Hormones are messenger molecules that influence the function of cells and tissues all over the body. DHEA and cortisol are the body’s long-acting stress hormones and are antagonistic to each other to some degree. Whereas DHEA has an anabolic or building influence, cortisol has a catabolic or tearing down effect on the body. Both of these effects are essential and these two hormones must be in proper balance for optimal health. How do these hormones become imbalanced? By stress maladaptation.
Stress maladaptation is the body’s inappropriate response to prolonged stress. The normal reaction of the body to stress is to produce greater quantities of both cortisol and DHEA. When the stress is gone, the body reduces its output of cortisol and DHEA to resting levels and everything is fine. This is what happens with short episodes of stress. However, when the stress is prolonged, the body prefers to make increasingly greater amounts of cortisol and less DHEA. How long does it take for this to occur? One study showed that after just 28 days of continuous stress, cortisol levels had climbed to 240 percent of starting values and DHEA had dropped to 15 percent of initial levels! What’s even worse is that even after the stress is removed, the body sometimes does not recover and bring these hormones back to normal levels, but instead, remains in the stress response mode with high cortisol and low DHEA output.
The consequences of elevated cortisol and reduced DHEA levels are devastating: The immune system is compromised with increased risk to infections, certain cancers, allergies and autoimmune diseases. Glucose utilization and insulin function are altered with resultant higher blood sugar levels. Salt and water are retained, producing tendency toward high blood pressure. Blood cholesterol and triglycerides increase and predispose to heart disease. Thyroid function becomes impaired, resulting in decreased metabolism, lowered body temperature, and reduced vitality. The body stores fat, especially around the midsection. Depression, insomnia, hunger, and PMS result. Reproductive function falters with resultant infertility and cessation of the menstrual cycle. The body becomes more susceptible to toxins and heavy metals. Stomach ulcers form. Memory and learning become impaired. The combination of reduced R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) sleep and lowered growth hormone release at night diminish mental and physical regeneration, which results in acceleration of the aging process. Protein synthesis is reduced and protein breakdown is increased, leading to bone loss, skin wrinkles, arthritis, muscle loss and weakness, and all the protein supplements in the world won’t make a difference. However, resistive exercise (like bodybuilding) can maintain muscle mass under these conditions by “stealing” protein from the internal organs. Obviously, this is not healthy. An additional strike against endurance athletes is the fact that insulin-sensitive, slow oxidative type 1 muscle fibers become replaced by fast glycolytic type II-B muscle fibers, resulting in poor performance. Not all of these effects of high cortisol and low DHEA occur in everyone. What does happen in each individual is dependent upon genetic predisposition and lifestyle/environmental factors.
When DHEA levels are low, supplements should be taken for several months. When another saliva test has shown that DHEA is back in normal range, the supplements are gradually tapered off and followed by another test about a week after stopping supplementation. This is done to assure that the body has recovered and is again making DHEA on its own.
For those who are not concerned with health but take DHEA for reasons other than restoring levels to normal, beware of excessive and/or prolonged use causing or contributing to: nausea, headaches, acne, liver tumors, atherosclerosis, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, breast cancer, male breast growth, uterine fibroids and polyps, endometriosis, cystic breasts and ovaries, male pattern hair growth in women, spotting, and breast tenderness. The adrenal glands may atrophy and some people on thyroid replacement therapy will become hyperthyroid as the DHEA makes the medication more active.
