DHEA as a supplement?

[Transcendence]

Does anyone here have any experience with using DHEA as dietary supplement, in either short or long term use? I'm particularly interested in any improvements in memory.

 

[Jabberwocky]

are you sure you're not confusing it with DMAE?

DMAE is a potent acetyl-choline donator and can improve short-term memory and is a cognitive booster in general. Overusing it though can have the opposite effect (some call it aptly 'brainfog').

DHEA is shit, worthless compound. Mega-hype from marketing scams. Do not waste your time.

 

[Crystal Antlers]

I'm pretty sure my friend takes DHA supplements- if that's what you meant ....Not sure if i read the label right though....i was pretty baked lol

 

[Jabberwocky]

^ thats in fish oil...DHA and EPA are GOOD fats...you should take those if you don't eat fish frequently

but thats very different from DHEA (a hormone)

 

[Arnold]

DHEA is a dangerous supplement to take but can help with sense of well being , seriously doubt it can help with memory.
You only need very small doses's like 5-10mg and ideally would have bloodwork done.
Better stay clear of it unless you're over 50.
I'd try something for serotonin or/and acetylcholine to improve memory if it's gone to shit.

 

[Jabberwocky]

^ hence my suggestion to try DMAE

actually a better bet would be just to supplement with about 2-3g of fish oil per day (since that has DMAE in it and also other much healthier oils)

 

[acetylcholine]

DMAE, DHEA, and DHA are all vastly different. I haven't tried DMAE but I'm sure it's excellent. It's supposedly converted to ACETYLCHOLINE in the brain. :D I'll try to get some in the near future.

Anyway, I took a high dose of DHEA for several weeks. I felt no effects at any time. I stopped taking it because I am balding and read that DHEA can exacerbate that (I'm also on Propecia). More importantly, I stopped because I realized I was foolish in rushing into taking a powerful supplement without enough research. From my understanding, younger people don't really benefit from DHEA, and there are noteworthy potential side effects. If anything, try it for a week. If you don't feel like a million bucks, then forget about it.

 

[KStoner6tb]

I've also recently been using DHEA. 100-200 mg. per day. I know you're not supposed to use it unless you're quite a bit older, as it messes with the pituitary gland, but I feel it's the best option right now for me. I'm pretty sure I've had low test levels ever since puberty, and I'm going to have bloodwork at the doctor once my health insurance coverage begins shortly.

I've also been a big fan of tribulus now for a few years, which most people will claim is trash. I however experience an increased libido and noticeable energy/strength increases at the gym.

The only negative side to both of these substances, is they cause me to have a few zits on my neck, abbs, chest, etc. Not acne, but just those annoying random, bigass pimples.

 

[Jabberwocky]

[DMAE] supposedly converted to ACETYLCHOLINE in the brain. :D I'll try to get some in the near future.

wrong. DMAE provides choline donation and along with a few other things B-vitamins iirc your brain will synth ACH. so its like providing the 'building blocks.'

 

[acetylcholine]

wrong. DMAE provides choline donation and along with a few other things B-vitamins iirc your brain will synth ACH. so its like providing the 'building blocks.'

First of all, by saying something is "converted" into something else, I assuming that you understand that the process often requires certain Vitamins, etc. Also, what do you mean by "Choline donation"? Are you are implying that Choline is somehow an intermediate between DMAE and Acetylcholine? If it ends up as Acetylcholine in the brain, what's the difference? Also, exactly how is your notion of "building blocks" different from what I said? I don't understand why you are nitpicking my language with a dismissive "wrong."

BTW, according to the research you can find in this abstract:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/850128?dopt=Abstract

there is dispute about the relationship between DMAE and increased Acetylcholine in the whole brain of rats, anyway.

These data do not confirm the results of other investigators who reported elevations in whole brain or striatal ACh levels after acute administration of lower doses of deanol. The data emphasize the need for further investigation into the mode of action of deanol and question its suggested role as an immediate precursor of ACh synthesis in the central nervous system.

Of course, in this quote they are stating that research has been done to support the relationship between DMAE and increased Acetylcholine, articles of which I don't feel like digging up.

 

[Jabberwocky]

sorry I am playing loose with these things. I base my statements on my cursory knowledge of pharmacology and an extensive personal history of quite a widely varied diet of drugs.

DMAE certainly does increase acetylcholine levels though. Just take some man you'll realize for youself what its doing to your brain :D

 

[acetylcholine]

sorry I am playing loose with these things.

I'm just confused about why you said my statement was "wrong" in your previous post. If I said that some ingested phenylalanine is "converted" in the body into dopamine, is it not understood that the process includes conversion to Tyrosine and l-DOPA first, and that the process requires things other than Phenylalanine (Vitamin C and B6, for example.) Am I using the word "converted" in the wrong way? Does "convert" only imply one step? I don't exactly have a PHD in chemistry myself, so my semantics might be off.

DMAE certainly does increase acetylcholine levels though. Just take some man you'll realize for youself what its doing to your brain

Anecdotally, I have read that DMAE has similar effects to other "cholinergic" nootropics so I'm sure you're right. That's why I was enthusiastic about DMAE supplementation in the first place, especially since it can cross the blood brain barrier without a transporter.

 

[Jabberwocky]

yeah! its so easy to talk past each other...yeah it seems weird that I said wrong there...since it seems we are talking about the same thing basically. No reason to be too nitpicky over concepts used here probably.

where to from here?

I'll give you my opinion about DMAE...I think it quickly adds up to have more negative effects than useful effects...its just too hard to control dosage wise (I think ideally a slow drip would be better than one single large dose).

 

[acetylcholine]

yeah! its so easy to talk past each other...yeah it seems weird that I said wrong there...since it seems we are talking about the same thing basically. No reason to be too nitpicky over concepts used here probably.

No problem. This is a forum about psychoactives after all, and some spacey-ness is expected. Who knows... some members may even be posting while in an altered state (from mild, legal stuff like DMAE only of course ) Hehe.

I'll give you my opinion about DMAE...I think it quickly adds up to have more negative effects than useful effects...its just too hard to control dosage wise (I think ideally a slow drip would be better than one single large dose).

I'm already taking a higher-range Choline salt supplement daily. I do this for overall health rather than any particularly noticeable mental effects. Maybe I'll lower my choline dosage and finally try DMAE. Too much choline causes Trimethylaminuria (fish smell) so I need to be careful. I've read that DMAE does not cause Trimethylaminuria, although it is converted to choline in the liver as well as the brain, if I remember correctly.

DMAE is sold in bulk powder as well as pills, and the powder is obviously a much better deal. I bet it's not too tasty, but I don't have a capping machine that will do the right dosage, especially, really small doses that I can take periodically during the day, as you mentioned. I'm probably gonna try DMAE pills first to see if they do anything for me.

If you don't mind me asking, what's your DMAE dosage\times per day?

 

[Jabberwocky]

it tastes like chemical salt iirc

to be honest I have no clue what my dose is with it anymore in milligram. I just eyeball it when I need to use it for a choline boost...although like I said its really more negative than positive (hence why I don't use it anymore ha :D)

imo supplementing with lecithin oil and eggs for choline is enough

more is not always better with monoamines

as for posting in spacey or fucked up states of mind...yes I agree it happens. Now excuse me I'm going to get stoned and piss on myself for fun :D

 

[acetylcholine]

Thanks for the info.

as for posting in spacey or fucked up states of mind...yes I agree it happens. Now excuse me I'm going to get stoned and piss on myself for fun :D

I as well. Nothing like sitting in your own urine with smileys and words on a forum flying at you in rainbow fractal colors. It's a Tuesday night after all.