NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
⚗️

DHEA

Dehydroepiandrosterone

An adrenal hormone precursor with narrow, population-specific benefits.

Mixed evidence ⏳Longevity⚡Performance

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Mixed
Research weight
Citations
9 verified / 9
Classification
Longevity
❝
What the evidence says. Graded mixed: DHEA is a hormone, not a benign nutrient. Benefits are real but narrow — adrenal-insufficiency replacement, lumbar-spine BMD in older women, and IVF in diminished reserve — while meta-analyses conflict and it is null for healthy young people, where it is also a banned doping agent. (Mixed evidence: Conflicting results across studies; benefit uncertain.)

What is DHEA?

DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) is a longevity supplement used for adrenal insufficiency replacement. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Mixed. DHEA is a hormone made by the adrenal glands that the body converts into testosterone and estrogen; blood levels fall steeply with age, fuelling anti-aging marketing. The honest picture is narrow. In women with adrenal insufficiency, replacement gives small improvements in quality of life and mood. Pooled trials show 25–50 mg/day raises lumbar-spine bone density about 1% over a year in older women (but not men, and not the hip). A 2020 meta-analysis of 15 RCTs found a small antidepressant effect (SMD −0.28). For IVF in diminished ovarian reserve, meta-analyses conflict — some show higher pregnancy odds, others none. Crucially, it does nothing for strength or body composition in healthy young adults, and is banned in sport. Effects on libido, cognition, lipids and longevity are unproven.

Purported Benefits

✓Adrenal insufficiency replacement
✓Bone density in older women
✓IVF support in low ovarian reserve
✓Mild antidepressant effect

Evidence by outcome

The same supplement can be well-proven for one use and unproven for another — here is the human evidence graded outcome by outcome.

OutcomeEvidenceEffectStudies
Quality of life in adrenal insufficiency (women)Meta-analysis shows small HRQoL/depression improvement in women with adrenal insufficiency; no effect on anxiety or sexual well-being. Moderate ↑ benefit · small 1
Lumbar-spine bone density in older womenPooled RCTs show ~1% spine BMD gain in older women only; no benefit in men or at the hip. Moderate ↑ benefit · small 2
Depressive symptomsMeta-analysis of 15 RCTs found small antidepressant effect (SMD -0.28) but GRADE-rated very low quality. Preliminary ↑ benefit · small 1
IVF/pregnancy in diminished ovarian reserveMeta-analyses conflict: one shows higher pregnancy odds, a later one finds no live-birth benefit with high heterogeneity. Mixed ↔ mixed 2
Strength / lean mass in healthy adultsRCT in young men and meta-analysis in older men show no gain in testosterone, strength or lean mass. Moderate — no effect · negligible 2

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
25–50 mg/day orally; for IVF protocols 25 mg three times daily; lower in women due to androgenic effects.
Active Compounds
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)DHEA-sulfate (DHEA-S)

Safety & Cautions

DHEA is an androgen/estrogen precursor: women may get acne, oily skin, facial hair and voice deepening; men may get gynecomastia, and either sex can have mood or sleep changes. It is contraindicated in hormone-sensitive cancers (breast, prostate, ovarian, uterine) and PCOS, and may worsen liver disease or lower HDL. It can interact with anticoagulants, anti-diabetic drugs, hormonal therapies, aromatase inhibitors and some psychiatric medications, and is banned by WADA — avoid in competitive sport. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining DHEA with any medicine.

DHEA drug interactions

Known or theoretical interactions between DHEA and common medications — educational, not exhaustive. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining DHEA with any medicine.

