We are all hard-wired with a protective stress response system and the parts are:
* the part of the brain called the hypothalamus (part of the brain)
* the pituitary gland (the master gland)
* the adrenal gland which lies on top of the kidneys
These parts of the stress response system are collectively called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). They act in concert to protect the body when it’s exposed to stressful experiences.
Within the HPA axis, each piece releases a chemical that carries a specific message to the next part down-line. At the end of the axis is the adrenal gland whose chemical messenger coordinates many different parts of the body. DHEA and its sulfate form DHEAS are the primary chemical messengers of this gland, but with aging, production slows, leading to a condition called “adrenopause.”
The decreased output of these compounds in advancing age has been correlated with a wide range of health problems. These compounds are steroids and are involved in the maintenance of:
* immunity
* musculoskeletal stabilization
* stability of the musculoskeletal system
The body’s sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone, are manufactured from DHEA. Since DHEA output declines with age, companies have been manufacturing DHEA supplements for years. They claim benefits of fatigue relief and anti-aging for people who use this supplement form. In addition, the following conditions represent some that are supposedly helped by supplementation:
* breast cancer
* disease of the heart
* diabetes type II
* adrenal depletion
* loss of bone
* reduced function of the adrenal gland
* heart failure
* breast cancer and illness
Medications and drugs can act as stressors to the body. With increased use of medications during the aging process, one’s ability to deal with stressful exposures lessens. Medications decrease DHEA output and functional capacity is reduced. One outcome is that the stress of menopause demands too much of the body and increased fatigue is the result.
DHEA supplements were made a prescription product in 1985 but were reintroduced as a nutritional supplement with the passing of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act in 1994. Studies on the effectiveness of DHEA on many parameters of health are conflicted.
DHEA is made naturally in the body, but DHEA supplements can be made in the laboratory from a chemical substance called diosgenin, found in soybeans and in the herb, wild yam. Wild yam creams applied to the skin are used for menstrual problems. But the body cannot convert wild yam to DHEA and this step must be done in the lab.
A breakdown in DHEA production represents a reduction in the optimal function of normal body functions. I see this as a part of the whole. With normal aging there is a reduction in normal functioning in many part of the body. So, the shotgun approach of supplying one or two supplements when maybe hundreds are needed is limited in scope.
In the alternative arena to modern medicine, supplementation with various nutrients and compounds has become the popular path to take, Yet, there are many other approaches that are effective at restoring and maintaining normal function for many years to come. Identifying and eliminating some of the causes of declining function is an effective approach.
Detox has become a popular buzzword today. Unfortunately, what needs to be detoxed is not made clear to people. Also, the methods that are now popular are fraught with many problems and are ineffective. Colon cleansing and foot baths are popular approaches but offer little help. The main toxins in the environment are chemicals and heavy metals. Their targets are enzymes inside cells. Colonics and foot baths cannot make an impact in these locations.
Little known is the homeopathic approach to detox using remedies that are proven to help the body get rid of toxic compounds. This approach is not widely known, in fact, it’s hardly known at all. There is a small army of people working in these areas way under the radar.
Cleansing and rebuilding the body would help support healthy menopause and help reduce the fatigue that so often accompanies this life transition.