The Impact of Stress on DHEA Production and Health

Stress is an unavoidable part of life. In humanity’s distant past, the body’s reaction to stress played an important role in man’s survival. As a response to stress, the body releases the hormone cortisol, a corticosteroid, to prepare the body for"fight or flight". Cortisol acts to increase blood pressure and the amount of sugars in the bloodstream. It also suppresses DHEA and the body’s immune system. This leaves the body susceptible to illness and, if DHEA levels remain low, can impact longevity.

In the fast paced work-a-day world that we live in, our hectic schedules and obligations seem to just pile on layer upon layer of stress. The same busy schedules that can create so much stress also leave little time to deal with that stress in a healthy way. For this reason, many people internalize their stress.

Of course, burying stress is not the same as alleviating it. It only allows the stress to accumulate just below the surface where it subtly wears down our internal organ and wreaks havoc with our bodily functions. As that stress builds up, so does the amount of cortisol in the bloodstream. At the same time, the body’s production of DHEA continues to dwindle.

DHEA production already decreases, naturally, as we get older. When heightened levels of cortisol further inhibit DHEA we set ourselves up for physical and mental disaster. We begin to lose our ability to cope with stress, our short-term memory can begin to falter and our health starts to wane. It doesn’t have to be this way.

For those who are suffering the ill-effects of insufficient DHEA, supplementation may be the answer. Boosting the body’s diminished supply of DHEA can help an individual more effectively combat chronic mental and physical stress. Natural DHEA supplementation counters the negative effects of having too many corticosteroids and bringing the body back into balance. The body regains its ability to fight off sickness and the mind regains its ability.

DHEA is available over the counter. However, it is always a good idea to check with a hormone replacement specialist before beginning the use of a DHEA supplement. Your physician can assess your body’s current DHEA production and ensure that you aren’t taking a hormone that you don’t need and which could might be more detrimental than beneficial. If you will benefit from bioidentical hormone replacement, your doctor can make sure that you are getting exactly what you need.

Material provided is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent disease and has not been evaluated by the FDA.

REVITA Anti-Aging recommends you consult a specially trained Age Management or Anti-Aging Physician before starting bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Bioidentical hormones should only be taken when clinical deficiencies are found by a trained physician via lab testing. REVITA Medical, PC physicians perform evaluations and specialized testing to qualify patients for treatment.