The anti-aging industry is scattering to find that secret formula that will help preserve youthfulness, but does the ‘fountain of youth’ DHEA supplement live up to its hype?

Aging may be inevitable, but how fast we grow old may be more in our hands. The “you look good for your age” compliment attests to the fact that taking care of yourself helps keep the body looking and operating at its finest. But your DNA blueprint is also important – if your parents or grandparents lived to a ripe old age, you have a better shot, provided you don’t abuse your body.

There is no doubt that genes and environment are essential players in the aging process, but how do we age? There are many aging theories ranging from the free-radical theory which hypothesizes that aging happens when free-radicals destroy healthy cells to hormonal ones which claim that a decline in various hormones causes the body not to perform in tip-top shape.

DHEA is one such hormone that diminishes with age, so proponents of DHEA assert that replenishing this youth exuberant hormone will reverse bodily aging by increasing muscle mass, increasing bone mass, boosting vitality and more. It sounds good in theory, but does it actually work? A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed no convincing evidence that DHEA is an effective anti-aging supplement, so people are strongly urged not to use these pills for this purpose. Furthermore, long-term adverse affects of DHEA are unknown. Since DHEA is converted to estrogen in the body, there is a concern that it can increase the risk of hormone-sensitive cancers, such as breast cancer, especially at higher doses.

Even though DHEA supplements have been debunked as an anti-aging remedy, new products are on the horizon as the search for eternal youth will never cease to continue. Until the scientific world succeeds in discovering that super pill which will ‘turn back the clock’, your best weapon against aging is healthy living and preventative care, so here are some tips to help you age gracefully:

• Be health vigilant – we are lucky that we live in a time of state-of-the art biomedical technologies that will help detect diseases early, so don’t forget your pap-smear, mammograms, and blood tests.
• Do not light up (ever notice the leathery complexion of some heavy smokers?).
• Avoid excess sun exposure and wear sunscreen even in the winter (the sun is a potent skin ager!).
• Work your muscles – including your brain – by participating in sports, hobbies, social events and mentally challenging activities.
• Avoid high-glycemic foods because oxidative stress (production of free radicals) can be controlled by stabilizing blood sugar. Sticking with nutrient dense food rich in anti-oxidants, healthy fats, and lean proteins is your best anti-aging diet strategy.
• Boost growth hormone (also declines as we age) naturally by doing surge-style resistance training daily and getting your eight hours of sleep each night.
• Learn how to deal with ongoing stress in a positive way as chronic stressors will eventually take a toll on your body, whether it is now or later.
• If you do have a chronic disease, such as diabetes, keep it under control by adhering to your medications, sticking to your doctor appointments and making positive lifestyle choices.