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Monday, June 16, 2014

DHEA Information: Separating Fact from Fiction

DHEA is a prohormone that is produced by the adrenal glands, ovaries or testes, and the skin. As the most abundant prohormone in the human body, DHEA helps support many body functions. Humans make more and more DHEA from birth through age 25, then levels decrease every year by about 2% per year.  Cortisol levels increase every year as we get older. 

In the presense of DHEA cells tend to replicate well and thrive. In the absence of DHEA, cells die.
DHEA helps the body to build lean shapely muscle, improves REM sleep at night and cognitive function during the day. DHEA improves energy sometimes described as “sense of well-being” or "focus", improves memory, cardiovascular health, and reduces risks of cancer by boosting the immune system.
Perhaps most importantly, DHEA counterbalances the negative inflammatory effects of cortisol. Dehydroepiandrosterone is a prohormone, and as a result, it is a base precursor to testosterone, estrogen, estradiol, and 50 other androgenic and estrogenic hormones, all smaller carbon chain molecules depending upon which carbon chain sequence the body removes.
Unfortunately, there is some misinformation about DHEA that should be cleared up.
Relation To Aging
DHEA is not the “Fountain of Youth:” DHEA will not make you younger.
What science shows us through medical studies is that DHEA has many beneficial functions in the body. We are healthiest and happiest when DHEA levels are at their highest during our "prime" of life (age 20-25), and ever worse as levels decline. Risks of cardiovascular disease, dementia, cancer and diabetes are highest when DHEA levels are low. Conversely, cardiovascular health, mental sharpness, strong immune response, bone strength, deep sleep, sex and mood are all better when DHEA levels are higher.

Can supplementing DHEA levels make us younger? No. But can it reduce the negative effects of time on the body and reduce our risks of illness, many diseaes, and keep us at our best? Yes.
As mentioned above, people make more and more DHEA from birth through puberty into adulthood. Production of DHEA peaks at about age 25, when we are in our reproductive prime as humans. Then after age 25 levels decrease at a rate of about 2% per year thereafter. So by age 35, people are making about 20% less than they did at age 25; and by age 50 people are making only about half as much as when they were feeling and looking their best. 

Is DHEA safe? DHEA has no dangerous side effects. DHEA does not increase risks of cancer. Infact, DHEA reduces risks of cancer of all types and strengthens the immune system. DHEA is the most abundant naturally occurring prohome in the human body.
Losing Weight
Medical research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) shows that “DHEA induced significant decreases in both visceral fat (that’s the kind within the abdomen) and subcutaneous fat (that’s the pad just beneath the skin) in men and women.”*
This is due in part doctors believe because DHEA helps improve insulin sensitivity, so the body functions more efficiently, burning glucose in the bloodstream rather than storing it away as fat. Furthermore,when DHEA levels are right people have more energy and sense of well-being: so they tend to be more active. They get more exercise because they are more active. Energy level and sense of well-being combined with a positive productive mindset allow a more active lifestyle. Also, muscle recovery after workouts is quicker. Lean shapely muscle and soft skin are visible signs of a healthier lifestyle. People like to see results. Quick nice visible results make users more apt to exercise and be active; people with an active lifestyle lose fat and stay healthier noticing the benefits of DHEA more.
Counterbalance the Negative Effects of the Stress Hormone: Cortisol
Cortisol is often called “the stress hormone”. Cortisol is released in the body as a protective inflamatory response. But chronically elevated levels of cortisol driven by chronic stress begin to have negative effects on our health and appearance as we get older. Cortisol produces many negative effects, such as a reduction in energy, feeling tired and bloated, increased body fat and breakdown of muscle.
DHEA is the only thing in the body that counterbalances the adverse effects of cortisol. While DHEA levels gradually decrease as we get older, cortisol levels gradually increase as we get older. For optimum health it is recommended that DHEA to cortisol levels be maintained at a ratio of 10:1
How to use DHEA - Dosage
The skin, or dermis, is the largest organ of the human body; and is where much DHEA processing actually occurs naturally in the body in both men and women. In fact, medical research shows that for post menopausal women more than 80% of hormones are metabolised in the skin. Daily recommended doses of DHEA for people 35 and up range from 25 MG to 150 MG per day depending on age and sex. The older you get, the more you need. Males have higher DHEA levels than women.
DHEA supplements are nothing new; but to actually feel and notice the many potential benefits of DHEA, it must be used correctly. The key is to provide the body DHEA the right way – as a bioidentical cream, so DHEA can be absorbed and processed in the skin rather than the gut.
When DHEA is taken as a pill, most DHEA is destroyed by the liver; and only increases levels of DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) not free DHEA. Free DHEA is what the body processes into the sex hormones. Twist 25 DHEA cream is a pharmaceutical grade bioidentical DHEA cream developed and tested to be safe, effective, and available over the counter, and it is absorbed and processed in the skin, not through the gut where the DHEA would be eliminated by the first pass effect of the liver.
When looking for DHEA cream, remember that all supplements are not created equal. Look for a pharmaceutical grade bio-identical DHEA cream that is tested to ensure safety, quality and strength. Additionally, be sure the DHEA supplement you use is a bio-identical DHEA cream, as this is exactly what your body makes and uses.
If you’re looking for the top quality DHEA cream, it is Twist 25  DHEA cream. Twist 25 has been thoroughly tested to ensure the best quality possible. Add a pump or two of Twist 25 to your routine each day and feel the benefits. You’ll feel the difference within a few weeks.
* Villareal DT, Holloszy JO. Effect of DHEA on abdominal fat and insulin action in elderly women and men. JAMA. 2004 Nov. 10; 292(18):2243-2248. Funding from the National Institutes of Health supported this research.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Using DHEA to Build Lean Muscle

