Posted by Pfinstegg on April 8, 2003, at 9:54:35
In reply to Re: Cortisol and DHEA Balance, posted by Larry Hoover on April 8, 2003, at 7:19:38
Hi Larry... I think some people worry that if they take extra DHEA, they may raise their estrogen or testosterone levels over time, and be more at risk for breast or prostate cancer. (Relationship of serum dehydrepiantrosterone (DHEA) sufate, and 5-androstene, 3 beta, 17 beta-diol to risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 1997 Mar; 6(3):177-81) Although maybe somewhat less effective, 7-keto DHEA may help balance the DHEA-cortisol ratio, also, and it isn't supposed to be able to turn into either of those hormones in the body. (Preclinical Toxicology Evauation of 3-Acetyl-7-Oxo-Dehydoepiandrosterone, presented at Experimental Biology 98, April 19-22. San Francisco, CA by Humanetics Corp.)
But I must say that DHEA is interesting, with or without the 7-Keto. I found one study in which it was shown to prevent the uptake of cortisol into brain cells (Neurosteroid 7-hydroxylation products in the brain Int Rev Neurobiol 2001; 46:79-95), another which showed protection of the hippocampus from glutamate (Dehydroxyepiandrosterone protects Hippocampal Neurons against Excitatory Amino Acid-induced Neurtoxicity Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1998 Feb 17;95(4):1852-7), and another which showed an increase in serum T3 without any change in TSH or T4 (A Randomized, DoubleBlind, Placebo-controlled Study of 3-acetyl-7-oxo-dehydroxyepiandrosterone in Healthy Overweight Adults, Humanetics Corp. The ones done by the Humanetics Corporation should of course be taken with a grain of salt, since they are the manufacturers. Still, that could be three neuroprotective actions!
I take the 7-Keto form about twice a week, but would really like to see more studies on its safety before I take it more frequently.
Pfinstegg
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thread:215282
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030407/msgs/217382.html