someone here can provide:

(A) An in-depth explanation as to why that doesn't work (I know in general but would appreciate a more technical explanation) and

(B) Any links to any research or clinical studies that have shown that notbeing a practical approach for hypogonadal males.


Larry

(*) This individual is a female and apparently uses DHEA in a transdermal cream as part of her HRT and can't seem to understand why it wouldn't also work for males....

QUOTE (of hers): To me, measuring DHEA levels is craziness. If DHEA is converting into other hormones (t or e) there won't be levels of this building
block in the body. I have very little faith in hormone testing in general (a far better marker is how the patient feels) but I think that until a specific unique function of DHEA is identified, measuring levels of DHEA is particularly meaningless. I have yet to see where DHEA differs in any way from testosterone when taken by a man or woman. I'm certainly not suggesting that men on TRT ought to go off their meds and try substituting DHEA, but I wish some research would be done to find out if DHEA could substitute for TRT. And research into what bioavailable dose of DHEA is equivilent to what
bioavailable dose of testosterone. END QUOTE

 

[HeadDoc]

Life Extension Foundation has a thorough review. It has nowhere that I am aware been recommended to use dhea as trt in men. It produces too much estrogen in men for that purpose. This is not to indicate that men do not need estrogen. Dr. Ullis in his book, Super T, suggests a protocol for the use of dhea as trt in postmenapausal women. It should be noted that is a man supplements with dhea, he may experience a brief enhancement in libido which is due to shifts in the estrogen to testosterone ratio. Once this shift is complete, the libido will return to where it left or worse.

 

[jboldman]

not to disagree, the reason that dhea is not recommended for men for trt is that it does not significantly increase testosterone levels. ALthough it "can" increase" estrogen levels slightly, at the doses recommended for hrt, (50mg/day) estrogen levels are not raised very much, at double that dose it has been shown that they can raise estrogen to "high normal". In fact, at recommended doses, the slight raise in estrogen has been noted to be beneficial particularly irt bone mass maintainence.

Women are a different story and dhea can be an effective part of a trt program.

jb

 

[SWALE]

True enough. But I want to keep estrogens well controlled. In fact, I have had guys develop "nipple issues" only after adding in just 25mg of DHEA BID. Same went away once the DHEA was witheld.