48 citations,
July 2009 in “The Journal of Sexual Medicine” DHEA did not improve sexual function, well-being, or menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women with low libido but caused side effects like acne and increased facial hair.
46 citations,
May 2009 in “Maturitas” Taking DHEA for a year is generally safe for postmenopausal women but may cause acne and more facial hair without improving metabolism or aging.
9 citations,
November 2008 in “Journal of Womens Health” Researchers had trouble finding enough participants for a trial on DHEA's effects on postmenopausal women's sexual desire.
9 citations,
February 2020 in “International Journal of Endocrinology” Some men with early hair loss may have a male version of PCOS, affecting hormones and increasing health risks.
7 citations,
December 2020 in “Endocrine-related Cancer” The over-the-counter supplement DHEA could make COVID-19 worse, especially in diabetics and people with G6PD deficiency.
3 citations,
January 2011 in “International journal of trichology” Low DHEA-S levels might be linked to alopecia areata and could be a potential treatment target.
September 2021 in “Fertility and sterility” Taking 100 mg of DHEA daily for 16 weeks did not change metabolic and reproductive health significantly but increased certain ovarian markers with minimal side effects.
April 2019 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Testosterone affects androgen receptors and lipid storage in cells, while DHEA does not convert to testosterone or affect these receptors in the same way.
September 2009 in “Annales D Endocrinologie” DHEA supplementation may improve quality of life, neuropsychological functions, and sexual satisfaction in individuals with adrenal insufficiency, but more research is needed to confirm its safety and effectiveness.
April 2019 in “Journal of the Endocrine Society” A rare adrenal tumor in a woman only made DHEA-S, causing hair thinning, and was removed, fixing the hormone level.
November 2022 in “Journal of the Endocrine Society” A 21-year-old male with a rare genetic disorder experienced sudden hair loss and high DHEAS levels, likely due to a condition similar to PCOS, usually seen in women.
May 2013 in “Journal of the Egyptian Women's Dermatologic Society (Print)” High aldosterone and free testosterone levels link to female hair loss; testing aldosterone may predict hypertension risk.
403 citations,
November 2005 in “Journal of Endocrinology” Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a prohormone important for producing sex steroids and has potential health benefits.
251 citations,
October 2014 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” The guidelines advise against using testosterone and DHEA in women for most conditions due to safety and effectiveness concerns, but suggest considering testosterone for postmenopausal women with low sexual desire.
219 citations,
January 2006 in “Drug Metabolism Reviews” DHEA affects multiple receptors and may help with metabolic issues, but its safety and effectiveness in humans are unclear.
82 citations,
January 2000 in “Hormone Research in Paediatrics” DHEA stimulates skin oil glands and could help postmenopausal women, with potential for acne and excessive hair growth treatments.
66 citations,
November 2001 in “European journal of endocrinology” Low SHBG and high FAI, FT, and DHEAS levels are effective in identifying PCOS.
35 citations,
January 2018 in “Vitamins and hormones” DHEA affects various tissues by interacting with multiple receptors and can be converted into sex hormones.
33 citations,
January 2013 in “Dermatology” Over half of the adult women with acne in the study had higher than normal levels of male hormones, especially DHEA.
27 citations,
May 2002 in “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” Brothers of women with PCOS tend to have higher levels of a hormone called DHEAS, indicating a possible genetic link.
22 citations,
January 2015 in “The Cochrane library” DHEA may help with sexual function when used intravaginally by menopausal women but is similar to hormone therapy in other aspects and might cause more side effects like acne and hair loss.
22 citations,
June 1993 in “Calcified Tissue International” Women with hyperandrogenic amenorrhea have similar bone density to healthy women but lower than androgenized women without amenorrhea, and high DHEAS levels might affect bone density.
18 citations,
November 1998 in “Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology” Changes in prolactin and DHEA levels are not required for the start of mink hair growth cycles.
18 citations,
January 1990 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Lower doses of dexamethasone can safely reduce high DHEAS levels in women with androgenic disorders.
14 citations,
September 2007 in “Steroids” The study concluded that androstendione and DHEA are important for diagnosing high male hormone levels in women with excessive hair growth.
11 citations,
August 2000 in “Journal of Endocrinology” DHEA acts like a male hormone on rat skin glands and doesn't turn into female hormones there.
6 citations,
April 2017 in “JAMA Dermatology” Men's hair loss is not linked to their sex hormone levels, except for lower DHEAS in those with hair loss.
1 citations,
January 2023 in “Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology” High DHEA and short cervical length in women with PCOS and recurrent miscarriages may harm pregnancy outcomes.
1 citations,
February 2022 in “The Journal of Urology” Certain drugs like Dutasteride and Finasteride might help fight SARS-CoV-2 by increasing levels of a steroid called DHEA, which can protect the heart and increase nitric oxide to counteract the virus.
1 citations,
January 1988 Topical DHEA safely increases skin oil production.