Be Wary Of DHEA

[Sepulchrave]

I've been taking about 5 mg of Pansterone (topical DHEA + Pregnenolone) for a few months and have been experiencing breathlessness, sleepiness, fatigue and muscle pain while working.

The first three symptoms have been reported in the past by forum member 'Japanesedude'. I'm assuming the muscle pain comes from increased inflammation. Cortisol supresses inflammation, and DHEA lowers cortisol. (People have reported experiencing eczema and dermatitis after taking DHEA)

It is important to actually read what Peat himself has said before taking any supplements. At my age, I should not have taken more than 2 mg, less than a drop of pansterone per day. He says Pregnenolone and thyroid are much safer ways of boosting DHEA, which is what I'll be trying next.

 

[Vinero]

Did you use the DMSO version? I experienced the same problems with the DMSO version, but not with the new SFA esther.

 

[Sepulchrave]

Yes

 

[churchmouth]

You didn't share what your age was

 

[johnwester130]

DMSO will amplify a chemical by about 8 times or maybe 10 times.

so 1mg acts like 8mg-10mg.

that is a huge amount of dhea, and dangerous. this is the problem

 

[EndAllDisease]

I've been taking about 5 mg of Pansterone (topical DHEA + Pregnenolone) for a few months and have been experiencing breathlessness, sleepiness, fatigue and muscle pain while working.

The first three symptoms have been reported in the past by forum member 'Japanesedude'. I'm assuming the muscle pain comes from increased inflammation. Cortisol supresses inflammation, and DHEA lowers cortisol. (People have reported experiencing eczema and dermatitis after taking DHEA)

It is important to actually read what Peat himself has said before taking any supplements. At my age, I should not have taken more than 2 mg, less than a drop of pansterone per day. He says Pregnenolone and thyroid are much safer ways of boosting DHEA, which is what I'll be trying next.

Very interesting. My experience with DHEA has been incredible. I've taken 10mg/day for a couple of months and had only positive results - better relaxation, very noticable improvements in sex drive, etc.

I like johnwester's theory, I bet he is correct, since dmso so potently enhances absorbtion.

 

[kondevantoni]

When you apply 5mg of anything dissolved in dmso, you get maximum 5mg of it (if 100% absorbed)! No way to get 40-50mg since you did not apply that much.

 

[pimpnamedraypeat]

When you apply 5mg of anything dissolved in dmso, you get maximum 5mg of it (if 100% absorbed)! No way to get 40-50mg since you did not apply that much.

I believe it's dosed with the assumption that you won't absorb 100% of it. so a 1mg dose of DHEA might contain 10x that

 

[schultz]

I'm assuming the muscle pain comes from increased inflammation. Cortisol supresses inflammation, and DHEA lowers cortisol. (People have reported experiencing eczema and dermatitis after taking DHEA)

If this is the case, it would mean that the DHEA is not causing your problems. Cortisol is immunosuppresive. I'm not sure the solution is to just bring cortisol back but rather to get rid of the inflammation. Cortisol is a good temporary solution but you're not supposed to rely on it to chronically suppress inflammation.

Is it possible the muscle pain could be growth? I doubt it myself, but the thought did occur to me.

 

[Wagner83]

People have reported issues with dmso, I think it could be a culprit.

 

[Lurker]

As you mentioned Peat doesn't recommend supraphysiological doses for months on end. I have made the same mistakes as well with 2 months on Pregnenolone and ended up with angina and other scary cardio symptoms. It went away after a few weeks off everything.

What issues are you trying to resolve with these steroids?

 

[johnwester130]

"It acts as a carrier for other substances or drugs and it also potentiates their effect. In fact, certain drugs dissolved in DMSO, such as corticoids, antibiotics and insulin, may be used in a lower dose than usual without reducing their therapeutic efficacy and in addition, their undesirable side effects are greatly diminished."

 

[managing]

My unsubstantiated wild **** guess is that the symptoms described by the OP are indicative of an unresolved hypothyroid condition. I had the same problems with even 1mg of pansterone. Then I resolved an apparently longstanding hypothyroid condition, et voila. Pansterone likes me now. Yes, DMSO version.

n=1, so I must be right.

 

[Dhair]

As you mentioned Peat doesn't recommend supraphysiological doses for months on end. I have made the same mistakes as well with 2 months on Pregnenolone and ended up with angina and other scary cardio symptoms. It went away after a few weeks off everything.

What issues are you trying to resolve with these steroids?

Ray has said in a Politics and Science interview that he knows many people who only needed one dose of progesterone for their symptoms to be cured.

 

[johnsmith]

@Sepulchrave Let us know how switching to just pregnenolone works for you. I have been thinking of trying the same. I've been having heart palpitations (skipped beats) that I've been trying to figure out what its from. They stopped right when I stopped taking pansterone. I was on pansterone for a long time in the past without any problems tho.

Also, I rarely hear talk on this forum about wether these neurosteroids should be cycled or not. Is pregnenolone something you can take every day for the rest of your life or do you have to cycle it?

Also, do you people get blood tests to find out where your neurosteroid levels are at? What neurosteroids should I ask my doctor to test for?

 

[Makrosky]

Definitely if it is DMSO you are getting a much higher dose than you think.

 

[Sepulchrave]

@Sepulchrave Let us know how switching to just pregnenolone works for you. I have been thinking of trying the same. I've been having heart palpitations (skipped beats) that I've been trying to figure out what its from. They stopped right when I stopped taking pansterone. I was on pansterone for a long time in the past without any problems tho.

Also, I rarely hear talk on this forum about wether these neurosteroids should be cycled or not. Is pregnenolone something you can take every day for the rest of your life or do you have to cycle it?

Also, do you people get blood tests to find out where your neurosteroid levels are at? What neurosteroids should I ask my doctor to test for?

Men in this forum have complained of gaining fat after taking pregnenolone. Women of hirsuitism. It seems safer to avoid all steroids until one is 45 or so.

Better to fix problems with diet, sunlight and exercise.

 

[johnsmith]

It seems safer to avoid all steroids until one is 45 or so.

Better to fix problems with diet, sunlight and exercise.

But some of us destroy ourselves prematurely, then we end up on this forum. But I definitely hear you on the food, light, and exercise.

 

[Sepulchrave]

I applied the last 2 drops remaining in my bottle of Pansterone on my skin last night and I experienced horrible mind fog today. DHEA is bad at any dose.

"One study has found that the only hormone abnormality in a group of Alzheimer's patients' brains was an excess of DHEA. In cell culture, DHEA can cause changes in glial cells resembling those seen in the aging brain. These observations suggest that DHEA should be used with caution. Supplements of pregnenolone and thyroid seem to be the safest way to optimize DHEA production. "

-Ray Peat

 

[Mito]

I applied the last 2 drops remaining in my bottle of Pansterone on my skin last night and I experienced horrible mind fog today. DHEA is bad at any dose.

What are your DHEA and/or DHEA-S levels on blood or saliva tests?