by Doctor Claude Chauchard
Maintaining the physical and intellectual zeal of one’s youth must surely be every man and woman’s dream. Human beings have never tired of searching for that mythical Fountain of Eternal Youth, but all in vain…
DHEA is not a “miracle” pill. I prefer to describe it as a “multi-functional” pill.
A person’s youthfulness comes from within, thanks to the presence of a hormone which I would describe as “multi-functional”: the much talked-about DHEA, the ultimate anti-stress and anti-aging hormone.
Its scientific name is dehydroepiandrosterone and it has come into the spotlight in recent years, particularly because of the work done by Professor Emile-Etienne Beaulieu, who published the results of his study “DHEâge” in April 2000.
This study, which was carried out on 280 volunteers aged over 60, showed the positive effect that DHEA has on a person’s bones, skin, brain, mood, heart and sexuality, which is why I call it a “multi-functional” hormone. Furthermore, these effects were more marked in women than in men.
A miracle pill?
DHEA is not, therefore, a “miracle pill” but a hormone produced naturally by the human body. In fact, it is the hormone most secreted by the human body.
More precisely, it is a pro-hormone, as it is involved in the manufacture of many other hormones, known as steroid hormones: oestrogen, androstenedione, testosterone and corticosterone. It is produced mainly in the morning, and principally by the adrenal glands located at the top of the kidneys, in both men and women, and also in low qualities by the ovaries and testicles until the age of around fifty. DHEA production decreases with age: at age sixty, a person only has 10 to 20% of the levels of DHEA that they had aged 20! This is why it is often called the “youth hormone”.
Beneficial effects
DHEA has a positive effect on our mood. Numerous studies prove that DHEA increases a person’s energy levels and sense of wellbeing, particularly in menopausal women and older people suffering from depression. It is therefore a well-known antidepressant. It protects the heart by encouraging the production of “good cholesterol” or HDL. The more DHEA you have in your blood, the higher your levels of “good cholesterol” and the lower your levels of “bad cholesterol” (or LDL). A recent study shows that taking a supplement of 100 mcg of natural DHEA per decilitre halves your risk of heart disease. It stimulates the immune system and quickly restores, in just a few days, several immune functions, such as the level of B and T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Last, but by no means least, DHEA has a positive effect on a person’s sexuality. A study carried out in Vienna in 2001 showed that men suffering from non-organic erectile dysfunction saw a marked improvement after three months of treatment. In women too, DHEA supplementation had a positive effect on their libido and sexual performance.
My advice
If I could give one piece of advice to people who feel that their physical, intellectual and sexual faculties are decreasing with age, it would be this: before you try anything else, get a prescription for DHEA.
In the absence of contraindications, this “multi-functional” hormone will enable you to stay fitter for longer. But be careful: do not forget that this is a powerful hormone. It must be prescribed by a doctor specialising in anti-aging, who will begin by measuring how much DHEA sulphate is in your blood before adapting the dosage to suit your requirements. It is important to note that, in France, DHEA has still not obtained full market approval, but the heath authorities have permitted it to go on sale.
You can therefore buy it in pharmacies, in compound form. But avoid buying DHEA online as the content and dosage are not reliable. Hormones are not to be toyed with!
FOR MORE INFO
“La bouche ou la vie” by Dr Claude Chauchard, Editions Michel Lafon
