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Getting the Facts on DHEA and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression or manic-depressive illness, is a major disorder in which an individual alternates between states of deep depression and extreme elation. It is a mental illness that results from an abnormality in the brain, although experts are uncertain as to what that abnormality actually is.

While the exact cause of bipolar disorder isn't known, there are certain bipolar disorder treatments that produce positive results for people suffering from this condition. For example, the use of DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) as a treatment for bipolar disorder has gained much publicity in recent years.

While DHEA is the human body's most-abundant steroid, many have raised questions as to whether this steroid causes bipolar disorder or can be used to treat bipolar disorder.

Natural and Supplementary DHEA
DHEA is a mild androgen (male hormone) that is produced by the adrenal glands. The body uses it to make other powerful hormones, such as the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. Natural DHEA levels peak around the age of twenty for women and 25 for men. By the time a human is sixty, his or her production of DHEA has declined by as much as 75 percent.

The amount of DHEA in a person's body can be increased through the use of supplements, which are made from extracts of the barbasco root or wild Mexican yams. People can purchase DHEA over the counter in the United States, although you should only use it under close medical supervision. Some countries have banned over-the-counter DHEA sales altogether.

Low DHEA Levels and Related Diseases
Low DHEA levels have been associated with several diseases, including:

• Alzheimer's disease
• cancer
• diabetes
• heart disease
• hypertension
• immune dysfunction illnesses
• multiple sclerosis
• obesity.

DHEA and Bipolar Disorder Treatment
Tests have shown that subjects with bipolar disorder who use supplemental DHEA have reported positive results, including:

• better memory
• decrease in body fat
• decreased joint pain
• improved ability to cope with stress
• improved sleeping patterns 
• increase in lean muscle.

These results suggest that DHEA can be an effective treatment for bipolar disorder. However, DHEA appears to have negative effects as well.

Steroids and Bipolar Disorder Treatments Gone Wrong
It should be said that drug treatments do not cause bipolar disorder, but some experts say that they can make the symptoms much worse rather than better. In fact, some people with bipolar disorder don't even know they have the disease until they take steroids for another condition. For example, NBC newscaster Jane Pauley once had hives and was given steroids to treat them. Unfortunately, these steroids triggered her symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Some experts have suggested that an inappropriate combination of the hormones testosterone, DHEA and DHEAS could trigger bipolar disorder. DHEAS, also known as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, is the metabolized form of DHEA. When DHEA levels are low, some individuals become depressed.

Valproate, a common medication for bipolar disorder, increases a person's levels of DHEAS. However, a combination of high testosterone and high DHEA levels may over stimulate the brain and cause mania. Another common treatment for bipolar disorder is lithium. It treats symptoms of mania by reducing the brain's levels of DHEA and DHEAS.

The true connection between DHEA and bipolar disorder is not completely understood. However, a physician who prescribes medication such as valproate or lithium would also know about the risks associated with DHEA. A patient must take care that he or she does not take too much medication that contains DHEA and to tell his or her doctor if it makes the condition worse.