How To Lower DHEA In PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal condition that affects millions of women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS often see an imbalance in their hormone levels, and this can domino into a lot of other issues causing a ton of chronic symptoms including acne, excess facial hair growth, irregular periods, fertility problems, hair loss, weight gain, mood swings, fatigue and more! 

Women with PCOS often experience high estrogen, high testosterone, low progesterone, and high DHEA. You’re probably familiar with the first one, but that last one? That might be news to you! (PS. As a fellow Cyster, I encourage you to learn about AMH and prolactin, too.) High DHEA levels in females can contribute to symptoms I mentioned earlier and more! That means, if you want to heal your PCOS and reverse your symptoms naturally, learning more about your DHEA levels can help you target the root causes! 

Let’s get into it! Here’s what you need to know about DHEA and PCOS:

How To Lower DHEA In PCOS

DHEA levels vary from person to person, but Cysters often find through blood testing that they have extremely elevated DHEA levels that cause a lot of negative side effects. It’s important as a woman with PCOS that you understand what DHEA is, how increased DHEA can impact your life, and what you need to do to get back to normal. 

What Is DHEA?

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate are steroid hormones that are produced naturally by our body’s adrenal glands. This hormone directly converts to testosterone or estrogen, meaning it plays a big role in those two sex hormones! It’s an important hormone for regulating our metabolism, energy levels, and immune response. 

Does PCOS Cause Elevated DHEA Levels?

This is one of those “chicken and the egg” scenarios. Studies show that patients with PCOS often have high levels of DHEA, and, therefore, elevated estrogen and testosterone levels, too! 

But, the question is: what came first? The high DHEA or the PCOS? Honestly, researchers aren’t sure! Of course, PCOS causes hormonal imbalances that directly relate to the sex hormone levels like DHEA in the body. However, PCOS worsens other high DHEA risk factors like stress and inflammation. 

This high amount of DHEA in your body could be contributing to quite a few chronic issues like irregular periods, acne, hair loss, hirsutism, mood swings, depression, fatigue, weight gain, and fertility issues. So, of course, it’s important to get to the bottom of it! Especially if you’re already trying to lower testosterone and estrogen to reverse your symptoms. 

Here are some things you can do:

How To Lower DHEAs in PCOS

Try going dairy free. 

You’ve heard me recommend an anti-inflammatory gluten- and dairy-free diet for any Cysters struggling with chronic inflammatory symptoms. Dairy has been linked to raising androgen levels, which can be devastating for women with PCOS who are already struggling with high testosterone (an androgen). Symptoms like facial hair, acne and hair loss are common and can be worsened if you are sensitive to dairy.

Here’s more on my recommended PCOS diet, but you can also download The Cysterhood app for all of my recipes and resources for reversing PCOS issues like high DHEA! 

Do slow-weighted or low-intensity workouts daily.

Like a balanced diet, exercise is key to thriving with PCOS! Exercise can help with our hormone imbalances by reducing our stress hormones, improving insulin sensitivity, and thus helping us lose weight! All three of these things collaborate with one another to heal our whole being.

However, the exercises you try matter! I don’t recommend super high-intensity workouts that ramp up your stress hormones and adrenaline levels. Instead, try slow-weighted workouts from The Cysterhood app or do meditative workouts like yoga, pilates, and walking! Just changing the type of exercise you do can have such a positive impact on your health as a woman with PCOS. 

Reduce stress and practice relaxation techniques. 

Stress manifests in the body as cortisol. It’s the stress hormone I keep talking about! When those cortisol levels are high, your body creates this dangerous feedback loop where your cortisol stimulates the production of androgens (including DHEA). Then, those androgens worsen insulin resistance. That insulin resistance then leads to the production of more cortisol. It’s a vicious cycle!

So, how do you get control of it? Diet and exercise are a great start, but if you want lower stress hormone levels in your body, try creating a stress management routine! I know this is easier said than done, but practice relaxation techniques, take those 10-minute breaks in the day to do your hot girl walks, set boundaries, cut back on commitments, and prioritize yourself!

Practice better sleep hygiene to get better rest.  

Sleep is ESSENTIAL to hormone balance and insulin sensitivity. Throughout a good night’s rest, our body carries out all sorts of important processes that lower cortisol, regulate sex hormones, and increase insulin sensitivity. Not getting great sleep can significantly impact your health and chronic symptoms!

Improving our sleep hygiene can definitely be tough with PCOS, since Cysters are more likely to have sleeping problems. But there are plenty of things we can do! Try things from this PCOS sleep post like creating an oasis, getting some sun, taking supplements, and more! 

Drink hormone-balancing tea. 

Certain herbs have actually been found to help lower DHEA in women with PCOS! Pretty cool, right? You can actually drink tea that supports your PCOS healing journey by helping lower testosterone. Here’s our Testosterone Relief Tea that we’ve custom created for women with PCOS. Our tea is made from a blend of research-backed, organic ingredients, which we designed to target symptoms (such as cystic acne, hair loss, and excess facial hair) caused by high androgens like DHEA and testosterone.

Take zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and Ovasitol. 

Nutrient deficiencies can wreak havoc on the body. However, even when we’re eating great, getting all the right vitamins and minerals is nearly impossible. So, give your body the best support possible by taking the right supplements! When your body has the nutrients it needs to thrive, all the chemical processes carry on optimally. That means your body can regulate hormones and insulin resistance much better! 

The best supplements to take specifically for DHEA and PCOS include zinc, omega-3, and Ovasitol! Zinc is perfect, because research shows it balances testosterone levels lowering it for people who have too much, raising it for people who have too little. Then, omega-3 helps with stress reduction and inflammation, which helps stop that feedback loop I discussed earlier!

Ovasitol, which is a 40:1 ratio of myo-inositol and d-chiro-inositol, is one of the best supplements for PCOS because of its powerful hormone-balancing benefits! It’s been shown to regulate sex hormones such as lowering androgens like DHEA. Ovasitol also improves insulin sensitivity! 

The best part? You can get all the supplements with Ovafit! My supplements are all NSF-certified and made with the highest quality ingredients. Plus, it’s made specifically for women with PCOS! Here’s the Metabolism Plus bundle that includes zinc and omega-3 and here’s the Ovasitol powder.

It’s important to have a plan for lowering DHEA In your PCOS healing plan!

Naturally healing your PCOS and reversing your symptoms is possible! A few lifestyle changes can totally change your health, relieve your chronic symptoms, and help you realize your full potential. You don’t need to be held back by PCOS forever!

Follow these tips to take back your life! And, ensure you have the right supplements to support your body and promote your journey. You got this!