Function
Dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA, is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It is the most abundant hormone of the steroid group in the bloodstream, used as starting material by the body to make the sex hormones testosterone, estrogen and progesterone, but also for the production of corticosteroids.
Sources
DHEA is not a natural supplement, but a synthetic preparation from soy beans; it is not a nutrient, but a hormone. Little is obtained from food; most of it is manufactured by the body. Its production peaks around the age of 20-25, and falls to 10-20 percent of that by age 75, probably caused by a crucial reduction of an enzyme necessary for its synthesis.
Uses
DHEA has a large number of applications. It strengthens the immune system and the body's resistance to infections; it lowers blood cholesterol and improves liver function; it stabilizes blood sugar levels and helps prevent the onset of adult diabetes; it helps fat loss while at the same time increasing muscle mass; it helps to control lupus, Alzheimer's disease, and the Epstein-Barr and chronic fatigue syndromes; it cures herpes, depression, some memory problems, and learning difficulties. It seems to also help delay the effects of aging.