What is the Origin of DHEA Protocol?

The term references DHEA, synthesized primarily by the adrenal cortex, and 'protocol,' meaning a set of established procedures. Its clinical application stems from understanding DHEA's role as a crucial precursor in the neurosteroid and sex hormone synthesis cascades.

What is the Mechanism of DHEA Protocol?

Supplementation with DHEA provides substrate for the enzymes 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, thereby influencing the production ratios of testosterone, estradiol, and other active metabolites. Careful titration is essential to avoid supraphysiological levels that could disrupt the delicate negative feedback loops within the HPG axis.

DHEA Protocol

Meaning

A structured clinical regimen involving the exogenous administration of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a precursor steroid hormone, aimed at modulating circulating levels of downstream androgens and estrogens. This protocol seeks to rebalance the adrenal steroidogenesis pathway, particularly in contexts of documented DHEA insufficiency.