Despite what many supplement companies would like you to believe, there is no “magic pill” out there to make you lose all the fat and gain lean shapely muscle over night. Eating a healthy diet low in processed carbs and high in vegetables and fruits, and exercising regularly are absolutely essential to perfecting your physique. However, the pro-hormone DHEA is a smart choice to help improve energy levels, the development of lean muscle, and faster recovery after workouts.

What is DHEA?

Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is a naturally occurring prohormone produced by your adrenal glands, gonads and skin and is actually the most abundant prohormone in the body. DHEA is base buiding block, “the mother hormone” for smaller more specific carbon chain molecule hormones like estrogen and testosterone. The body makes all sex hormones 50 other hormones from DHEA.
Hormones drive our energy, mood, muscle tone, fat, quality of sleep, mental sharpness, immune system, sex drive, cardiovascular health and more.
People make more and more DHEA from birth through puberty into adulthood until about age 25, when we are “in our reproductive prime” as humans, at our best. Then after age 25, levels decline at a rate of about 2% per year. So by age 35 we are making about 20% less than we did when we were at our best; and by 50 we are making half as much. Other factors, including alcohol and caffeine consumption, and stress, can contribute to decreasing levels of DHEA as well.

Uses for DHEA

Since DHEA is a precursor to testosterone and many other hormones, it is often used as a health supplement to help support testosterone levels; and though it is true that testosterone helps people to build shapely muscle, there are many other important reasons DHEA helps people over 30 to stay in great shape.
In the presence of DHEA, cells grow and build. In the abscense of DHEA cells explode when they die in a process called apoptosis. DHEA has been shown to improve nitric oxide production which is known to play an important role in vascular function and healthy lean muscular development. DHEA also counterbalances the many detrimental effects of cortisol in muscle and fat tissue.

Benefits of DHEA

  • Enhances immune system function
  • Increases energy levels
  • Aids in cell reproduction
  • inhibits cellular aptosis
  • Base for production of sex hormones
  • Helps reduce fat
  • Supports the development of lean muscle mass
  • Speeds muscular recovery
Because DHEA counterbalances many of the harmful inflamatory effects of cortisol, and supports cell growth and vascular health, DHEA greatly reduces your recovery time after workouts so that you can train harder and more frequently. DHEA is also meanwhile supporting your immune system, enhancing mental sharpness, and making skin softer too.

How Much and How Often?

Since DHEA levels decrease dramatically with age, it is most beneficial for people over the age of 35. It is a common favorite among bodybuilders and figure competitors. As with any supplement, different people notice different subtle benefits.
To support the development of lean muscle mass, try integrating a pump or two of Twist 25 DHEA cream into your daily routine.
The most important thing to remember: Is that DHEA must be used as a properly made bioidentical DHEA cream – not as an oral supplement. Oral DHEA supplements are mostly destroyed by the liver before they can do any good, and only increase the level of DHEA sulfate - not free DHEA, free DHEA is what the body uses to make hormones. All DHEA is not the same. Supplement your body’s natural DHEA, using the best DHEA supplement available. DHEA supplements work best in cream form applied directly to the skin, where the body uses it natually anyway. Additionally, make sure the DHEA cream you use is bioidentical, pharmaceutical-grade DHEA.
Workout smarter not harder with DHEA the right way. Do your body a favor in lots of different ways. Use Twist 25 DHEA cream – Make your own hormones.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Enhancing Cognitive Function with DHEA

As we age, our bodies begin to reduce production of several substances associated with youth. One of these is DHEA, an important prohormone secreted mostly by the adrenal glands, gonads and skin. DHEA is the most abundant hormone in the bloodstream, and is the precursor or base building block for most hormones like estrogen and testosterone, and is also important for cardiovascular health, immune response, bone strength and soft skin.

