As many of you reading this are likely aware, DHEA is a major steroid hormone in humans that also helps produce other important sex hormones, including testosterone and estrogen. It also antagonizes the actions of cortisol -- the major “stress hormone” in the body.
In case you weren’t aware, both cortisol and DHEA are steroid hormones, and both are synthesized from pregnenolone, the “master” steroid hormone, which itself is derived from cholesterol.
Now, cortisol is a bit of a dual-edged sword. In short bursts, it can be helpful (and even necessary). For instance, elevations in cortisol help mobilize energy to fuel skeletal muscle tissue during stressful situations (such as during a heavy workout, or in the rare event you’re being chased by a tiger).
Cortisol becomes troublesome when it remains elevated for prolonged periods of time.
Chronically elevated cortisol levels lead to disruptions in sleep, cognitive function, immune function, energy metabolism, and body fat distribution.[4,5]
It can also impact your hunger and satiety cues, making you feel hungrier throughout the day and less satisfied following a meal.[6]
And, to top it off, chronic stress can also lead to muscle breakdown![7]
Since DHEA helps modulate cortisol’s negative effects, it stands to reason that keeping the two hormones in balance would be a good thing.
Unfortunately, as the way most things go in life, DHEA levels peak in early adulthood and begin a slow, steady decline as we age, with some estimates indicating that levels of the important hormone decline over 80% by age 70.
(Note: Based on this, DHEA is considered by many in the scientific community to be a good biomarker for aging.[1])
While DHEA concentrations decline with age, the same can’t be said for cortisol. After all, stress is a part of everyday life, whether we want it or not.
Symptoms associated with low DHEA levels include:
● Fatigue
● Feelings of depression
● Decreased immune system function
● Decreased sexual desire (in both men and women)
● Decreased exercise tolerance
● Loss of lean muscle
● Dry skin and eyes
As the imbalance between DHEA and cortisol increases, the negative effects of chronic cortisol compound leading to greater irritability, lethargy, irritation, muscle loss, and fat gain.
Given the importance that DHEA serves in the body, and the fact that its production declines with aging, DHEA supplements have become incredibly popular.
The issue with DHEA is that it has poor oral bioavailability.[1] Furthermore, DHEA is rapidly metabolized into sex hormones, which research has found lead to side effects rather than the desired benefits.[8,9] Beta-Androstenetriol, however, is a biologically active metabolite of DHEA that supports cortisol modulation, promotes fat loss, helps preserve lean muscle tissue and supports a healthy inflammatory response. Research notes that Beta-Androstenetriol may regulate host immune response, prevent immune suppression, modulate inflammation, and improve resistance following serious infections.[1,2,10,11] Furthermore, Beta-Androstenetriol’s ability to counteract cortisol, makes it an ideal option for individuals seeking to help reduce stress, support a healthy mood, and eliminate “stubborn” body fat.
When combined with a proper diet and exercise regimen, Cut & DryTM may help offset the negative effects cortisol can have on your mood, motivation, and physique, leading to harder, tighter, and drier look.
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References
1. Malik AK, Khaldoyanidi S, Auci DL, Miller SC, Ahlem CN, Reading CL, et al. (2010) 5-
Androstene-3β,7β,17β-triol (β-AET) Slows Thermal Injury Induced Osteopenia in Mice: Relation to Aging and Osteoporosis. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13566. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0013566 2. Loria, R. M. (1997). Antiglucocorticoid function of androstenetriol.
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 22 Suppl 1, S103-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0306- 4530(97)00005-x 3. Labrie, F., Belanger, A., Labrie, C., Candas, B., Cusan, L., & Gomez, J. L. (2007).
Bioavailability and metabolism of oral and percutaneous dehydroepiandrosterone in postmenopausal women. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 107(1–2), 57–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2007.02.007 4. Ouanes, S., & Popp, J. (2019). High Cortisol and the Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review of the Literature . Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience . Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00043 5. Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A. The impact of stress on
body function: A review. EXCLI J. 2017;16:1057–1072. Published 2017 Jul 21. doi:10.17179/excli2017-480 6. Yousufzai MIUA, Harmatz ES, Shah M, Malik MO, Goosens KA. Ghrelin is a persistent
biomarker for chronic stress exposure in adolescent rats and humans. Transl Psychiatry. 2018;8(1):74. Published 2018 Apr 11. doi:10.1038/s41398-018-0135-5 7. Stefanaki, C., Pervanidou, P., Boschiero, D. et al. Chronic stress and body composition
disorders: implications for health and disease. Hormones 17, 33–43 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-018-0023-7 8. Labrie F, Luu-The V, Belanger A, Lin SX, Simard J, et al. (2005) Is
dehydroepiandrosterone a hormone? J Endocrinol 187: 169–196. 9. Takayanagi R, Goto K, Suzuki S, Tanaka S, Shimoda S, et al. (2002)
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as a possible source for estrogen formation in bone cells: correlation between bone mineral density and serum DHEA-sulfate concentration in postmenopausal women, and the presence of aromatase to be enhanced by 1,25- dihydroxyvitamin D3 in human osteoblasts. Mech Ageing Dev 123: 1107–1114.
10. Auci, D.L., Ahlem, C.N., Kennedy, M.R., Page, T.M., Reading, C.L. and Frincke, J.M.
(2011), A Potential Role for 5‐Androstene‐3β,7β,17β‐triol in Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome. Obesity, 19: 806-811. doi:10.1038/oby.2010.204 11. Marcu AC, Paccione KE, Barbee RW, et al. Androstenetriol Immunomodulation
Improves Survival in a Severe Trauma Hemorrhage Shock Model. The Journal of Trauma 2007;63(3):662-9.