Hi Dr. Pickart,

I have read in the forum that you say that it is safe to take DHEA (along with Saw palmetto) as a supplement. I took DHEA on it's own about 10 yrs ago and had some hair thinning that made me stop using it and since then I have been reluctant to try it again. I have started to take 7-keto (NOW foods 25mgs a day) because I had heard it was the same as DHEA without any of the side affects. Since starting the 7-keto I (and a friend) have had dramatic weight loss and general toning of the body but I think I have started to see some thinning of my hair around the horse shoe at the front of my head. So from today I have stopped the keto. My questions are do you know much about 7-keto? do you think it is causing hair loss? and if it is do you think it would reverse now that I have stoped the supplement?

Thank you Dr. Pickart
Matty

There is a good article at http://www.smart-drugs.com/ias-DHEA.htm

If a supplement does not work for yourself, then do not use it. Supplements do have some negative side effects but the sellers of these products almost never mention the negative aspects.

Hi Dr. Pickart

Thank you very much for your response, the article is very interesting. I will give the 7-Keto a break for awhile and see if there is any change in hair loss. I will come back and report how things are going, as others my be interested. The 7-keto has been a great weight product for me and my friend and if there are no side affects I will continue to use it.

Thanks again
Matty

Hi Matty,
Perhaps my experience w/7-Keto and DHEA might offer some guidance:
First of all there's a great article on DHEA on Ray Sahelian's site. lots of individuals' experiences.
Overall, I found 7-Keto a metabolic lifesaver before I went on armour thyroid for hypothyroidism. I now find it a good complement to Armour at a lower dose (see below)
DHEA - dosaging is utterly unique to the individual, so I suggest, if you dare to retry it, start at 5 mg's then move higher.
My dosages:
7-Keto - 50 mg 1x a day, I cut down from 50 2x, after armour thyroid kicked in and I began to have trouble sleeping.
DHEA - my endocrin suggested I switch to DHEA b/c of my very low DHEA and testosterone. Even w/7-Keto at 100 mgs, my DHEA was v. low. So I took DHEA at 50 and my hair started falling out. I stopped and hair loss stopped. After a break, I resumed 7-Keto - no hair loss. Recently I resumed DHEA at a VERY low dose - 5 mg, and continued 50 mg 7-Keto - I take them 1/2-1 hour apart, in the am. I have upped the DHEA to 10 mg and no hair loss. Phew! And, have improved well being, energy, nail growth and also improved hormonal hair growth (face, pubic, underarms etc). I tried for 1 day only, upping it to 15 - 10 then later in the day 5, to no ill effect, but am hesitant to go to 15 and risk hair loss.

I haven't found anything on the web about taking both 7-Keto and DHEA - maybe I'm the first!

Another thing I do is take DIM to balance estrogen - +'g the good, -'g the bad. Another is to detoxify the xenoestrogens. It may be that if there is an imbalance of good/bad estrogens and toxicity of xenoestrogens, then the endocrine system is screwed no matter what supps you take...and supplemental DHEA might just add to the mess.

Another supplement known to increase DHEA levels is Moducare. I've been taking it for 3 months now for autoimmune matters to great effect.

I hope some of this is helpful.

With wishes for thick healthy hair to all!

Dear LoveDoves
Thank you, your message was very helpful or should I say reasuring. I have recently gone back to the 7-keto because I have realised that it has not actually caused any hairloss. I realised because of the recent break up of my relationship (8yrs) I have had alot more time on my hands (looking in the mirror) that coupled with a bit of I am forty single, who will want me thoughts. Has comtributed to me mistaking some normal (minor) MPB that I hadn't previously noticed as hairloss from 7-keto. I am now a very happy camper all round.