Dhea Levels ???? Could This Be It ????

[Achilles2323]

I have not been able to find a cause for my POTS ...received blood results today and my dhea was high...normal limits 31-701 and mine was 1163

Problem is I have no clue what this means .....does any 1 know why dhea levels might be high ? Hoping this can lead me to the cause of my POTS

[julieph85]

I'm no doctor but I think only its a problem if your levels are low

[Achilles2323]

Ohhhh mmmm OK lol

Was hoping to find a cause but if that's the case then I have to reset

Thank you for your input

[MomtoGiuliana]

This topic has come up before so you may want to do a search for it. I believe DHEA levels vary greatly on a daily basis, not easy to know therefore from one test if there is a problem or not.

[Achilles2323]

OK let me see if I can find anything on the search

[Guest Alex]

I don't know much about elevated DHEA levels, but I read (on another online forum) that they may be caused by stress, emotional overload, depression, as well as some environmental toxins, pollution, and certain drugs.

Alex

[Birdlady]

High DHEA can be caused by late onset congenital adrenal hyperplasia. There may be other causes, but that's something to consider.

[Achilles2323]

congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Sounds like you have to lack cortisol and others

I just have high dhea

[Lethargic Smiles]

I just wanted to throw in that I had what my doctor called "the DHEA of an 80-year-old woman" at the age of 20. Its correction really didn't change any of my symptoms other than it helped a bit with hair loss.

Symptoms Onset: Feb 2008

Low DHEA Identified: February 2010

DHEA back to normal: May 2010

DHEA back to normal for 3 months: August 2010

doctor said at 3 months we would likely know if DHEA was our culprit or not

Start of downward spiral: October 2010

POTS Diagnosed: February 2012

I have my DHEA tested about once a year just to make sure it is in the normal range. I no longer take a supplement and it stays normal on its own.

[Carrie]

According to an integrative doctor I saw a couple of years ago, higher DHEAs are usually a good thing. It declines with age. DHEA is the precursor for other essential hormones. Some people even take it as a dietary supplement to try to improve fitness, etc. I don't know if your levels are "too" high, but your high levels *could* actually be one positive thing about your health right now.

[Lethargic Smiles]

I agree with Carrie that it may be a good thing if it is in the high range of normal as it is often called the "fountain of youth". Yours is out of whatever criteria researchers used to decide a healthy upper level of DHEA so it is probably worth looking into! Is your doctor going to do further testing?

I've been thinking about my own symptoms from low DHEA and looked back at my research. I was concerned that the DHEA dose my doctor had me taking was a little high so I looked up what would happen if I too much DHEA. If my levels got too high I wanted to know what to look for. Along with my research, I came across some diseases too much DHEA is a sign of. I'm sorry for not having much detail, I just have bullet points jotted on a piece of notebook paper without a ton of detail.

• DHEA is a precursor for testosterone. If you are a woman, this can lead to facial hair, weight gain in the belly and other symptoms associated with masculinity.
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is often associated with high DHEA. They think the high DHEA is a result of the pituitary being overly stimulated in response to stress.
• There's types of tumors called androgen secreting tumors that secrete DHEA.
• Swelling of the adrenal glands has been found in some with high DHEA.
• High DHEA is not necessarily harmful. It may sign of adrenal and other disease. It does not need to be corrected in all cases such as the case of a benign tumor.
• I don't know about naturally high DHEA levels in the body, but supplementing with too high of levels of DHEA for too long can lead to heart palpitations and tachycardia.

Let us know what you find out.