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Page 241
olism. This anticancer surveillance hormone may inhibit the metabolism of cancer cells. For various reasons, the cancer cell fails to become an immunological alien to the host and will, therefore, be more easily rejected. DHEA may also play a role in the prevention of other diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis, as well as autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, AIDS, Alzheimer's, and other age-related disorders. DHEA has also been shown to prevent chemically induced colon, liver, and skin papillomas in mice.
Many premenopausal women with breast cancer have abnormally low DHEA levels in their blood and, for that group, DHEA may offer protection against cancer. Symptoms that indicate a low level of DHEA include lack of decisiveness and latent depression. However, women who are postmenopausal with breast cancer sometimes exhibit an elevated DHEA level and, therefore, DHEA is counterindicated for them. 161
7-Keto is a relatively new natural form of DHEA that has been shown in clinical trials to deliver the beneficial effects of DHEA without many of the risks. It has a variety of therapeutic effects on the endocrine system by way of the adrenal gland and it has shown an ability to enhance T-cells and IL-2 production.162
In my practice, I occasionally recommend DHEA after testing shows low levels of the hormone, when I feel it will be of benefit to the person for both the short and long term. I use DHEA with caution. I recommend a low dose (usually 5 to 10 mg and generally no more than 25 mg). DHEA is not for everyone. I prefer to use herbs like licorice to modulate adrenal function and increase DHEA and ACTH levels in a more natural way. Recently I have been recommending more 7-Keto and pregnenolone than DHEA, particularly for women.
Pregnenolone
Pregnenolone is asteroid precursor made from cholesterol. From pregnenolone, the body produces other hormones, including DHEA and progesterone. Inside the cytoplasm, enzymes convert pregnenolone into either progesterone or DHEA, depending on the tissues' needs.
I have found low-dose pregnenolone to be very helpful for many people, particularly woman with hormone-endocrine imbalances. It recharges the entire endocrine system including thyroid, adrenal, and reproductive hormones, and even the pancreas, thus helping regulate blood sugar. Pregnenolone can help restore impaired memory and enhance mood. It does this by acting on DMDA

 
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