Effects of Low DHEA

As DHEA production decreases at a rate of about 2 percent each year after age 25, many people experience declines in mood, feel overwhelmed or generally lack the vitality they once had. In addition to the gradual decrease of DHEA with age, other things like smoking and a high stress life can lower DHEA levels. An easy at-home DHEA blood test can help you to determine if your DHEA levels are lower than they should be. Low DHEA has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and a number of studies showed a correlation with impaired visuospatial skills, short term memory and verbal fluency.

DHEA and Cognition

Though studies of DHEA's effect on cognition continue, it is clear from the medical research that has already been completed that DHEA has beneficial effects on memory, mood and cognition.

One of DHEA's most important functions when it comes to aging, and brain aging in particular, is to counterbalance cortisol, the body's main stress hormone. Sixty percent of your brain is made up of fat, most of it polyunsaturated fat that is highly prone to damage from free radicals including those formed by high cortisol levels in the body. This damage often leads to inflammation, which is now widely regarded as an underlying cause of many degenerative diseases. DHEA exhibits anti-inflammatory effects that protect against brain cell damage. It has also been shown to help the body reverse impairment from the amyloid plaque deposits commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Many of the same factors that affect heart health also affect the health of your brain. This includes atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaques in blood vessels that causes reduced circulation. Your brain needs plenty of oxygen and glucose to function properly, and anything that reduces blood flow to the brain can result in damage or impairment. DHEA helps protect against plaque buildup, likely because of the same anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that keep your brain healthy.

Supplementing DHEA

When you begin looking for DHEA supplements, you might notice that there are two different kinds of supplements out there: DHEA supplements are available as oral pills and as a cream. Creams are a more effective form of delivery than pills because the DHEA in oral DHEA is mostly eliminated by the liver, and what is not destroyed by the liver ends up only increasing DHEA sulfate in the bloodstream. DHEA sulfate cannot be converted in the body into free DHEA which is what the body uses as a precursor for the sex hormones. DHEA cream allows your body to absorb and metabolize the DHEA where it occurs naturally anyway - in the skin.

As with any healthy lifestyle changes made, for best results get regular exercise, eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, and drink plenty of good clean water. Practicing stress management techniques like meditation or yoga can help to keep cortisol levels in check, and engaging in regular exercise to improve circulation is also an important way to help protect your brain from the effects of aging. Add in a pump or two of Twist 25 DHEA cream to your daily routine and feel the difference.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The Benefits of DHEA for Women

We’ve talked about this before, but for both men and women, the body relies on DHEA to function at its best. For women, DHEA offers a number of benefits that can help them feel better, look better and generally stay healthier from age 35 and up, as they begin to approach menopause, during menopause and after menopause.

From the medical research, it is quite clear that when DHEA is used as a properly made bioidentical cream DHEA may help women with a number of health issues as well as improving mood, mental function and vitality. Meanwhile, it also allows for softer more hydrated skin. Here are some of the main reasons many women use DHEA cream:

Menopause Symptom Relief

In 2006, 28 females were given 50 mg of DHEA for four weeks to test the effects the prohormone had on their menopause symptoms. The Journal of Supportive Cancer Therapy said that those who received treatment experienced notable quality of life improvements including the reduction of hot flashes.

Combating Adrenal Insufficiency

A 2003 report from the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology noted that it is very common that women experience decreases in DHEA and as well as many of the androgens the body makes from it as they get older. Such decreases in DHEA levels can lead to sexual dysfunction, depression, food cravings, muscle weakness, poor sleep and other unpleasant and unwanted health issues.

Adrenal insufficiency, a condition characterized by the adrenal glands making too much cortisol and not enough DHEA, is more and more common these days in our high stress world, especially for women after age 35. There are many great medical studies and articles online about adrenal exhaustion, adrenal fatigue, and adrenal insufficiency. Basically, as we get older cortisol levels gradually increase. DHEA levels gradually decrease. DHEA counterbalances the negative inflamatory effects of cortisol. So using bioidentical DHEA cream applied daily to maintain higher levels of DHEA to counterbalance cortisol makes sense. Since DHEA is a prohormone, the study participants experienced a renewed sense of well-being, better mental sharrpness and regained sexual interest and satisfaction, as well as deeper sleep, increased energy and better mood.

