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Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplements have become widely
available in the past two years. The most common steroid hormone
in humans, DHEA plays several roles in the body, many of which
have only recently become known. One such role is acting as
a precursor for other hormones, like testosterone and estrogens.
This sounds both good and bad for bodybuilders of both genders,
and scientists have focused much attention on whether DHEA can raise testosterone, and thus be an anabolic agent.
If DHEA can raise testosterone, then can
it cause or hasten long-term health problems associated
with higher testosterone levels, like heart disease and
prostate cancer for men? This is an important question,
given the fact that DHEA is taken by millions of people,
including bodybuilders.
Fortunately, enough evidence strongly concludes that more
DHEA won’t lead to more prostate cancer in men and,
in fact, probably leads to less prostate cancer and maybe
less benign prostatic enlargement. How do we know? Johns
Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland), in conjunction
with the National Cancer Institute, has followed 25,000
regular blood donors in Washington County, Maryland, since
1974. A steady supply of blood has been drawn from each
person and is available for testing.
Between 1974 and 1987, 81 prostate cancer cases were diagnosed
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| in this population. Another 81 men were
matched for age and race, and everyone’s DHEA and
DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS) levels in stored serum were analyzed.
DHEAS, the usual form of DHEA found in the bloodstream
is present in about 500 times the amount of plain DHEA
in the blood (although DHEA itself is the more active
form). |
Men with prostate cancer had DHEA and DHEAS levels 11% lower
than their matched controls, a difference that isn’t
statistically significant. Scientists tried all sorts of ways
to tweak the data to see if other information could be found,
but concluded that higher DHEA blood levels didn’t correlate
with an increased rate of prostate cancer.
This isn’t the only study that supports the nonrole
of DHEA in prostate cancer formation. Other researchers have
discovered that white males in North America have higher serum
DHEA levels and less prostate cancer than black males, which
suggests that DHEA might actually be a protective factor against
prostate cancer. Animal studies confirm that large doses of
DHEA can prevent most cancers, including prostate and breast
cancers, that are chemically induced.
Is this good news for bodybuilders who take DHEA supplements?
Well, that would be hard to say at this point. The present
study investigated only naturally occurring levels of DHEA.
What effects you could expect on your prostate health with
supplementation of this hormone are not well understood at
this point. But I wouldn’t advise someone who has prostate
cancer to take DHEA on the off chance that the supplement
might be converted to testosterone and thus speed tumor growth
(most prostate cancers need testosterone to grow).
Even if you’re healthy, your best bet would be to have
your blood levels of DHEA and DHEAS tested to see whether
or not you have a DHEA deficiency before you begin a DHEA supplementation regimen.
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