I’ve done so for many years now, since reading the well-researched book by bio-chemist Stephen Cherniske MS called “The DHEA Breakthrough – Look younger, live longer, feel better.”
We recently sold out of DHEA 7– Keto and for two weeks I didn’t take any. After a week, I began to notice a lack of energy and enthusiasm for my morning exercise, and also a few other age-related symptoms.
This reminded me of an experiment of mine that I reported on in this catalogue nine years ago in 2014. Back then, I had decided in the interests of science, to go entirely without supplements for three months, to see if it was possible to enjoy optimum health on a nutritious NZ diet without supplements. At that time, I was taking one capsule each day of our Optimum Health Triple Pack products – CAA-Multi, Bone Health and CoQ10-Omega3 and a capsule of DHEA 7-Keto.
Results of my 2014 supplement experiment
So, I started my experiment, stopping all supplements completely, except Colloidal Silver as I didn’t want to risk catching a winter bug.
For one week I didn’t notice any difference. However, the second week things began to unravel. When I awoke in the mornings I no longer had any desire to exercise, and I lacked energy. At the same time my appetite increased (perhaps in an effort to obtain nutrients I was no longer getting from the Triple Pack) and I began to gain weight.
Worst of all, my mind and mental processes started to slow down. I felt like an old slow computer, compared to a modern zippy one. My mind would get there in the end, but not as quickly as it normally would. I was 68 at the time.
My journal entry for Tues 18th Feb 2014 read: It is now 2 weeks since I have stopped taking all my normal supplements and I have the following results:
Increased appetite and weight gain.
Poorer mental clarity
Forgetting some daily tasks.
No energy for morning exercise.
Libido down about 25%.
My journal entry a month later, on Wed 19th March 2014 read: “I seem to be looking older around the eyes and jowls since I have stopped taking my supplements, so I began taking DHEA again, this morning.”
My mind returned back to normal after a week of taking DHEA 7-Keto again. But I was still down on energy, always hungry, and still gaining weight.
By April 2014, two months after beginning my experiment, I’d had enough and decided to forego the third month and started taking my Optimum Health Triple Pack supplements again. After a week of doing so, my energy, desire to exercise and everything else, returned to full strength and I felt great again.
I still do today, nine years later at age 76. Except for the recent two weeks without DHEA 7-Keto and its youthful effects.
What is DHEA?
DHEA is natural ‘feel good’ youth hormone, made by the adrenal glands of our body. It’s responsible for the energy, enthusiasm and sexual energy of our youth years.
DHEA is highest during our years of top physical condition. It rises fast at puberty and peaks around age 25. It then steadily declines, more rapidly after age 35 reaching a low around age 60, and then more slowly drops further to less than 5% of our youthful peak after age 70. In both men and women, DHEA virtually disappears around age 75.
As DHEA declines it causes the conditions associated with ageing, lowered cardio fitness and libido, weight gain, slower reaction times, thinner skin, lower immune health, less muscle strength and slowing of mental powers.
Helps us retain a sharp mind and memory
Levels of DHEA in our brain are six times those in any other organ. Taking DHEA can also support our mental clarity and processing skills. We can have a good mental acuity at an age when our parents were forgetting names and losing car keys. (Alzheimer's patients have on average 48% less DHEA than matched controls of the same age.)
Bio-chemist Stephen Cherniske MS, author of the book I mentioned above says, “My 80-year-old mother takes DHEA and is fit, active, healthy and full
of surprises.”
He also says of himself, “My percentage body fat decreased to 9% and has stayed at that level with only moderate amounts of exercise. My immune profile has improved almost every year. I have a few more grey hairs, but I’m stronger, faster, leaner, and healthier today at age 50 than I was at 40. These are all very good indications of health and wellness. I feel terrific and I have no intention of stopping DHEA supplementation.”
Dr Norman Shealy. MD, Ph.D. says,
“We have never seen a depressed patient with optimal levels of DHEA.”
What does the 7-Keto mean?
The 7-Keto form of DHEA is a modified form of the hormone DHEA (which is prescription only in NZ). It is naturally present in the human body in this form and is claimed to have more potent health benefits than regular DHEA.
DHEA 7-Keto was developed by researchers to be a biologically active DHEA that would not be converted to the potentially cancer-causing sex hormones, yet retain all the numerous benefits.
7-Keto even more effective than regular DHEA and with no side effects
When DHEA 7-Keto was tested on animals, mental clarity and energy production proved to be stronger than that produced by DHEA alone. Mice given DHEA 7-Keto were able to negotiate a water maze in 6.5 seconds compared to 11.5 seconds by those given regular DHEA.
And being a natural hormone, there have been no reported side effects under 200mg a day. The ideal daily amount is reported to be 25 to 50mg a day.