Other Benefits

Other studies have reported that DHEA supports cognitive function, memory, and may help reduce abdominal fat, support the immune system and reduce risks of cardiovascular diseases. Many individuals who suffer from fibromyalgia pain report relief using DHEA cream.

DHEA is converted by the body into estrogens, testosterone and some 50 other hormones. So many people find they just feel better day to day and stave off what can be unpleasant repercussions from declining DHEA levels and increasing cortisol using this daily skin skin called Twist 25. With Twist 25 DHEA cream you can make your own hormones to regain a healthy hormone balance naturally.

When applied on thin hairless skin, DHEA cream helps support a variety of the natural functions in the body. Not feeling as healthy and energetic as you would like ? Try Twist 25 DHEA cream and notice the difference within a few weeks.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Using DHEA to Help Reduce Abdominal Fat

Developing belly fat happens to most people especially as they age, but DHEA may help reduce abdominal fat according the Journal of the American Medical Association. Everyone has a certain percentage of body fat, and this fat comes in two types: subcutaneous and visceral. While subcutaneous fat lies just below your skin, visceral fat is the kind that is inside the abdominal cavity and surrounds the organs.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources suggests that higher amounts of belly fat increase the risk of insulin resistance, heart disease and stroke. It can also lead to certain forms of cancer, dementia and even a premature loss of bone density. Therefore, basically - gaining an extra pant size or two can have a significant impact on your health.

How Do You Gain Belly Fat?

Some causes for extra belly fat include heredity, age and low metabolism. As you age, your metabolism slows down and your body stores more fat than it burns due to reduced insulin sensitivity. Diet and exercise can help reduce belly fat, but the body still stores fat mostly in the abdomen for men and around the hips and thighs of women. Women also tend to develop belly fat quicker than men because of more dramatic changes in hormone levels as they approach menopause and after.

How Do You Get Rid of Belly Fat?

Quick fixes, such as liposuction, remove much of the subcutaneous fat but do not target more harmful visceral fat. Reducing your carbohydrate intake also helps when trying to shed abdominal fat, but no single pill or cream offers a miracle cure. However, DHEA may help men and women lose that stubborn belly fat, according to the results of clinical trials from the Washington University School of Medicine.

How Does DHEA Work?

As you age, your body decreases its production of DHEA, an adrenal prohormone that is the precursor to male and female sex hormones. In a randomized, double-blind study, researchers found that DHEA supplementation decreased subcutaneous and visceral fat up to 10.2 percent in women and 7.4 percent in men. Clinical studies also suggest that DHEA reduces LDL, or bad cholesterol, and overall body fat.

DHEA is even more beneficial when it is used as a bioidentical cream. While DHEA does not provide a miracle cure for losing belly fat, it certainly may help according to the research. Along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, DHEA may improve your fat loss and help you to be more active and healthy.

If you think DHEA might help you look and feel your best, look for a properly made bioidentical DHEA supplement cream instead of a pill. Our bodies process DHEA in the skin, so DHEA cream, like Twist 25, provides DHEA right where your body can use it best. Rub-in a couple of squirts of Twist 25 cream each day onto thin skin and notce the many benefits within a few weeks.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Feel Better While Fighting Fibromyalgia

Receiving a diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be devastating. You feel tired all the time, your muscles hurt, and you struggle to sleep at night. These symptoms can seriously interfere with your daily activities, and, if you’re like most people with fibromyalgia, you are looking for relief. However, this condition can be a challenge for doctors to treat. One substance that many people have turned to for help fighting fibromyalgia is dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA.

Your body creates DHEA naturally in the adrenal glands, gonads and the skin. Your body also makes cortisol, and this stress hormone increases your appetite while toning down the immune system’s inflamatory responses. As we get older, we gradually make more and more cortisol; and less and less DHEA.

Ideally cortisol is only released into the system occasionally, rather than on a chronic basis. But in todays busy world, many people deal with ongoing stress every day, for years at a time. If cortisol levels are too high for too long, they may have undesireable side effects including loss of bone density, muscle wasting, thinning of skin, fluid retention, weight gain, increased vulnerability to bacteria, viruses, and cancer. When cortisol is up, your DHEA levels are down. The two hormones have an inverse relationship in the body. DHEA counterbalances the harmful effects of cortisol. One of the things that DHEA helps the body do is support immune response by increasing both the number of and activity of natural killer cells that destroy foreign cells and thereby help us to resist diseases.

