DHEA
Summary
DHEA is a hormone precursor sold as an anti-aging supplement. In a 2-year Mayo Clinic trial in older adults it raised DHEA-S levels but did not improve body composition, strength, insulin sensitivity or quality of life. Pooled trials show small rises in testosterone and acne-type side effects. It is banned in sport.
Key facts
- A steroid hormone made mainly by the adrenal glands; the body converts it to androgens and estrogens[1]
- Raised DHEA-S but did not improve body composition, strength, insulin sensitivity or quality of life[1]
- Pooled trials (42 publications) report an average rise of about 28 ng/dL, larger in women and at doses above 50 mg/day[5]
- Androgenic effects, mainly acne, were about 3.8 times as likely as with placebo in menopausal women[3]
- DHEA is on the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list as an anabolic agent[8]
- The 2-year Mayo Clinic trial and the bone trial cited here were funded by the US National Institutes of Health; the large trials of prescription vaginal DHEA (prasterone) were run by its developer, Endoceutics, and do not apply to oral supplements[1][2][9]
- 4 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 11, 2026
How it works
EstablishedDHEA is converted in tissues into androstenedione, testosterone and estradiol, so supplements act mainly by raising sex-hormone levels; blood DHEA-S rises within the studied dose range.[1][5]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mood | Grade C | Improved | Meta-analysis of 12 trials · n = 742 · 2020 | 1 row |
| Menopause | Grade C | No effect | Systematic review of 8 trials · n = 287 · 2015 | 1 row |
| Bone | Grade C | Mixed | RCT · n = 113 · 2009 | 1 row |
| Aging | No effect | No effect | RCT · n = 144 · 2006 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depressive symptoms | Improved | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 742 · 2020 Adults with depression or other conditions with depressive symptoms in 12 placebo-controlled trials Form: DHEA · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: Varied across trials Depressive symptoms fell modestly versus placebo (SMD −0.28); the authors rated the evidence very low quality. | 32930419 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
| Quality of life in peri- and postmenopausal women | No effect | Grade C | Systematic review · n = 287 · 2015 Menopausal women in 8 placebo-controlled trials (28 trials, 1,273 women in the review) Form: DHEA (any dose and route; most trials oral) · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: Varied across trials No improvement in quality of life versus placebo; sexual function improved slightly (5 trials, 261 women) and acne-type androgenic side effects were more common. | 25879093 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Spine bone mineral density | Mixed | Grade C | RCT · n = 113 · 2009 55 men and 58 women aged 65–75, all also given vitamin D and calcium Form: DHEA · Dose: 50 mg/day · Duration: 1 year randomized, then 1 year open-label Spine bone density rose 1.7% in women on DHEA in year 1; there was no change in men and no change in hip bone density in either sex. | 19321570 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Body composition, strength and quality of life in older adults | No effect | No effect | RCT · n = 144 · 2006 87 men and 57 women aged 60 or older with low DHEA-S Form: DHEA tablets · Dose: 75 mg/day (men) or 50 mg/day (women) · Duration: 2 years DHEA-S rose, but there was no meaningful effect on body composition, peak oxygen use, muscle strength, insulin sensitivity or quality of life; women had a small rise in bone density at one wrist site. | 17050889 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
Forms
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 50 mg to 75 mg of DHEA per day in the 1–2 year trials in older adults cited here; pooled testosterone data include doses above and below 50 mg/day.[1][2][5]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
None found in our sources.
Who should be careful
- Competitive athletes
- DHEA is prohibited in sport at all times; a positive test is possible from supplements.[8]
- Hormone-sensitive conditions
- DHEA raises testosterone and estradiol, so hormone-sensitive conditions belong with a clinician first.[1][5]
- Acne or androgen-related side effects
- Acne-type effects were more common than with placebo in pooled trials of menopausal women.[3]
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Not studied for safety in these groups in the trials cited here; hormone exposure makes it a poor fit.[5]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
It is a hormone, not a vitamin
Where to buy DHEA
Products from brands we partner with that contain DHEA. Listing a product is not a claim that it works; check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.
- SupersmartPaid linkDHEA 25 mg (150 capsules)1 capsule: 25 mg DHEA. The long-term trials cited here used 50 mg/day (women) and 75 mg/day (men), so one capsule is below the studied doses; 150 servings. Hormone effects make a DHEA-S test and a clinician check sensible first.Shop at Supersmart (opens in new tab)Price and label checked 2026-10-11 on the brand’s site.
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Frequently asked questions
Does DHEA slow aging?
In a 2-year trial in adults over 60, DHEA raised hormone levels but did not improve body composition, strength, insulin sensitivity or quality of life.[1]
Does DHEA raise testosterone?
Yes, modestly: pooled trials report an average rise of about 28 ng/dL, larger in women and at doses above 50 mg/day.[5]
Does DHEA help bones?
One trial found a 1.7% rise in spine bone density in older women after a year, with no effect in men or at the hip.[2]
Does DHEA help body composition?
A meta-analysis found a small rise in lean mass and fall in fat mass but no change in weight; the 2-year Mayo trial found no body-composition effect.[6][1]
Is DHEA allowed in sport?
No. DHEA is on the WADA prohibited list and athletes can test positive from supplements.[8]
Does DHEA help women with adrenal insufficiency?
A meta-analysis of 10 trials found only a small, possibly trivial, gain in quality of life and judged the evidence insufficient for routine use.[7]
Sources
- [1]DHEA in elderly women and DHEA or testosterone in elderly men. N Engl J Med, 2006. RCT
- [2]Dehydroepiandrosterone replacement therapy in older adults: 1- and 2-y effects on bone. Am J Clin Nutr, 2009. RCT
- [3]Dehydroepiandrosterone for women in the peri- or postmenopausal phase. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2015. systematic-review
- [4]Dehydroepiandrosterone for depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Neurosci Res, 2020. meta-analysis
- [5]A dose-response and meta-analysis of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on testosterone levels: perinatal prediction of randomized clinical trials. Exp Gerontol, 2020. meta-analysis
- [6]The effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation on body composition and blood pressure: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Steroids, 2020. meta-analysis
- [7]A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials of DHEA treatment effects on quality of life in women with adrenal insufficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2009. meta-analysis
- [8]What Should Athletes Know about DHEA?. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, 2024. fact-sheet
- [9]Combined data of intravaginal prasterone against vulvovaginal atrophy of menopause. Menopause, 2017. review
What changed
- New monograph: definition, key facts, evidence table, studied doses, safety and FAQ written from the cited abstracts and fact sheets.
- Review: added a note on who funded the trials (NIH for the oral trials cited; the developer for vaginal prasterone trials).