Caution
Hormone therapy / tamoxifen
DHEA raises estrogen and androgen levels; avoid with hormone-sensitive cancers and use caution with tamoxifen.
DHEA is metabolized to androstenedione and then to testosterone or estrogen, and may promote tamoxifen resistance. MSKCC — DHEA

Key Studies

Meta-analysis Liu 2023 ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis in poor ovarian responders: DHEA priming did not significantly improve live-birth or clinical pregnancy rates; high between-trial heterogeneity.
Meta-analysis Peixoto 2020 ✓ Full text
Meta-analysis of 15 RCTs (n=853): DHEA improved depressive symptoms vs placebo (SMD −0.28, 95% CI −0.45 to −0.11); GRADE very-low quality.
Meta-analysis Yao 2019 (pooled) ✓ PubMed
Pooled 4 RCTs (n=585, age 55+): 12 mo DHEA raised lumbar-spine (+1.0%) and trochanter BMD in women but gave no bone benefit in men.
Meta-analysis Schwartz 2018 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review/meta-analysis (5 RCTs, n=910): DHEA raised clinical pregnancy odds in diminished ovarian reserve (OR 1.8) and lowered miscarriage (OR 0.25).
Systematic review Gravisse 2018 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review in anorexia nervosa: DHEA monotherapy did not improve BMD vs placebo after adjusting for weight gain.
Meta-analysis Corona 2013 ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of 25 RCTs (n=1353 older men): DHEA reduced fat mass but had no effect on glycemia, lipids, bone, sexual function or quality of life.
Meta-analysis Alkatib 2009 ✓ PubMed
Meta-analysis of RCTs: DHEA in women with adrenal insufficiency gave small improvement in HRQoL and depression; no effect on anxiety or sexual well-being.
RCT von Mühlen 2008 (DAWN) ✓ PubMed
50 mg/day DHEA for 1 yr modestly raised spine BMD in older women; no significant change in body composition or hip BMD overall.
RCT Brown 1999 ✓ PubMed
RCT in young men during 8 wk resistance training: 150 mg/day DHEA did not raise testosterone, strength or lean mass beyond placebo.
9 sources cited · 9 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about DHEA

What is DHEA used for?

DHEA is most often taken for Adrenal insufficiency replacement, Bone density in older women, IVF support in low ovarian reserve, Mild antidepressant effect. An adrenal hormone precursor with narrow, population-specific benefits.

Does DHEA work — what does the evidence say?

Mixed evidence. Conflicting results across studies; benefit uncertain. DHEA is a hormone made by the adrenal glands that the body converts into testosterone and estrogen; blood levels fall steeply with age, fuelling anti-aging marketing. The honest picture is narrow. In women with adrenal insufficiency, replacement gives small improvements in quality of life and mood. Pooled trials show 25–50 mg/day raises lumbar-spine bone density about 1% over a year in older women (but not men, and not the hip). A 2020 meta-analysis of 15 RCTs found a small antidepressant effect (SMD −0.28). For IVF in diminished ovarian reserve, meta-analyses conflict — some show higher pregnancy odds, others none. Crucially, it does nothing for strength or body composition in healthy young adults, and is banned in sport. Effects on libido, cognition, lipids and longevity are unproven.

What is the typical dose of DHEA?

25–50 mg/day orally; for IVF protocols 25 mg three times daily; lower in women due to androgenic effects.

Is DHEA safe? Any cautions or side effects?

DHEA is an androgen/estrogen precursor: women may get acne, oily skin, facial hair and voice deepening; men may get gynecomastia, and either sex can have mood or sleep changes. It is contraindicated in hormone-sensitive cancers (breast, prostate, ovarian, uterine) and PCOS, and may worsen liver disease or lower HDL. It can interact with anticoagulants, anti-diabetic drugs, hormonal therapies, aromatase inhibitors and some psychiatric medications, and is banned by WADA — avoid in competitive sport.

How many studies support DHEA?

NutriDex cites 9 sources for DHEA, graded "Mixed".

Does DHEA interact with any medications?

Yes — known or theoretical interactions include: Hormone therapy / tamoxifen (caution). This is educational and not exhaustive; always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining DHEA with any medicine.

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/dhea

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_dhea,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/dhea},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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