About DHEA

Hormone your adrenal glands make, which your body turns into testosterone and estrogen. Taken mostly to try to restore hormone levels that drop with age.

Effectiveness Scores

Bone Health Older women: 5.0/10.
DHEA turns into estrogen and testosterone, both of which help keep bones strong. The idea is that raising them may slow the bone loss that comes with age.
Why this rating: Studies show a small bump in bone density, mostly in older women and mostly in the spine. Nobody has shown that it leads to fewer broken bones, and it takes a year or more to see any change. The gains are small enough that DHEA isn't a reason to skip proven ways to protect your bones.
Adrenal Support Adrenal insufficiency: 4.0/10.
When the adrenal glands don't work properly, the body makes too little DHEA, along with other important hormones. Replacing DHEA is meant to bring hormone levels back toward normal.
Why this rating: In people with adrenal insufficiency, adding DHEA to their regular treatment slightly improved quality of life and mood. The improvement was small enough that many people wouldn't notice it. This is something to discuss with the doctor managing your condition, not something to add on your own.
Good to know: DHEA is not a replacement for the hormone medications used to treat adrenal insufficiency.
Skin Health Older adults: 4.0/10.
Skin thins and loses moisture as hormone levels drop with age. DHEA may help skin hold on to collagen and moisture.
Why this rating: A few small studies in older adults found improvements in skin moisture, thickness, and brightness, mostly in women over 70. The studies were short, and there aren't many of them. Given the hormonal side effects, it's a lot of risk for a modest cosmetic change.
Improve Libido Postmenopausal women: 3.0/10.
Sex drive in both men and women depends partly on testosterone, and DHEA raises it.
Why this rating: In women after menopause, DHEA may improve sex drive slightly at most, and probably not enough to notice. It also comes with more acne and unwanted hair growth. There's less research in men, and it hasn't shown clear results. The vaginal form, available by prescription, is a different product used for a specific purpose.
Reproductive Health Women going through IVF: 2.0/10.
Some women produce fewer eggs than expected during IVF. The idea was that DHEA, by raising testosterone around the ovaries, might help more eggs develop.
Why this rating: Early studies looked promising, and DHEA became a common add-on at fertility clinics. But the more carefully it's been tested, the less it holds up. The best research now finds DHEA makes little to no difference in whether women going through IVF actually have a baby. Some studies found more eggs or better-looking embryos, but that hasn't turned into more births.
Cognitive Performance Older adults: 1.0/10.
DHEA is active in the brain, which led researchers to test whether it might help memory and thinking as people age.
Why this rating: It's been tested, and it doesn't help. Well-run studies in healthy older adults found no reliable improvement in memory or thinking.

Understanding Effectiveness Scores

What does this mean?

Our effectiveness scoring system is based on scientific research and evidence. Each health outcome is rated on a scale of 1-10, with higher scores indicating stronger scientific support for the supplement's effectiveness.

1/10: Scientific evidence concludes that supplement is ineffective for purpose
2/10: No scientific evidence supports effectiveness
3/10: Inconclusive results regarding effectiveness
4/10: Minimal research on effectiveness
5/10: Limited evidence of effectiveness; may have potential benefits, but more research is needed
6/10: Some evidence supports the supplement's effectiveness, but research is mixed
7/10: Moderate evidence shows the supplement is effective for certain purposes, with limited population studies
8/10: Solid evidence suggests the supplement is effective, but research is not as extensive as higher levels
9/10: Strong scientific evidence supports the supplement's effectiveness, but some minor gaps in research remain (e.g., limited long-term studies or specific populations).
10/10: Ample scientific research demonstrates that the supplement is both highly effective and safe for long-term use.

Dosage & Timeline

Standard Dosages

General use: 25 to 50 mg a day
Women: many doctors start lower, around 10 to 25 mg a day, because women are more sensitive to side effects like acne and facial hair
Used in IVF research: 75 mg a day, split into three doses, for 6 to 12 weeks before treatment

More isn't better with a hormone. Higher doses raise the odds of side effects without clear extra benefit. A doctor can check your DHEA level with a blood test before and during use.

Timeline to See Results

Energy and mood: a few weeks, if at all
Bone density: measured after 1 to 2 years

All other outcomes may be noticed after extended use or lack enough studies to establish an effectiveness timeline.

Safety Information

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Avoid. Its effects on a developing baby aren't known.
Hormonal cancers: Because DHEA raises estrogen and testosterone, it could in theory feed cancers that grow in response to those hormones, like breast, prostate, or ovarian cancer. Trials haven't shown this happens, but they also weren't long enough to rule it out. Avoid DHEA if you've had one of these cancers or are at high risk.
Chronic conditions: Talk to a doctor first if you have liver disease, a history of blood clots, an autoimmune condition, diabetes, or a mood disorder. DHEA affects blood sugar and hormones that can interact with all of these.
Drug interactions: DHEA interacts with a long list of medications, including birth control, hormone therapy, some antidepressants, and diabetes medications. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining it with any prescription.
Competitive sports: DHEA is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency and most sports organizations, including the NCAA. Taking it can cause a failed drug test.

Side Effects

Common side effects:

Acne or oily skin
Hair loss or thinning, especially in women
Mood changes or irritability
Trouble sleeping or vivid dreams

Rare side effects:

Facial or body hair growth in women
Deepening of the voice in women, which may not go away after stopping
Changes in your menstrual cycle

Most side effects come from DHEA raising testosterone. Women tend to notice them more.

Usage Information

People take DHEA hoping to boost energy, mood, sex drive, and bone strength as they age. Some women going through IVF (in vitro fertilization) take it to try to improve their chances.

DHEA is a hormone, not a vitamin or herb. It changes your levels of testosterone and estrogen, and it's worth talking to a doctor before you start.

User Experience

Gathered from reviews and forum posts, not from studies. What people report tells you what to expect. It does not tell you whether something works.

Some people say DHEA gives them more energy, a better mood, a higher sex drive, and better skin, especially women over 50 and men over 60. Some also mention sleeping better and recovering faster from workouts, though results vary a lot.

The most common complaints come from women: unexpected facial hair, acne, and voice changes that sometimes last after stopping. Others describe irritability, mood swings, heart palpitations, or trouble when they stop taking it.

Alternative Names

Dehydroepiandrosterone

DHEA