Years ago, DHEA (dehydroeplandrosterone) wes touted as a "youth hormone" thought to heighten energy and libido. While the jury's still out on that promise, now comes the possibility that DHEA beats the blues.
A study published in the Archives of General Medicine found that 90 mg daily of DHEA significantly reduced the symptoms of major depression in patients with the disorder--even in those who had not responded to traditional treatment.
While low blood levels of DHEA, which the body creates naturally, have been linked to depression, researchers aren't sure how the hormone ups mood. It may be a building block for estrogen and testosterone; which both have mood-altering qualities, or it may boost feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin.
