As most people know, DHEA is claimed to help just about every ailment known to
man kind, from depression to heart disease to cancer to weight loss.
The criticism of DHEA has been its potential effects on peoples? hormones, as
DHEA can be converted into the sex hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, as
well as others. Though research has been contradictory regarding DHEA's effects
on hormones, most agree that it does have the potential for problems if used in
high enough doses.
Researchers looked into the possibility that there may be a downstream metabolite
of DHEA that was responsible for many of its potentially positive effects on health
without the downsides mentioned above. That metabolite appears to be 3-Acetyl-7-
oxo-dehydroepiandrosterone, or simply 7-keto-DHEA. 7-Keto-DHEA may in fact
be more biologically active, that is have enhanced effects above that of DHEA,
without the ability to alter hormone levels in the body of people using it.
In vitro (test tube) studies with 7-keto-DHEA appear to show it has no effects on
steroid hormones and does not convert to sex hormones such as testosterone,
estrogens, etc. One study that fed 200mg of 7-keto-DHEA to men ages 18-49 years
old for four weeks found no effects on sex hormone levels. Interestingly, 7-keto-
DHEA may have a more pronounced thermogenic effect (the process the body uses
to convert stored calories into energy) than DHEA and a few animals? studies and
in vitro studies have shown this.
However, no studies to date, in people, have looked specifically at the thermogenic
effect of 7-keto-DHEA vs. DHEA. Some animal research has also shown
improvements in memory and other cognitive functions. 7-keto -DHEA may also
have positive effects on thyroid function.
One of the better known claims of DHEA is as a weigh loss agent, but studies
using various doses of DHEA for weight loss have been disappointing for the most
part.
As for 7-Keto-DHEA, there has been one recent study with people that looked at
weight loss. The study fed 30 overweight women (15 acted as a control group and
received a placebo) 200mg a day of 7-keto-DHEA for 8 weeks.
The study participants were put on a three-day per week cross training exercise
program. The study found that the group getting the 7-Keto-DHEA lost 1.8% of
their bodyweight ? a little over 6lbs on average ? vs. the placebo group, who only
lost 0.57% of their bodyweight.
The study also found that the group getting the 7-keto-DHEA had increases in the
thyroid hormone T3 without significant changes in testosterone, estradiol
(estrogen), liver and kidney function tests, blood sugar vital signs, or overall
caloric intake over the eight-week study.
There were no adverse effects reported throughout the study in the people getting
the 7-Keto-DHEA supplement. The study concluded that, ?200 mg of 7-Keto.
DHEA per day yields a significant reduction in both body weight and body fat.?
However, it?s important to note that this is just one small human study and more
research is clearly needed.
On paper, 7-keto-DHEA looks promising. We do have some human research
regarding weight loss, albeit one study. The study is a compelling one however and
appears to show 7-keto-DHEA has effects that are different from that of simple
DHEA on weight loss, though more human studies are clearly needed.
It should also be a very safe supplement, though it probably will not be a
supplement that improves athletic prowess. As people know, both DHEA and 7-
Keto often get touted as being useful for building muscle or improving
performance, but there is no data to show that with 7-keto and data with DHEA is
conflicting at best.
Colker, M. D. and G. Torina, et al. "Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled,
Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating the Effects of Exercise Plus 3-Acetyl-7-oxodehydroepiandrosterone
on Body Composition and the Endocrine System in
Overweight Adults," C Journal of Exercise Physiology online [ISSN 1097-9751]
2/4 (1999).
H. Lardy and B. Partridge, et al. "Proc. Ergosteroids: Induction of thermogenic
enzymes in liver of rats treated with steroids derived from DHEA," Natl. Acad. Sci
92 (1995) p. 6617-6619.
H. Lardy and N. Kneer, et al. "Ergosteroids II: Biologically active metabolites and
synthetic derivatives of DHEA," Journal of Steroids 63 (1998) p. 158-165.
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