DHEA helped me

by Denise
(Salem, Oregon)

I asked my doctor for help and to test my hormones. She said, "You are obviously perimenopause!" Well I was going out of my mind, mood swings, bouts of rage, emotional crying, depression, lack of sleep, hot flashes. No positive thinking ALL NEGATIVE, could not focus or be happy!! Took 25 mg of DHEA the first day started feeling better with a couple hours! AND had energy & focus for the day!! THANK GOD I FEEL HUMAN AGAIN!!

See, some doctors think they know it all. BY THE WAY, DHEA has less/minor side affects then the other chemically manufactured pills doctor has tried to give me in past!! Side affects of Xanax, Paxil, Prozac JUST ABOUT KILLED ME!!!!!!!!!

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Denise,

The reason DHEA works for symptoms of perimenopause is because it is converted to estrogen in without the need for ovarian function. This helps alleviate the mood swings, hot flashes, etc. Estrogen and progesterone are a potent stimulators of the limbic system (part of the brain involved with emotion). The reason it works so quickly is because DHEA does not involve fluctuations in receptor characteristics, as do paxil, prozac and xanax.

Paxil, prozac and xanax are selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). They act in a completely different manner than DHEA. In short, depression is thought to be a result of a deficient amount of seratonin in the brain milieu. The purpose of the SSRI is the block the removalof seratonin from the nerve synapse. The end result is an increase in seratonin involved in neurotransmission. SSRIs have been proven to be safe medications and effective in alleviating symptoms of both anxiety and depression.

The cause of depression in perimenopause is a sudden decrease in the estrogen/progesterone ratio and not due to changes in seratonin.

SSRIs require at least a few weeks of continuous treatment (daily) before results can be seen. This is because the body requires time to regenerate blocked receptors to adapt to the changing environment of neurotransmitters. Because the drug takes longer to work does not, in any way, indicate potency or efficacy of the drug. It has long been known to require sufficient time to act. The reason DHEA works quickly for perimenopausal mood shifts is due to the direct, potent effects of estrogen on the limbic system.

The side effects of SSRIs are rare and minimal. The most common is an upset stomach and sometimes sexual dysfunction, but these generally return to normal after prolonged treatment.

Yes, SSRIs do have many anecdotal side effects. The problem is that a lot of them may or may not be directly due to the drug. The reason all these side effects are placed on the label is to protect the drug company from any litigation and loss of revenue. For the purposes of this site and, actually, a working physician is that SSRIs cause GI upset, sexual dysfunction (such as impotence) and, sometimes SIADH and, very rarely, seratonin syndrome.

DHEA has not been used in the mainstream for treatment of perimenopausal symptoms and therefore side effects are less-well documented. This explains the lower incidence of reported side effects.

In short, there are solid medical reasons to take DHEA and other hormonal replacements. One of these reasons is for perimenopausal mood swings.

However, taking the drug for the purposes of a strength training program is extremely risky.

~Ryan