Is it really the fountain of youth?
That's how some refer to supplements of the hormone known as
DHEA. And while the promise of a return to youth is a bit of a
stretch, when older people boost their DHEA levels, benefits may
include an increase of energy levels, improved memory, the
reduction of the risk of heart attack and stroke, a strengthened
immune system, and better control of type 2 diabetes symptoms.
I've discussed some of these DHEA benefits in previous e-Alerts
(most recently in "Not Pumping Up" 11/3/04). Now a new study
demonstrates a very practical way that DHEA may help diabetics
and those with pre-diabetic conditions.
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Metabolic message
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Metabolic syndrome (or MSX, for metabolic syndrome X) is a
combination of symptoms that creates a high risk of heart disease
and type 2 diabetes. The core symptoms include:
* Excessive abdominal fat
* Elevated blood pressure (130/85 or higher)
* Low HDL cholesterol level (Less than 50 in women, less than 40
in men)
* Elevated Triglyceride level
* Elevated C-reactive protein level
* Fasting glucose level that indicates insulin resistance/glucose
intolerance
The presence of just three or more of these symptoms is enough to
diagnose MSX.
As reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association,
researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine
examined the effect of DHEA supplementation on two MSX
symptoms: excessive abdominal fat and insulin resistance. The
Washington team recruited 56 subjects with low levels of DHEA
and an average age of 71. The 28 men and 28 women were
randomly assigned either 50 mg per day of DHEA, or a placebo for
a period of six months.
Changes in two types of fat were measured with magnetic
resonance imaging: subcutaneous fat (fat that lies just under the
skin), and visceral fat (fat that accumulates around muscles and
vital organs). Among the men and women who received DHEA,
both types of fat were significantly reduced compared to subjects
taking placebo. The researchers also noted that oral glucose
tolerance tests revealed a considerable improvement in insulin
sensitivity among those receiving DHEA, compared to placebo.
Based on these conclusive results, a larger study that will run a full
year is now underway at Washington University.
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Doctor in the house
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No adverse side effects were reported during the Washington
study. Nevertheless, DHEA is not for everyone. As I've mentioned
in other e-Alerts, supplementary DHEA use should always be
closely monitored by a medical professional. Why? Because the
body can convert DHEA into both estrogen and testosterone, so
doses of DHEA that are too high can lead to unpredictable
imbalances in sex hormone profiles. In some cases, this can
increase the risk of prostate cancer for men, and among women
may lead to a deepened voice, excessive hair growth, and other
androgenic (masculinizing) effects.
Levels of DHEA are measured with a simple saliva test, which can
also be used to monitor the effects of DHEA supplementation on
an ongoing basis. HSI panelist Martin Milner, N.D., recommends
that those who take DHEA should have their salivary hormone
levels checked at least once every six months.
If you and your doctor decide that DHEA is not a good fit for you,
there's one very simple way to address abdominal fat: daily
exercise. Subcutaneous fat and visceral fat can both be reduced by
exercising regularly. A reduced intake of saturated fats may also
help remove visceral fat.
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Taming the wild insulin
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Exercise can help address insulin resistance too, but good dietary
choices provide the real key to stabilizing insulin.
In the e-Alert "X Marks the Spot" (4/15/04), I told you about a
study reported in the journal Diabetes Care. Researchers found that
subjects with a high intake of total dietary fiber, fruit fiber and
whole grains had a lower risk of developing insulin resistance.
Are you thinking: déjà vu? You might be if you saw the e-alert
"Staff of Life" (11/15/04), in which I told you about research that
found white bread to be the food most strongly related to the
development of diabetes, and whole grain products to be associated
with less weight gain.
What goes around the middle, comes around the middle.
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…and another thing
I've been ranting back at my car radio again.
In a report on National Public Radio last week, I heard a
spokesman for the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
state his opinion that supplement manufacturers should be forced
to reveal every incidence of adverse effects reported by consumers.
Would such a plan really serve the public, or would it just increase
bureaucracy without actually making the public any safer? I'll go
with the latter on that one.
I'm allergic to broccoli. I have a terrible reaction whenever I eat
even a little. But when I do, would it make sense for the company
that processed the broccoli to file a report with the FDA? I don't
think so.
And why should food supplements be held to a higher standard
than prescription drugs? Pharmaceutical executives aren't required
to report individual adverse reactions to their products.
CSPI does some good work. For instance, it promotes education
about the dangers of trans fatty acids and antibiotic resistance. But
CSPI advocates are off base about the reporting of all adverse
reactions. They still seem to believe that the public has a childlike
need to be protected from itself by a "parental" FDA.
To Your Good Health,
Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute
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