By Erin Chamerlik –
Is DHEA the Fountain of Youth?
Aside from eating a whole food diet and drinking pure water, in my mind there are two substances that fall into the category: Fountain of Youth.
They are Vitamin D and bioidentical DHEA.
Vitamin D is associated with bone strength, improved mood, physical performance, even reduced rates of certain cancers. Many diseases of aging are associated with low vitamin D status including Alzheimer disease, osteoarthritis and hypertension. I will dive more into Vitamin D in a future article.
DHEA stands for Dehydroepiandrosterone – the medical world is rife with acronyms, now we know why.
Funny thing is both Vitamin D and DHEA are made from cholesterol. In this country we are accelerating the aging process by dosing everybody with cholesterol-lowering medications called statins. DHEA is made from cholesterol by the adrenal glands and is a building block for 50 other hormones including the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone.
Here are some quick facts about DHEA:
Estrogen has skin benefits, which is nice for anti-aging because it increases moisture and increases collagen. When collagen is increased not only does the skin look more youthful but there are the benefits to joints and even blood vessels. DHEA studies show that skin pigmentation and sebum production improves (oily/waxy substance in the skin that lubricates the skin).
Benefits of DHEA:
If you are over 35, your DHEA levels have been dropping.
The best anti-aging plan is a comprehensive approach that involves nutrition, supplementation, exercise, stress reduction and sleep.
Nutrition is foundational to any wellness plan and anti-aging plan. One way to get more wrinkles and have less energy is to eat the Standard American Diet (SAD) loaded with processed and refined foods. Eating a low-fat diet damages hormones and is unhealthy for your cells and brain too.
Anti-aging nutrition:
The product I recommend is a bioidentical cream called Twist 25. DHEA is applied to the skin where it is used by the body as a building block for 50 other hormones. Your body decides what it needs. The ingredients are pure. Besides DHEA, the cream contains coconut oil which is a precious gift from heaven. It also has Vitamin C, E, CoQ10, and Omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty acids.
Dr. Brownstein, MD summed it up well, “Of all the bioidentical hormones I have used in my practice, the one that gives the biggest bang for the buck is DHEA. It is inexpensive and has proven to be an effective treatment for a wide variety of conditions. If I only had one adrenal hormone to use, it would be DHEA.”
Erin Chamerlik, The Real Food Revivalist, is a regular Health & Fitness contributor for LivingBetterat50+. Erin offers e-courses for uncovering food sensitivities and improving candidiasis. Nutrition and wellness consultations are available through local and long distance coaching. Please visit Erin’s website at www.GetBetterWellness.com for more information or to receive her free newsletter.