Two of the most difficult symptoms of fibromyalgia are lack of energy and difficulty sleeping. Some people with fibromyalgia have trouble going to sleep, while others can manage to fall asleep but are unable to remain in a deep sleep throughout the night. Some people may have trouble concentrating because of a condition that is called “fibro fog.”

As an important pro-hormone, DHEA has been proven to allow deeper REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. This is the sleep in which you dream – the deep restful sleep that allows you to wake up feeling alive and alert and ready to go. DHEA also helps people regain focus and a sense of well-being.

If you are wary of taking supplements by mouth, you are in luck because DHEA works best as a bioidentical cream, applied on the skin — the dermis, where your body makes and uses it naturally. Twist 25 DHEA cream is bioidentical DHEA with water, coconut oil, vitamin E and Coenzyme Q-10. No other DHEA supplement has been tested like Twist 25 cream. Just apply a pump or two of this cream to your skin each day, and your body will use it to help you sleep better at night, improve your ability to concentrate and generally feel better.

Counterbalance the negative effects of cortisol and make your own hormones. Look your best feel your best with Twist 25.

Friday, April 11, 2014

How to Stop Feeling So Washed Out

Do you keep waiting for a day where you feel energized and ready to go, but it never seems to arrive? Feeling washed out isn't any fun, but it happens to the best of us. One thing's for sure: You shouldn't resign yourself to a life of feeling perpetually under the weather. That tired, achy, worn-out feeling can be traded in for one that's energized, enthusiastic and ready for anything. After visiting the doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions, start implementing the following changes in your life. Before you know it, you'll be the happiest, most energetic possible version of yourself.

Start by Taking Care of Yourself
Without taking care of yourself, you can't hope to overcome that feeling of being washed out all the time. Make sure that the following areas are adequately addressed while you explore other natural remedies:

Exercise - How much exercise do you really get? People often overestimate how active they actually are. To get a more accurate idea, try using an activity-tracking device. Even if you're on the go most of the time, you can probably benefit from devoting about 30 minutes per day to some form of exercise. It doesn't matter if it's just a walk around the block or high-intensity cardio. The point is to get out there and get moving! Endorphins and other feel-good brain chemicals will help strip away that washed-out feeling.

Diet - As overused as the phrase may be, you really are what you eat. Try to avoid overly processed, high-calorie foods as much as possible. Opt instead for fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean meats and other healthy fare. Swap sugary sodas for icy cold water, and consider switching to several small meals per day instead of three larger ones.

Sleep - Like most people, you probably don't get anywhere near enough sleep. Try going to bed an hour earlier to get a little more shuteye. Do it even if it means leaving the dishes unwashed or other chores unfinished. Your mental health is more important than keeping your home immaculate.

Sunshine and Fresh Air - Most of us spend the majority of our time indoors. Nothing can snap you out of a funk quite like being out in the sun, and fresh air helps you feel energized and ready for anything. Whether it's warm or cold out, make a point of getting out into the sun on a regular basis. Even a few five-minute breaks here and there are sure to do a world of good. Sunshine on your skin allows you to make Vitamin D-3. Vitamin D-3 is a provitamin in much the same way DHEA is a pro-hormone; and both are made and processed in the skin.

Replenish Your Body's Stores of DHEA
If you're over the age of 30 or so and feel perpetually washed out and out of it, there's a very good chance that you have insufficient levels of DHEA. Our bodies make less and less DHEA every year after age 25, and without this important prohormone, we’re left feeling washed out, blah…no energy or vitality.

The adrenal prohormone DHEA is often touted as the "youth hormone," and it acts as a building block for more than 50 hormones in the body. As levels of DHEA drop, it reduces the body's ability to produce many hormones, and hormones play a major part in helping us feel healthy and happy. By maintaining and replenishing your body's DHEA level, you may be able to kick that washed-out feeling to the curb once and for all.

At Health2Go, we’re proud to make and sell Twist 25 DHEA cream, the top quality pharmaceutical grade bioidentical DHEA cream that has been tested rigorously for 25 years. Just rub in a squirt or two of Twist 25 cream to thin skin each morning to start improving energy levels, sense of well-being and mood, and say good riddance to that nasty, washed-out feeling for good.