Description:
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) (along with its sulfated metabolite, DHEA-S) is the most abundant naturally occuring steroid in human blood.

It is produced in the adrenal cortex and can also be independently synthesized in the brain. Among the biological effects of DHEA are changes in the immune system, inflammation, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, anticarcinogenic effects, neuro protection, and antioxidant effects.

DHEA levels significantly decline with age, and this decline has been correlated to varying degrees with many of the complications associated with aging, such as cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol levels, insulin resistance and diabetes, obesity, and neuro degeneration.

In humans, DHEA has been reported to reduce body fat, alleviate angina, and reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, and it has also been used to treat cancer, multiple sclerosis, coronary artery disease, lupus, Alzheimers, HIV/AIDS, depression, PMS symptoms, and osteoporosis. It has antiproliferative effects on some human cancer cell lines.

In animals, DHEA has been reported to decrease body fat and have beneficial effects in rodent models of diabetes, lupus, anemia, atherosclerosis, and breast, colon, lung, and skin cancer. It also improves memory performance and has immuno stimulating and antiglucocorticoid properties.

For these reasons, DHEA has been termed fountain of youth.