Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a naturally occurring pro-hormone produced by the adrenal glands, gonads and the skin. DHEA, the most abundant pro-hormone in the body, is one of the building blocks of hormones with testosterone, estrogen and about 50 others that drive our energy, mood, muscle tone, fat, quality of sleep, mental sharpness, sex drive and more.

We produce more and more DHEA from birth to adulthood, in our reproductive prime. But after about age 25, males and females make less each year for the rest of our lives; by age 50, people make only half as much.

Men and women notice symptoms from a gradual decline in hormones after about age 35 such as poor sleep, lack of energy, susceptibility to infections, more colds and flu, loss of muscle tone and weight gain. These signs may be accompanied by a loss of focus and mental sharpness, decreased libido, thin papery skin and age spots and wrinkles.

Many women have found DHEA to be effective as a natural remedy to stave off symptoms of menopause, because DHEA, as the mother hormone, or base building block for hormones, allows the body to make more of the androgens and estrogens that begin to decline causing what is called menopause. But this works just the same for men that begin to feel these hormonal declines at about the same age in many of the same ways, which is called andropause.

What’s new information for many, and crucial with regard to using DHEA the right way, is that the skin, or dermis, is the largest organ of the human body, and an organ in which many biological processes occur. It turns out that much DHEA processing actually occurs in the skin. DHEA supplements can be found in pill and cream form, but most DHEA taken orally is eliminated by the liver, and only raises DHEA sulfate levels, rather than free DHEA.

Free DHEA is the base for hormones, not DHEA sulfate; and the body cannot make free DHEA from DHEA sulfate. So to truly get the benefits DHEA can provide, DHEA should be used as a properly made bioidentical DHEA cream. The cream is applied on thin, hairless skin each day to safely support the body’s natural hormone production.

Many sleep issues experienced during menopause are caused by declining hormone levels. A decrease in estrogen production can cause women to experience hot flashes. Subsequent lack of sleep can lead to depression, loss of skin elasticity, loss of cognitive function and weight gain. impaired ability to make decisions and increased risk of health conditions, including high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Dr. John Woodward, M.D., is a board-certified gynecologic endocrinologist practicing at Medical City Dallas. For more information, call 888-489-4782 or visit AboutHormones.org or Twist25.com