DHEA feeling awful!

[elizabeth1975]

Hello,

I'm taking DHEA in advance of my third IVF (first two failed) because I've heard it can help with egg quality.  However it isn't approved in the UK therefore I'm working blind on an assumed dosage of 50mg a day.  My UK consultant knows and says it can't do any harm.

However I feel AWFUL.  Anxious, depressed, angry, fearful - and have done ever since I started it.

Other information is I had a total thyroidectomy ten years ago due to thyroid cancer and I'm on 100mg of levothyroxine a day.  My thyroid levels were at the top end of normal range last time they were checked (before taking DHEA) and my TSH is undetectable.

I would appreciate some advice on what's causing this and whether I should stop taking it.

Thanks

Liz
Tags:

[Ericamegan]

I was irritable and started getting acne on my neck, chest and bnck.

[elizabeth1975]

What negative side effects did you experience Erica?  Was it the same as I'm feeling?

[toourlady89]

Just FYI
Lack of Magnesium causes infertility issues. You might want to search on it..

[flyingfool]

The "joys" of NHS.  I can hardly wait until we have the same thing here!  NOT!

I swear if the leaders of the USA saw other leaders jumping off a bridge they would jump too!

That is the definition of a follower, not a leader!

Rant over!

[elizabeth1975]

Thanks everyone, it sounds like I may need to reduce my dosage or come off it, but without guidance it's difficult to know how much etc. Annoyingly the NHS won't check my DHEA blood levels because DHEA isn't licensed in this country, so I have no choice but to work blind.

I've got my thyroid and fertility doctors on the case.

Thanks again.

Liz

[Ericamegan]

I was tested and had low DHEA.  My dr had me take 25mg a day.  I started having negative side effects and reduced my dose.  I currently take 5mg and feel great.  You probably don't want to take it unless you've been tested.  If you have been taking 50 mg for quite some time, you may want to reduce to 5mg for a couple of weeks. That way your system can wean off of it.

[goolarra]

"However I feel AWFUL.  Anxious, depressed, angry, fearful - and have done ever since I started it."

I'd just have to add that maybe your body is telling your something, and you should listen.

DHEA could also be interacting with thyroid hormones, which could require a dose adjustment in your thyroid meds.  Perhaps the benefit isn't worth the risk???

[Barb135]

I agree with flyingfool.  I had a low DHEA level and even 5 mg/day was too much for me.  I'm okay if I only take the 5 mg about once/week.

I, too, would not recommend that you take it in the blind.

[flyingfool]

I had looked into DHEA as libido is tied to it. However after doing research it can be VERY sensitive.  What I read suggested that no more than about 10 mg per day was the limit. Certainly without known low DHEA no more than 20mg.

People report that this act very similar and as listed about the side effects are essentially as if you are taking testosterone.  Also it can act as a steroid and thuse people who take this are known to get or can get very violent.  The common term for this is "roid rage".  As professional athletes and body builders etc who are looking to gain muscle mass tend to be the people who seek out DHEA.  And like testosterone it adds muscle mass and aggressive behavior. But the side effect of violent uncontrolled rage can and are known to occur.

You also report feeling angry etc. So i would just cation you that you be very careful.  In your zeal to conceive that you don't cause emotional or relational problems due to side effects of DHEA.

I would recommend you be tested for your DHEA level and then proceed cautiously.  I would not recommend that you take this "in the blind".

Just my opinion.

[Red_Star]

Causes of low DHEA include age (DHEA peaks at age 25 then declines at a rate of about 2% per year); prolonged stress, depression or anxiety; disease; sugar; nicotine; caffeine; alcohol; nutritional imbalances; a diet low in cholesterol and fats.

Life extension lists DHEA-S lab ranges:

Women:
Normal: 65 - 380 µg/dL
Optimal: 250 - 380 µg/dL

Life Extension DHEA supplement protocol:

Women: 15 mg three times a day

Side effects that have been reported with DHEA use including acne, increased facial hair, excessive sweating, breast tenderness, weight gain, changes in mood, headache, oily skin and changes in menstrual patterns.  

Do not use DHEA if you are at risk for or have been diagnosed as having any type of hormonal cancer such as breast or prostate cancer. If side effects persist, you can cut back the dosage to see if this improves symptoms. Otherwise stop supplementing. As listed above, there are other ways to improve DHEA.

***

Excerpt from Miscarriage Research - How to Increase Fertility...

"These traits have been shown to improve fertility

Improve Diet:
Eat a diet of 25% or more protein and 40% or less carbs (improves egg quality and doubles pregnancy rate in IVF)
Consume dairy fat (reduces risk of unexplained and anovulatory infertility by 27% and 50%, respectively)
Avoid low fat dairy (increases risk of unexplained infertility by 85%)
Don't drink alcohol before conception (reduces live birth rate by 21% in IVF patients)
Increase monounsaturated fats
Increase saturated fats (lowers risk of infertility by 17%)
Decrease trans fats
Reduce polyunsaturated fats (higher consumption increases risk of infertility by 23%)
Reduce intake of refined carbohydrates
Reduce dietary fiber (each 5 grams per day increases risk of anovulatory cycle by 78%)
Reduce intake of animal protein
Replace animal protein with vegetable protein
Avoid soy (causes infertility in mice)

Improve Lifestyle:
Exercise (improved fertility in two studies, although long term exercise was associated with lower fertility in IVF patients)
Normalize body weight
Boost adiponectin

Improve Hormone Balance:
Increase estrogen levels (doubles pregnancy rate in IVF)
Increase DHEA levels
Extend length of menstrual bleeding past 5 days
Prolong ovulation past 11 days
Reduce menstrual cycle to less than 36 days
Engage in stress reduction therapy
Lower GnRH
Normalize LH
Treat PCOS (reduces birth rate by 5%)

Improve Health:
Reduce NK cell activity
Reduce Th1/Th2 ratio
Treat hypothyroidism and thyroid autoimmunity

Try Supplements:
Avoid aspirin (interferes with implantation and reduces follicle growth)
Take 120 mg black cohosh from days 1 to 12 of menstrual cycle (improved pregnancy rate by 170% in clomid cycles)
Take 4 g myo-inositol (improves egg quality and pregnancy rate in IVF patients and PCOS sufferers)
Take 500 - 16000 mg l-arginine (improves endometrial thickness and pregnancy rates)
Take 600 mg vitamin E (improves endometrial thickness)
Take 1200 mg n-acetyl-cysteine if suffering from PCOS (found not helpful in other infertility causes)
Avoid supplementing progesterone too early (interferes with implantation)
Take a supplement including vitex, l-arginine and vitamins
Normalize selenium and magnesium levels (cured infertility in 100% of women with deficiency)
Take vitamin B6 (highest levels associated with 120% higher fertility)
Normalize vitamin D levels
Normalize zinc levels
Avoid flax oil and other sources of alpha-linoleic acid (highest levels associated with 86% lower fertility)"

I will add vitamin B12 as well since infertility is a possible symptom of deficiency.