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FACTOR 4 :
DHEA-Forte WHO SHOULD USE (LIFESTYLE)
REASONS TO USE (AILMENTS)
DOSAGE & DIRECTIONS
Note: The long-term consequences of high dosage use of DHEA is unknown as human studies to date have been limited and short term. Although DHEA is one of the most promising potential longevity hormones under study, neither science nor medicine has a full understanding of this steroid and how it metabolizes into estrogens, androgens, and other hormones. CONTRAINDICATIONS & PRECAUTIONS In women, high dosage levels of DHEA can result in hirsutism (excess body hair), fatigue, anger, depression, and acne rash. High dosage levels for prolonged periods may stimulate breast cysts or uterine fibroids. In men, high dosage levels of DHEA may contribute to prostatic hypertrophy, low energy, and aggressive anger. The dosage levels recommended in this report are well within safety tolerances and guidelines for normal DHEA usage. Never take supplements at the same time as medications. If both must be taken with food, take them at different meals. The following substances have been determined to lower DHEA levels: corticosteroids, progesterone and other oral contraceptives, cimetidine (Tagamet), lovastatin (Mevacor), ketoconazole (Nizoral), anticonvulsants, carbamazepine, phenobarbitals, and alcohol. FACTOR FOUR FORMULATION DHEA-Forte is manufactured from the steroidal saponin diogenin and converted by a series of eight chemical reactions into pure dehydroepiandrosterone. When a DHEA capsule is swallowed, it is absorbed from the intestinal tract into the portal vein where it is transported into the liver. Most of the DHEA is metabolized by the liver before circulating throughout the bloodstream to the rest of the body.1 When DHEA is metabolized, a chemical called sulfate is added which consists of the mineral sulfur combined with oxygen, creating DHEAS - short for DHEA-sulfate. About 90% of this steroid hormone is in the DHEAS form with the balance circulating as DHEA.2 It is important to note that DHEA is lipophilic (soluble in fat) while DHEAS is water soluble. DHEA can cross the blood-brain barrier and influence the brain whereas DHEAS cannot.3 Some manufacturers "micronize" DHEA, a process that creates smaller particles that can be absorbed from the intestines into the lymphatic system and partially bypass the liver, thus increasing the amount of "free" DHEA in the blood. Such micronization has been touted as enhancing the bioavailability of DHEA although there is very limited data supporting this claim.4 Titan Laboratories does not micronize its DHEA because (1) limited data exists regarding the impact of DHEA on the brain.5 Titan is therefore reluctant to alter or "shortcut" the natural pathway of DHEA as it is produced by the adrenals. (2) DHEAS is consistently stable on a daily basis while free DHEA cycles throughout the day and may increase up to a hundredfold at a given moment or drop drastically under stress.6 Again, Titan is reluctant to alter the naturally occurring 90/10 percentage relationship of DHEAS to free DHEA pending further clinical studies. |
