DHEA Supplements: Everything You Need to Know | Legion

Aging comes with a price: declining hormones, muscle loss, and lower energy levels.

DHEA is often marketed as a fix for all of this. Some even claim it can reverse aging entirely. 

But does the science back it up?

The truth is, DHEA isn’t a miracle supplement, but it does have real, research-backed benefits. If you’re looking to support healthy hormone levels, maintain muscle, and counteract some of the effects of aging, DHEA might be worth considering.

In this article, you’ll learn what DHEA is, what it does, and how to spot the best DHEA supplement for you.

Key Takeaways

• DHEA is a steroid hormone your body uses to produce testosterone and estrogen. Its levels decline with age, which is why some older people choose to supplement with it.
• DHEA increases testosterone in men and estrogen in women, so it may help you maintain muscle, reduce fat, and minimize some of the downsides of aging.
• While DHEA may support hormone balance and body composition, its effects are modest and work best when you combine it with strength training and a healthy diet.
• Most studies use doses of 25-to-200 mg per day, with 50-to-100 mg being the most effective range. Higher doses may increase estrogen levels—something you may want to avoid.
• DHEA is generally safe, but high doses can cause mild side effects like oily skin and increased body hair. If you’re a professional athlete, keep in mind it’s banned by major sports organizations.

What Is DHEA?

DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone (dee-hydro-epi-and-rost-erone), is a steroid hormone primarily produced by your body’s adrenal glands.

As with other steroid hormones like testosterone and estrogen, DHEA’s natural production peaks in young adulthood and declines by around 10% each decade until around the age of 70.

Scientists also produce synthetic versions of DHEA from chemicals in wild yam and soy called diosgenin and genistein, which supplement manufacturers often use to create dietary supplements. When taken regularly, these supplements raise your body’s level of DHEA.

Despite being discovered in 1934, scientists still don’t fully understand DHEA’s role within the body. This is largely because:

1. DHEA is an endogenous metabolite that cannot be patented, which means pharmaceutical companies aren’t interested in supporting research into its uses.
2. DHEA is largely unique to humans, which makes it difficult to study its effects in other animals (an important step when researching new substances). 

One thing scientists are sure about is that DHEA is a precursor to testosterone and estrogen. In other words, the body uses DHEA as raw material for making testosterone and estrogen.

And it’s for this reason that DHEA supplements are popular among people looking to optimize their health and performance. 

DHEA Benefits

Hormonal Balance

Research shows that supplementing with DHEA reliably increases testosterone in men and estrogen in women, particularly in those whose levels have declined with age.

In men, higher testosterone levels may help slow age-related muscle loss, boost energy, and support metabolic health.

In women, DHEA raises estrogen, which may alleviate some symptoms of menopause like hot flashes, anxiety, and depression. Some research also links DHEA to improvements in sexual function and mental well-being.

While DHEA’s effects on hormone levels are well-established, the downstream benefits can vary.

Some people notice improvements in mood, libido, and overall vitality, while for others, the benefits are less pronounced. Either way, for those dealing with age-related hormonal decline, DHEA supplementation offers a way to restore balance.

Improved Body Composition

Studies show that taking DHEA can help older adults build muscle and lose body fat.

If you’re a man, this likely happens because higher testosterone levels make it easier to improve your body composition. To be clear, however, DHEA won’t help you build muscle like steroids or TRT.

If you’re a woman, higher estrogen levels may help you preserve muscle and bone while limiting fat gain, particularly after menopause. Some research also suggests DHEA can improve your insulin sensitivity, which supports metabolic health and makes it easier to manage your weight.

In other words, while DHEA alone won’t drastically transform your physique, supplementing with it—especially alongside strength training and a proper diet—may help offset some of the body composition changes that come with aging.

Healthy Aging

Research also suggests it may support cognitive performance, improve sexual function, increase strength, and enhance mental well-being. These potential benefits are important because they contribute to overall quality of life—helping you stay physically capable, mentally sharp, and more resilient as you age.

DHEA Side Effects

However, higher doses can sometimes lead to oily skin, acne, and increased body hair growth in areas like the face, armpits, or pubic region. These side effects are rare and usually temporary.

If you’re over 70 or have any existing medical conditions, consult a healthcare professional before using DHEA to ensure it’s suitable for you.

What Is the Clinically Effective Dose of DHEA?

Most studies use doses of 25-to-200 mg per day, with 50-to-100 mg being the most well-researched and effective range.

Research shows that doses above 50 mg per day boost testosterone levels more effectively than lower doses but may also increase estrogen levels, which many people would prefer to avoid.

What Is the Best DHEA Supplement?

FAQ #1: Is DHEA safe for women?

• Improved bone mineral density
• Increased success with in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment
• Improved sexual function and increased libido
• Improved psychological well-being
• Decreased pain during sexual activity 

FAQ #2: Is DHEA a steroid? 

Not exactly. DHEA is a steroid hormone produced naturally by the body, which is very different from drugs typically referred to as steroids.

When we refer to steroids in a bodybuilding or sports context, these are often unnatural substances known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) that can behave in similar ways to natural hormones like testosterone and estrogen. However, they’re taken at doses with effects that far exceed what natural hormones would do.

The dose of DHEA in Vitality is also well within the amount naturally produced by the body, and thus bears little resemblance to AAS.

FAQ #3: Is DHEA a banned substance?

For professional athletes, yes. For everyone else, no. DHEA is classified as an “anabolic agent,” and thus its use by professional athletes in the world’s largest sporting organizations is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

FAQ #4: How long does it take for DHEA to work?

FAQ #5: Does DHEA cause weight gain?