DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) is a hormone that is produced in the adrenal cortex. It is a precursor to the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. Like most other hormones in the body, the levels of DHEA diminish with age, beginning the decline at around age 30.

DHEA is only produced in primates and there seems to be no obvious feedback system, so that no serious side effects have been seen with huge doses. DHEA is easily obtained in the U.S. over the counter at many stores but is only available in western Canada, from Kripp's Drugstore legally, with a prescription with special authority from Ottawa. Commercially, DHEA comes from diosgenin, a common sterol from wild yams.

Generally as cortisol levels rise, DHEA levels fall, which explains the role of stress in reducing levels of this hormone. DHEA levels are highest in the morning and it is weakly bound to the protein, albumin. The metabolite, DHEA-sulfate is cleared slowly and this is what we measure with saliva or blood tests.

There may be receptors for DHEA in our brain and body and DHEA seems to interact with brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin (which is affected by Prozac), but these receptors have yet to be identified.

Given that the decline of DHEA levels is accompanied by a number of diseases and conditions that also tend to accompany aging, these lowering levels of DHEA have been regarded as a possible causative agent of 190 them, or at least to being involved in their occurrence.

For example, low levels of DHEA tend to be found in cases of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and immune deficiency. This suggests to some, that by raising the levels of DHEA, we might deter some of these diseases or conditions, or at the least, postpone their arrival to a point later in our lives.