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DHEA May Correct the Consequences of a Gene Caused Increase in Cortisol Response to Stress

Posted by jamesmhoward on 19 Dec 2013 at 15:16 GMT

I suggest the negative consequences of an “increased cortisol response to stress” may be alleviated by treatment with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

It is my hypothesis of 1985 that the "fight or flight mechanism" is based on the ratio of DHEA to cortisol. That is, I think DHEA levels determine the amount of motivation an organism brings to a confrontation and cortisol evolved to counteract the effects of DHEA. If cortisol is high enough, then an organism avoids the consequences of a confrontation such as loss of blood, infection, ...death. Evolution would quickly select this mechanism as it would promote future reproduction of more organisms and fighting would reduce reproduction.

This is derived from my examination of the adrenal hormone pathways in 1984. It became apparent to me quickly that there really are mainly two pathways of major amounts of hormone production, that is, DHEA and cortisol. ("A Theory of the Control of the Ontogeny and Phylogeny of Homo sapiens by the Interaction of Dehydroepiandrosterone and the Amygdala," Copyright 1985, James Michael Howard, Fayetteville, Arkansas, U.S.A. (Registered Copyright TXu220580).)

It is my hypothesis that evolution selected DHEA because it optimizes replication and transcription of DNA. Therefore DHEA levels affect all tissues.

The positive effects of DHEA in cardiovascular disease have been supported: “We show that DHEA acts as an anti-remodeling and vasorelaxant drug. Since it is a well-tolerated and inexpensive drug, DHEA may prove to be a valuable molecule in CVD but it deserves further studies both at the molecular level and in large clinical trials.” (Biochem Pharmacol. 2013 Mar 15;85(6):718-26).

Perhaps a simple treatment for individuals carrying the 5HTR2C gene may be dehydroepiandrosterone.

No competing interests declared.