** help! **

[Bollard]

Doctor has me on DHEA lozenges because he thought my DHEA sulphate level was a bit low,

I'm currently taking 25mg/day which is not a lot, but i have noticed a difference in my energy levels.

I read that DHEA doesn't work so well in males and alot of the DHEA gets converted to Estrogen.

I was thinking about taking an aromatase inhibitor to prevent that?

Might start taking 50mg/day and also thinking about taking some more supplements,

What are your thoughts?

[FranciscoG]

If I recall correctly DHEA causes production of estrogen, it does not cause test to convert to estrogen.

An AI would be useless... You need a SERM like Nolv...

[Bollard]

DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) gets synthesized into either Androstenedione or Androstenediol.

Androstenedione can get aromatised into estrogen

Androstenediol gets synthesized into Testosterone, which can then be aromatised into estrogen.

If i can block aromatase, then most of the DHEA should end up as testosterone shouldn't it?

Check out this pic...

[FranciscoG]

This is the colesterol chart, or more commonly known as Comprehensive overview of Steroidogenesis, showing dehydroepiandrosterone at left among the androgens and cortisol on the top left.
Let me see If I can find the DHEA chart.

Cholesterol is converted to pregnenolone by the enzyme P450 scc (side chain cleavage); then another enzyme, CYP17A1, converts pregnenolone to 17α-Hydroxypregnenolone and then to DHEA. So DHEA is not the start point.

[FranciscoG]

I know it does result in the production of testosterone but I am not sure at that dosage an aromatase reaction is common. It would be a good idea to keep a serm or an AI on hand regardless.

[FranciscoG]

Fertil Steril. 2004 Mar;81(3):595-604. Links
Pharmacokinetics of dehydroepiandrosterone and its metabolites after long-term daily oral administration to healthy young men.Acacio BD, Stanczyk FZ, Mullin P, Saadat P, Jafarian N, Sokol RZ.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on the pharmacokinetics of DHEA and its metabolites and the reproductive axis of healthy young men. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pharmacokinetic study. SETTING: General Clinical Research Center and laboratories at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California. PATIENT(S): Fourteen healthy men, ages 18-42 years. INTERVENTION(S): Daily oral administration of placebo (n = 5), 50 mg DHEA (n = 4), or 200 mg DHEA (n = 5) for 6 months. Blood samples were collected at frequent intervals on day 1 and at months 3 and 6 of treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Quantification of DHEA, DHEA sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione, T, E(2), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and 5alpha-androstane-3alpha-17beta-diol glucuronide (ADG). Physical examination, semen analysis, serum LH, FSH, prostate-specific antigen, and general chemistries were carried out. RESULT(S): Baseline DHEA, DHEAS, and ADG levels increased significantly from day 1 to months 3 and 6 in the DHEA treatment groups but not in the placebo group. No significant changes were observed in pharmacokinetic values. Clinical parameters were not affected. CONCLUSION(S): DHEA, DHEAS, and ADG increased significantly during 6 months of daily DHEA supplementation. Although the pharmacokinetics of DHEA and its metabolites are not altered, sustained baseline elevation of ADG, a distal DHT metabolite, raises concerns about the potential negative impact of DHEA supplementation on the prostate gland.

[Bollard]

Thanks for making the effort I appreciate it,

I thought that if I was taking DHEA, and assuming my enzyme levels are normal, at some stage the DHEA has to end up as androstenedione or androstenediol?

Which means some of the androstenedione is either gonna get aromatised to estrogen, or synthesized into testosterone and then probably aromatised into estrogen again, or DHT

I'm basing most of this on some articles and this graph, am I wrong?

[FranciscoG]

No you are not completly wrong. Aromatise comes into play when your levels of androgens are too high. So with enough DHEA or testosterone you are going to see that reaction. You have to keep in mind it is highly unlikly to see aromatise at such a low dosage, imo.

[408gt91]

I really wouldnt worry about 25 mgs of dhea, I do 100mgs a day in the summer. keeps the fat off my stomach.lol

[Bollard]

what sort of DHEA are you taking?

Mine is a pharmaceutical grade lozenge, i take it between my gum and cheek so it enters the blood stream direct without bypassing the liver first.

its about $80 for 30 x 50mg lozenges which i cut in half

i have seen some other dhea on the net, but i read that some of it is crap etc..

[408gt91]

I take 100mgs of the straight dhea. Its pretty cheap stuff but it works. Alot of people underrate it but if you take enough it can work wonders, but too much can convert to estrogen. I wouldnt take more then 100mgs a day without an estrogen supressor. 25mgs a day you might feel a little better and have a little more energy but thats probably all youre gonna get. I really wouldnt worry about it.