The supplement DHEA (DeHydroEpiAndrosterone) was nearly banned by the U.S. Congress this past January, when a federal law against steroids was enacted. It’s true that DHEA is an anabolic steroid. And it’s also true that in the body DHEA is converted into androstenedione (“andro”) and may be further converted into either testosterone or estrogen. “Andro” was the target of the Congressional ban after the widely publicized hearings on its misuse by sports stars and their fans. Fortunately, DHEA was spared by intervention of Senators Hatch and Harkin, who understood that this supplement has been extensively studied for its health benefits, and also cannot be used to “bulk up” in the same way that “andro” was exploited. Supplementing with DHEA will only correct a deficiency, raising blood levels to the “upper normal” range. It’s exactly this restoration of optimal levels that has interested researchers looking at DHEA’s potential health benefits.

As its Senate supporters knew, DHEA has drawn much attention as an anti-aging supplement. The idea of DHEA replacement therapy for elderly people grew out of two basic observations: levels of DHEA in the body correlate with general good health, and aging is accompanied by a steady decline in the body’s natural production of this steroid.

Similar observations, beginning back in the 1980s, sparked interest in DHEA supplementation for people with HIV/AIDS. Research demonstrated DHEA deficiencies in PWHIV, connected to an overall dysregulation of the endocrine system, and suggested that DHEA replacement therapy might have health benefits. Specific studies of PWHIV in the last two decades have linked DHEA supplementation to improved CD4 counts, maintenance of optimal weight, improvement in mood, less fatigue, and better survival rates.

In the May 4, 2005 issue of AIDS Treatment News, John James suggests that access to DHEA may still be threatened. (We agree with him that Congress and the FDA can get involved in some pretty wrong-headed schemes to regulate supplements—please check the NYBC website regularly for updates on this important subject!) He also reviews a recent study at the US National Institute of Mental Health, which indicates that DHEA may also be as effective an anti-depressant as many prescription medications. Not good news for the pharmaceutical companies that earn billions from prescription anti-depressants: a relatively inexpensive, over-the counter item could be just as beneficial to many people as expensive, proprietary prescription drugs. Uh-oh, there go the profits!

We at NYBC believe that DHEA should remain accessible as an over-the-counter supplement, and we will certainly alert you to any regulatory action that threatens that access.

In the meantime, if you are considering use of DHEA, please take note of these warnings, which we consider essential for the responsible use of this supplement: do not take if under 18, if diagnosed with prostate problems, or if you have a cancer diagnosis. Always consult with your physician before taking DHEA; and be sure to have your DHEA levels measured at the start of supplementation, and continue to monitor periodically.

AVAILABLE FROM NYBC: 7-Keto DHEA (Source Naturals) 50mg/60 of 7-oxo DHEA sulfate (specifically, 3-acetyl-7-oxo-dehydroepiandrosterone).

For more information and background on DHEA use by PWHIV, we recommend two sources: DAAIR’s “Draft Information Sheet” on DHEA (though the organization itself is now defunct, as of this printing, their archives are still accessible at daair.org), and Jon Kaiser's, Healing HIV: How to Rebuild Your Immune System (pp. 170-179).

Policosanols are plant-derived compounds (long-chain fatty alcohols, to be exact) that have been extensively studied in recent years as a means to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. (NYBC stocks policosanols derived from sugar cane wax, the same type used in the most significant clinical trials.) Although the mechanism of action of policosanols is still not completely understood, they appear to inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver, and also decrease platelet aggregation.

In studies involving healthy individuals as well as those with type II diabetes and type II hypercholesteremia, policosanols were found to significantly decrease total cholesterol, and also lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and the ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. They also appear very safe (for example, less than 0.1% adverse results noted in (continued inside) a study of 27,879 patients using policosanols over an average of 2.7 years).

Additional studies comparing policosanols with statins (a class of drugs commonly prescribed in the USA to reduce cholesterol and improve lipid profiles) have shown that policosanols often perform better and with fewer side-effects.

Although more research is needed to confirm these findings, the clinical trials conducted over the last decade point strongly to policosanols as a very useful supplement for stabilizing and maintaining cardiovascular health.