DHEA

DHEA is an all-natural supplement comprised of the hormone Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) that can help support healthy hormone production in males and females. The Barter Protocol DHEA works to help regulate the body’s production of key steroids such as androgens, estrogens, and cortisol. In turn, DHEA has many functions in the body, including supporting stress levels, sex drive/libido, healthy oxidative stress, inflammation, and cognitive function.

How DHEA Works :

Steroids are types of hormones that fall into five classes: androgens, estrogens, progestins, mineralocorticoids, and glucocorticoids. All steroids in humans are synthesized via a series of enzymatic modifications of cholesterol and have either anabolic or catabolic properties in the body. Anabolic reactions use energy to build cellular components, while catabolic reactions do the inverse (i.e., breakdown cell components to release energy).

Androgenic steroids are hormones that are typically anabolic and promote masculine characteristics (such as deepening of the voice and enhanced penile function), but they are still crucial in females. Estrogenic hormones are both anabolic and catabolic and promote feminine characteristics, but they are still crucial in males. Since DHEA can be converted to both testosterone (the principal androgen in males), androstenedione (the principal androgen in females), and estrogen, supplementing with it can help support the production of key hormones for proper health and longevity. Moreover, DHEA has been shown to counter the actions of cortisol, which is the primary stress hormone in humans and is highly catabolic (breaks down tissues).*

Given the importance of proper endocrine balance and function, individuals stand to benefit from DHEA in a variety of ways. Below are some of the most pertinent research-backed benefits derived from DHEA: