DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone): Amazing benefits but use with caution

Maff — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:23:46 +0100

I used DHEA a few years ago for a period of about 4 months at a dosage of 25mg every morning. I later reduced this to 25mg every other day and then 12.5mg every other day.

After testing borderline low for DHEA on an Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) test I began taking DHEA supplements. To say the initial results were good is a major understatement. I suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, chemical sensitivities, insomnia, and hypoglycemia, amongst other things. After only a week the DHEA seemed to have improved ALL of these problems significantly. I had more energy, felt happier and more relaxed, was experiencing the most refreshing sleep for 10 years, my blood sugar was a lot more stable, and reactions to chemicals were a lot less severe.

Basically, I just felt better. A lot better!

Unfortunately, much to my despair, there were quite serious side-effects. I have poor liver function at the best of times and after a few weeks I began to notice symptoms consistent with hepatitis....abdominal pain, pale stools that are painful to pass, muscle aches, yellowing of the skin etc. I had experienced the same when taking an antibiotic previously so knew the signs. It soon became clear that the DHEA was to blame so I had to drop the dose and then discontinue completely.

I did notice that the many benefits remained on the lower dosages so perhaps I started much too high.

I must add that I already knew my liver was susceptible to problems so if your liver is relatively healthy you will most likely not experience this problem. I personally did not personally note any other side-effects after 4 months such as the sex hormone related effects that are often reported.

From my experience I would say that DHEA could be a VERY helpful treatment for people with similar health concerns to myself but clearly it must be used with caution. Get your DHEA levels tested (and your liver if you have concerns) and start treatment under the care of a knowledgeable doctor. Once on DHEA keep a lookout for any undesirable changes and discuss them with your doctor.

Carnitine: Well worth a try for those suffering from fatigue

Maff — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:46:49 +0100

I've tried both l-carnitine and acetyl-l-carnitine and noticed definite effects from both. Having tried both at a dose of 500mg twice daily I found both gave a strong energy boost. Unfortunately, rather than a smooth boost in energy that would have enabled me to maintain activity throughout the day it all seemed to come in one big lump rather like a stimulant. As a result, at the end of the day I was actually left exhausted and also had trouble sleeping due to the overstimulation. In this respect I found that the acetyl version was stronger, perhaps due to increasing acetylcholine levels.

I should explain that I have experienced this overstimulation from a lot of supplements that others have found very helpful. This is more than likely due to my low DHEA levels which fail to provide a balance to the stimulant effects of various "energy boosting" supplements.

I did find that carnitine supplements were very beneficial for my liver function which would be expected due to their anti-oxidant properties and ability to improve fatty acid metabolism within the liver.

From my experience carnitine is a very powerful supplement that may well benefit those suffering from fatigue related illnesses. I would recommend a trial but suggest starting at low doses and building up to see how you react to it.

Nutrients A-F - The Environmental Illness Resource

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone): Amazing benefits but use with caution

Carnitine: Well worth a try for those suffering from fatigue