To maintain optimal health and well-being, humans need adequate levels of dehydroepiandrosterone, known as DHEA. DHEA is the most abundant naturally occurring pro-hormone in the human body. DHEA levels gradually increase from birth to about age 25, when we are in our “reproductive prime” as humans. But after twenty-five, DHEA levels begin to decrease by about 2% per year. As an important prohormone, or building block for hormones, DHEA plays a crucial role in many body functions. Therefore, as levels of DHEA decline, people notice they have trouble sleeping, lack energy or focus during the day, gain weight more easily, lose muscle tone and sharpness of mind. Low levels of DHEA are associated with “diseases of aging”, such as greater risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression and insomnia, to name but a few.
Cortisol increases while DHEA decreases as we get older
Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. Cortisol is produced in response to stressful situations. It is the “fight or flight” hormone released to protect the body with an inflammatory response. The problem with this inflammatory response is that, over time too much cortisol on a chronic basis has many detrimental effects. Since we gradually make less and less DHEA after age 25. On the otherhand, we gradually make more and more cortisol as we get older. Humans are at their healthiest, feel best and are at lowest risk of disease – cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and cancer when the DHEA to cortisol is at a ratio of ten to one (10:1) according to Dr. John R. Woodward, M.D.
DHEA and Cortisol
DHEA is the only thing in the body that counterbalances the negative effects of cortisol. There is a great article about “Adrenal Exhaustion” by Dr. Christiane Northrup, MD, describing the all common usual life scenario of high cortisol with low DHEA so common adults. Given the gradual declines in DHEA and the gradual increases in cortisol as we age, using DHEA cream daily make sense.
Do you wake up feeling groggy and have difficulty getting going? Do you crave sweet snacks in the middle of the afternoon? Is your thinking foggy? Are you forgetful? Do you get recurrent colds, headaches or feel depressed? At night, though you’re tired, do you have trouble falling asleep? Do you wonder what happened to your interest in sex? If this description fits you, you probably have a high cortisol and a low DHEA. What Dr. Northrup describes in her work as “adrenal exhaustion” So you should try using a pharmaceutical gradebioidentical DHEA cream called Twist 25 every morning and evening for at least a few weeks. It is available without a prescription; and can do great good safely. You feel the benefits.








