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Family Health

The Side Effects of DHEA in Relacore

Written by Janet Renee
07 September, 2011

Fact Checked

Despite an ever-growing weight loss supplement market, the percentage of overweight and obese Americans continues to increase. While caffeine is typically one of the primary ingredients in diet supplements, some manufacturers are trying a different approach. Relacore is a weight loss supplement that includes vitamins, herbs and the hormone DHEA. DHEA does have side effects that you should be aware of. You should consult your doctor before taking Relacore.

Relacore

Manufactured by the Carter-Reed Company, Relacore is marketed as an all-natural diet pill that boosts mood and reduces appetite and stress. The makers of Relacore assert that the stress hormone cortisol increases fat storage, particularly in your stomach area, and that Relacore contains ingredients that help reduce cortisol levels as well as improve mood. At the time of publication, no definitive clinical evidence is available to support these claims.

DHEA

Your adrenal glands, which sit atop your kidneys, produce a wide variety of hormones, including DHEA. DHEA is needed to make sex hormones responsible for the menstrual cycle in women and male characteristics in men. DHEA levels peak at around age 25 and decline steadily thereafter. By the time you reach age 70, you have 80 percent less DHEA than when you were in your mid-twenties.

Dose in Relacore

Typically DHEA is used to correct clinical deficiencies. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, it is not recommended for individuals under age 40 unless a deficiency is present. The recommended dose of DHEA is 25 mg daily for women and 50 mg daily for men. Because the DHEA in Relacore is part of a proprietary blend, information on the amount of DHEA it contains is not readily available.

Side Effects

At recommended doses DHEA can cause side effects. These include fatigue, headache, acne and irregular heartbeat. The DHEA in Relacore has the capacity to increase your sex hormone production. This can cause a wide variety of side effects, including facial hair and other masculine features in women and breast development in men. It can also cause aggressive behavior and increased blood pressure. Other hormone-related side effects include increased blood sugar and changes in adrenal function. You should take Relacore only after discussing it with your doctor.

Janet Renee is a clinical dietitian with a special interest in weight management, sports dietetics, medical nutrition therapy and diet trends. She earned her Master of Science in nutrition from the University of Chicago and has contributed to health and wellness magazines, including Prevention, Self, Shape and Cooking Light.

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