Abuse of health supplements causes women to become sick instead of rejuvenated

Be careful of the side effects when pursuing rejuvenation! Recently in the obstetrics and gynecology clinic, many cases were found due to excessive weight loss or long-term intake of health foods containing estrogen, which affected the change of DHEA concentration, causing rough skin, acne all over the face, and even a surge in cases of endometrial cancer. Doctors called for seeking professional medical help to improve the situation when adrenal hormone secretion is insufficient or changed, and not to buy health foods of unknown origin that would cause harm to the body. (Video editing/Chen Jianrong)

Chief physician of obstetrics and gynecology Yang Zaixing (left) pointed out that the government currently has no complete regulations to regulate the use of health foods. Long-term improper use may endanger health and in severe cases may require dialysis. (Photo courtesy of Corning Hospital)

Yang Zaixing, chief physician of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Corning Hospital, pointed out that DHEA is a natural steroid produced by the adrenal glands and is also the hormone with the highest content in the human body. It is known as the "fountain of youth" or "anti-aging hormone." A 37-year-old female yoga teacher named Liu has recently felt tired frequently. Not only is her face covered with acne, but her skin has also become very rough. A blood test revealed that the DHEA concentration in her body was ridiculously low, even lower than that of 60- or 70-year-old ladies. The doctor suspected that it might be related to DHEA.

Another 60-year-old woman was afraid of getting old after her menopause, so she ate royal jelly desperately. As a result, she went to the outpatient clinic for treatment due to vaginal bleeding and was found to have early-stage endometrial cancer. In fact, many women in China often experience warning signs in their bodies due to excessive weight loss or improper hormone supplementation.

Dr. Yang Zaixing pointed out that one of the sources of female sex hormones is the ovaries, and the other is the adrenal glands. During the growth process of the follicles in the ovaries, the double cells are stimulated by the double sex hormones, first producing male hormones and then converting them into female hormones. This effect begins in puberty and ends in menopause.

The other adrenal gland, regardless of gender, begins to secrete DHEA (dehydrocorticosterone) from the age of 6 to 8 years old. It mainly exists in the serum in the form of DHEAS, which is the most upstream raw material of all gonadal hormones. The secretion amount increases with age, reaches a peak at around 25 to 30 years old, and then gradually decreases with age. However, male and female hormones are still present in women's bodies after menopause. The only raw material supplied at this time is DHEA, 80% of which comes from the adrenal glands and 20% from the ovaries.

Studies have found that the incidence of endometrial cancer in Taiwanese women has increased sharply and is showing a trend of getting younger. In addition to overnutrition, the main reason may be that women love to take supplements with estrogenic effects, including soy isoflavones, placenta, royal jelly, angelica, yam, pollen, etc., which cause abnormal thickening of the endometrium.

Regarding the DHEA supplements available on the market, Dr. Yang Zaixing reminded that the government currently has no complete regulations to regulate the use of health foods. Many people use health foods through the Internet or recommendations from relatives and friends. Long-term improper use may endanger health, and severe cases may require dialysis. He suggested that people should pay special attention to product quality, ingredient labels, and source labels when purchasing health foods. If they still feel uneasy about eating the products, it is best to seek advice from medical personnel with a professional background so that they can eat safely and healthily.