DHEA through the roof

[Supermansings]

Hi guys. Started on trt about a year ago, and initially felt amazing. I have felt worse since January. And over the last couple of months have had anxiety levels that are sometimes unbearable. I have been blaming it on estrogen levels, which were initially dragged too low by Arimidex.

I just had lab drawn , and my testosterone levels are 635, free t 138 E2 35 and SHBG 27. TSH normal and random cortisol 14. However my DHEA-S levels were 1338!! Range 95-530. My HRT doctor had me on DHEA supplementation at 100 mg per day. Is this why I feel like such dirty dogshit?? Feels like I'm having adrenalin dumps throughout the day causing near panic. I've always been high-strung, but this is a different beast than I have ever experienced.

 

[Vince Carter]

DHEA @ 100mg is a whopper of dose, you should stop that today. At best around here is about 50mg and often much less, 25 or less.

 

[Supermansings]

Yeah. I'm seeing that now. Wonder if that's why I'm so screwed up? I've been ready to bail on HRT. Supposed to have a consult with Defy soon.

 

[ScottM]

I agree with you Vince, I think that the way we think about DHEA will change in the not too distant future, it is quite a potent little compound. I have seen studies that showed when DHEA is taken DHT metabolites increase even though serum DHT remains flat. Right now a lot of the data, efficacy, and dosing is centered around chasing serum levels. As our understanding of tissue levels changes, I foresee the dosing recommendations coming down.

-Scott
Telthera

 

[Vince]

When I had my last Labs, my dhea level was over the high range. At 35 mg daily, I how supplement with 25 mg, in all honesty I don't know if high levels will hurt you besides increasing your E2.

 

[Vince Carter]

Ive been way over like twice the lab range and never felt good, nor bad, but it always seemed that it wasn't to my benefit to keep treating a number on the lab test when all at best DHEA was very neutral for me. Eventually I started asking myself why I was so committed to taking it. So I stopped. In the same way that Anastrozole get's shoveled on to people who may never need it, DHEA is pushed on them, too. And often just like Anastrozole, overdosed.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Hi guys. Started on trt about a year ago, and initially felt amazing. I have felt worse since January. And over the last couple of months have had anxiety levels that are sometimes unbearable. I have been blaming it on estrogen levels, which were initially dragged too low by Arimidex.

I just had lab drawn , and my testosterone levels are 635, free t 138 E2 35 and SHBG 27. TSH normal and random cortisol 14. However my DHEA-S levels were 1338!! Range 95-530. My HRT doctor had me on DHEA supplementation at 100 mg per day. Is this why I feel like such dirty dogshit?? Feels like I'm having adrenalin dumps throughout the day causing near panic. I've always been high-strung, but this is a different beast than I have ever experienced.

I feel like that with even 25mg oral DHEA. I'm curious to see what 5mg sublingual would do as even 12.5mg sublingual is a bit much. But without it, my DHEA-S levels are below the normal limits (56 I believe?). That overstimulated feeling is horrible though, definitely panic inducing.

 

[Dr Justin Saya MD]

As noted by others, 100mg of true DHEA (i.e. not a diluted product marketing as 100mg) is much too high of a dose for most. The vast majority of my patients are on dosages ranging from 10-50mg daily.

 

[Vince]

I've always used Pure brand DHEA, I believe it's an excellent product.
https://www.pureformulas.com/brand/...zen_d4vxZcIwo4X-HpnBmM31MPoZZ7_NbSRoC1Onw_wcB

 

[HealthMan]

I have to agree with Vince. Since empowered stopped compounding DHEA and pregnenolone together i used both Pure Encapsulations and Douglas Labs and lab results where pretty much the same as compounded stuff.
HCG seems to have a boosting effect on my DHEA-S levels. Last time i tested 700 ug/dl taking 25mg of DHEA and pregnenolone.
I am thinking about experimenting with 10mg of each and see where my DHEA-S levels will be (my DHEA-S pre supplementing with DHEA/pregnenolone was on the low 300s so not bad) I also lowered my HCG dosage so that should bring DHEA-S levels down.
What time do you guys take your DHEA? I take mine in the morning on an empty stomach and test 2 hours later. Wondering if the time between taking it and testing will change the results significantly.

 

[Vince]

I've always taken DHEA after a meal, I've never thought of timing. I did try DHEA before bed, for a few weeks but I believe it was causing me to get a bad night of sleep.

 

[captain]

I seem to recall I was informed not to take DHEA on lab day. If your taking it on lab day maybe that's why it's through the roof. I been using Empower DHEA sublingual Troche and can see the veins in my arms are larger for 2-3hrs after taking them. I haven't done labs to check and see what they are doing yet. I was using Nutricology and it wasn't showing much difference in labs.

 

[Vince]

I seem to recall I was informed not to take DHEA on lab day. If your taking it on lab day maybe that's why it's through the roof. I been using Empower DHEA sublingual Troche and can see the veins in my arms are larger for 2-3hrs after taking them. I haven't done labs to check and see what they are doing yet. I was using Nutricology and it wasn't showing much difference in labs.

I always fast at least 12 hours before all labs, so there's no way I could supplement with anything for at least 12 hours plus.