DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
The most abundant circulating steroid in humans and a direct precursor to both androgens and estrogens. Sold widely as an over-the-counter supplement in the US, DHEA has genuine human trial data for age-related decline and adrenal insufficiency, but its performance and body-composition effects in healthy adults are weak to absent.
01 Overview
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is produced mainly by the adrenal cortex and serves as a metabolic intermediate that can be converted downstream to androstenedione, testosterone, and estrogens. Serum levels peak in the mid-twenties and fall steadily with age, which drove decades of interest in supplementation as an anti-ageing intervention.
Controlled human trials show reliable increases in circulating androgen and estrogen metabolites but inconsistent effects on muscle, strength, mood, and cognition in healthy people. It retains legitimate clinical use in women with adrenal insufficiency and is studied in some fertility protocols. In the US it is exempt from the anabolic steroid schedules, unlike most other prohormones.
02 Mechanism
Acts as a prohormone: peripheral tissues convert DHEA via 3-beta-HSD and 17-beta-HSD into androstenedione and then testosterone, and via aromatase into estrogens. It also has direct actions at GABA-A and NMDA receptors as a neurosteroid.
03 Dosing
| Tier | Dose | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenal insufficiency | 25–50 mg/day | Oral | Typical replacement dose studied in women with adrenal insufficiency. |
| Supplement | 25–100 mg/day | Oral | Common OTC anti-ageing range; higher doses raise androgen/estrogen conversion. |
Ester comparison
| Ester | Half-life | Injection freq. | Testosterone by mass |
|---|
04 Effects
| Effect | Magnitude | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raised circulating androgens and estrogensOral DHEA reliably increases downstream androgen and estrogen levels, more pronounced in women who have low baseline androgens. | Dose-dependent rise in testosterone/estradiol metabolites | Clinical | |
| Symptom improvement in adrenal insufficiencyIn women with adrenal insufficiency, replacement doses improve mood, wellbeing, and sexual function in some trials. | Modest wellbeing/libido gains | Clinical | |
| Body composition in healthy adultsMuscle mass and strength changes in healthy older adults are inconsistent and generally small or absent. | Little to none | Disputed |
05 Side effects
| Effect | Severity | Frequency | Evidence | Countermeasures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Androgenic effects in womenAcne, oily skin, and mild hirsutism from conversion to androgens. | Mild | Common in women at higher doses | Clinical | |
| Estrogenic effects and hormone-sensitive tissue concernAromatisation raises estradiol; theoretical concern in hormone-sensitive cancers. | Moderate | Uncommon | Observational |