Overview

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone that your entire body obviously provides in the adrenal gland. DHEA aids develop other hormones, which includes testosterone and estrogen. Organic DHEA stages peak in early adulthood and then slowly but surely fall as you age.

A synthetic version of DHEA is available as a tablet, capsule, powder, topical cream and gel.

Individuals use DHEA as an anti-ageing remedy and to improve bodily effectiveness. DHEA is also employed to treat depression and signs of menopause.

Proof

Exploration on DHEA for particular disorders involves:

  • Aging. In principle, using DHEA dietary supplements to keep DHEA stages could sluggish the ageing approach, perhaps enhancing nicely-staying, cognitive function and entire body composition. But so considerably exploration hasn’t proved this to be real. More studies are required to far better fully grasp irrespective of whether DHEA supplementation can counteract some of the effects of ageing. A little analyze prompt that using DHEA dietary supplements might improve skin hydration and firmness, and lessen ageing places in elderly older people.
  • Despair. DHEA might be more powerful at managing depression than placebo, specially in folks with small DHEA stages.
  • Osteoporosis. Study results on the effects of DHEA supplementation in the cure of osteoporosis are combined. More exploration is required to decide irrespective of whether using DHEA dietary supplements enhances bone density in older older people with small DHEA.
  • Vaginal atrophy. Limited exploration suggests that DHEA might improve vaginal dryness in postmenopausal ladies.

Exploration on the effects of DHEA on muscle power and bodily effectiveness had combined final results, but most studies suggest DHEA supplementation has no effect on muscle power in young or older older people. The National Collegiate Athletic Affiliation has banned DHEA use amongst athletes.

DHEA might finally prove to have gains in managing folks diagnosed with certain disorders, this kind of as adrenal insufficiency and lupus. On the other hand, additional studies are required.

Experiments have revealed high quality command of this supplement to generally be small.

Our choose

Red light: Avoid

Steer clear of

When some exploration suggests that DHEA might be marginally practical in managing depression and vaginal atrophy, there is very little proof to help anti-ageing statements. Also, DHEA use can lead to significant side effects. Steer clear of using this supplement.

Safety and side effects

DHEA is a hormone. Use of this supplement might raise stages of androgen and have a steroid effect. DHEA also might raise the hazard of hormone-delicate cancers, which includes prostate, breast and ovarian cancers. If you have any sort of most cancers or are at hazard of most cancers, do not use DHEA.

You should not use DHEA if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Look at preventing use of DHEA if you have high cholesterol or a condition that impacts the offer of blood to the coronary heart (ischemic coronary heart condition). DHEA might minimize high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “very good,” cholesterol stages.

Use of DHEA also might worsen psychiatric ailments and raise the hazard of mania in folks who have temper ailments.

DHEA also might lead to oily skin, zits and unwanted, male-pattern hair growth in ladies (hirsutism).

Interactions

Achievable interactions incorporate:

  • Antipsychotics. Use of DHEA with antipsychotics this kind of as clozapine (Clozaril, Versacloz, many others) might minimize the drug’s success.
  • Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol, many others). Use of DHEA with this drug employed to treat seizures, nerve suffering and bipolar problem might minimize the drug’s success.
  • Estrogen. You should not use DHEA with estrogen. Combining DHEA and estrogen might lead to signs of excessive estrogen, this kind of as nausea, headache and insomnia.
  • Lithium. Use of DHEA with lithium might minimize the drug’s success.
  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Use of DHEA with this style of antidepressant might lead to manic signs.
  • Testosterone. You should not use DHEA with testosterone. Combining DHEA and testosterone might lead to signs this kind of as small sperm count and enlarged breasts in adult men (gynecomastia) and the growth of usually male qualities in ladies.
  • Triazolam (Halcion). Making use of DHEA with this sedative might raise the effects of this drug, resulting in too much sedation and affecting your breathing and coronary heart fee.
  • Valproic acid. Use of DHEA with this medication employed to treat seizures and bipolar problem might minimize the drug’s success.