PRE<br >FACE<br >Over the next few months and years you will come across<br >many opinions on DHEA. Enthusiasts will call it the "foun-<br >tain of youth，" while others may warn you not to take it at<br >all. The media will run many stories and articles about this<br >hormone， both pro and con. A controversy will brew and<br >continue for a long time-and chances are you will be total-<br >ly confused and not know whose opinion to follow.<br > I ve examined hundreds of articles on DHEA， from<br >the 1950s to the very latest research， and interviewed<br >prominent researchers and physicians who have studied<br >and prescribed this hormone.<br > My goal is to provide you with an informed opinion<br >discussing the benefits of DHEA， its uncertainties， and its<br >shortcomings. I will give you the information， and then it<br >will be up to you， in consultation with your health care<br >professional， to decide whether DHEA is appropriate for<br >your unique circumstance.<br > Please keep in mind that although there are a large<br >number of studies evaluating the role of DHEA in labora-<br >tory animals， the research with humans is limited.<br >Ray Sahelian， M.D<br >