DHEA: Hormone Supplement, Studies & Cautions
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DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone): half-life, strengths and approval status

Amounts studied · Approval status · Half-life notes

What is DHEA?

DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands. The body can turn it into testosterone, androstenedione and estradiol. Although it is a hormone, it is sold in the US as a dietary supplement, and it has been studied for exercise performance and bone density.

Also known as: dehydroepiandrosterone, prasterone.

Amounts studied

DHEA has no intake value or upper limit. ODS describes exercise studies in men that used 100 mg a day for 12 weeks and 150 mg a day for 6 of 8 weeks. The FDA-approved prasterone (DHEA) product, Intrarosa, is a 6.5 mg vaginal insert. These are study protocols, not a recommendation.

Approval status and how it is used

It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling. That is unusual for a hormone. Prasterone, the drug name for DHEA, is FDA approved only as Intrarosa, a 6.5 mg vaginal insert taken once daily at bedtime for moderate to severe pain during sex caused by vaginal changes after menopause. The National Collegiate Athletic Association and the World Anti-Doping Agency ban DHEA (ODS).

ODS says the small number of trials in men found no increase in strength, aerobic capacity, lean body mass or testosterone, and that safety has not been well studied; no safety concerns were reported at up to 150 mg a day for 6 to 12 weeks. In women, DHEA taken for months raises testosterone, which can cause acne and facial hair. A 2019 meta-analysis (Lin) found DHEA modestly increased hip bone density in women but not in men. Because DHEA can turn into testosterone and estradiol, tell your prescriber if you take it, especially alongside TRT or with a hormone-sensitive condition.

DHEA half-life and time to peak

  • Half-lifeNot listed
  • Time to peak (Tmax)Not listed

We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for DHEA that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. The body converts it into other hormones, and studies measure those hormones rather than a single DHEA curve.

How to track DHEA in Dose Track

  1. Add DHEA as a custom compound. Start typing its name and Dose Track fills in the details from its research library for you to check, and it sits next to everything else you take.
  2. Log each dose when you take it so your history shows exactly what you took and when.
  3. Set reminders on your own schedule, whether that is daily, weekly or every few days.
  4. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the half-life of DHEA?+
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for DHEA that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. The body converts it into other hormones, and studies measure those hormones rather than a single DHEA curve.
Is DHEA a hormone or a supplement?+
Both. DHEA is a steroid hormone made by the adrenal glands, which the body can convert into testosterone and estradiol, but in the US it is sold as a dietary supplement. As a drug (prasterone), FDA has approved it only as Intrarosa, a vaginal insert for painful sex after menopause.
Does DHEA raise testosterone in men?+
Not in the exercise trials ODS describes: men taking 100 mg a day for 12 weeks, or 150 mg a day, had no significant rise in testosterone, strength or lean mass. In women, months of DHEA raised testosterone.
Is DHEA banned in sports?+
Yes. ODS notes that the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the World Anti-Doping Agency ban DHEA.
Can I track DHEA in Dose Track?+
Yes. DHEA is in Dose Track's research library, so when you add it as a custom compound its details are filled in for you to check. You can then log each dose next to your other compounds, set reminders on your own schedule, and see your history next to your lab results. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

Sources

  1. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary supplements for exercise and athletic performance, fact sheet for health professionals (updated April 1, 2024).
  2. Intrarosa (prasterone) vaginal insert prescribing information, sections 1, 2, 3 and 11. DailyMed, August 2026.
  3. Lin H, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials of DHEA supplementation of bone mineral density in healthy adults. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2019;35(11):924-931.
  4. FDA. Questions and answers on dietary supplements.

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