⚠ Active warning — Review required: Check FDA MedWatch, EMA, WADA for current status.
📰Read the full DHEA evidence review on GMJ News →Complete clinical article, references and updates on news.gmj.ge. This page is the structured safety summary.⚠ It's a HORMONE — not a vitamin [1]
⚠ Anti-aging claims FAILED in meta-analyses for men [1]
⚠ Breast cancer patient on tamoxifen/AI — DHEA → estrogen opposes therapy [1]
⚠ WADA PROHIBITED [1]
⚠ Wild yam ≠ DHEA (body cannot convert) [1]
⚠ Pregnancy: AVOID (virilization risk) [1]
ℹ️ Not obtained from food. Not applicable — this is not obtained from food in meaningful amounts; supplementation is the practical route.
🔬 Lab interpreter
Recommended test
DHEA-S
DHEA-S
Reference range / target
Restore to age-appropriate range
Restore to age-appropriate range
Primary monitoring marker [1].
Full lab monitoring ↓⚕ For professionals — confirm ranges against your local laboratory.
Clinical verdict
DHEA is a HORMONE, not a benign supplement. Meta-analyses: NO anti-aging benefit in elderly men. Better evidence for WOMEN (sexual dysfunction, adrenal insufficiency, vaginal atrophy — Intrarosa FDA-approved). Converts to both testosterone AND estrogen — unpredictable. WADA prohibited. Wild yam does NOT convert to DHEA in the body. Pregnancy: AVOID (virilization) [1] [2].
1 How much do I need?
👤 Adults: Specific dosage data under clinical review
👴 Elderly: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🤰 Pregnancy: See guidance
CONTRAINDICATED — steroid hormone, virilization risk [1].
👦 Pediatric: See guidance
CONTRAINDICATED — steroid hormone [1].
🏃 Athletes: Standard dose
⚖️ Obesity: Standard dose
Fat-soluble compounds may require dose adjustment in obesity.
🩺 Renal: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🌱 Vegan: Standard dose
How to take
🍽 Timing: Morning (mimics diurnal cortisol rhythm) [1].
💊 With food: With food [1].
🚫 Avoid: Pregnancy. Breast/prostate cancer. Tamoxifen/AI. Competitive sports (WADA) [1].
2 Which form?
| Form | Bioavailability | Vegan | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| ['DHEA capsules/tablets', 'common', '25–50 mg. OTC in US [1].'] | Standard | Check label | |
| ['Intrarosa (prasterone vaginal)', '', 'Rx. Vaginal DHEA for vulvovaginal atrophy. FDA-approved [2].'] | Standard | Check label |
3 Common questions
Does DHEA slow aging? ▼
Meta-analyses in elderly men: NO significant benefit for body composition, performance, or well-being despite restoring DHEA levels [1]. Replacing a declining hormone doesn't necessarily reverse aging.
Wild yam = DHEA? ▼
NO — wild yam contains diosgenin, which CAN be converted to DHEA in a laboratory but CANNOT be converted by the human body. Wild yam supplements do NOT increase DHEA levels [1].
DHEA for women vs men? ▼
Is DHEA legal? ▼
OTC in the US. Prescription/banned in many other countries. WADA-prohibited in all competitive sports [1].
4 Clinical evidence
Strong
DHEA declines with age: well-documented [1]. Meta-analyses: NO significant benefit for body composition, physical performance, or well-being in elderly men [1]. WADA prohibited [1]. HIGH
Moderate
Female sexual dysfunction: some positive trials for desire and arousal [2]. Vulvovaginal atrophy: Intrarosa (vaginal DHEA) FDA-approved [2]. Adrenal insufficiency: DHEA replacement improves well-being and sexual function in women with adrenal insufficiency [2]. SLE: some evidence for disease activity reduction [2]. MODERATE
Insufficient
5 Safety, toxicity & adverse events
Absolute contraindications
✕ Hormone-sensitive cancers (prostate, breast, ovarian, uterine)
✕ Pregnancy and lactation
Relative
⚠ PCOS — may worsen androgenic symptoms
⚠ Mood/psychiatric disorders — can affect mood
⚠ Can lower HDL and cause acne, hair loss, voice change (androgenic effects)
⚠ It is a banned substance in most competitive sport
⚠ Use only with hormone monitoring
🚩 Red flags
● Breast/prostate cancer patient — DHEA → estrogen/testosterone [1]
● Tamoxifen/AI + DHEA — opposes therapy [1]
● Competitive athlete — WADA prohibited [1]
● Pregnancy — virilization [1]
● Wild yam marketed as DHEA — does NOT convert in body [1]
6 Interactions
Drug interactions
7 Regulatory
United States: OTC dietary supplement (unique — most countries restrict it) [1].
WADA: PROHIBITED substance [1].
Europe: Prescription or banned in most countries [1].
FDA: Intrarosa (vaginal prasterone): FDA-approved for vulvovaginal atrophy [2].
8 US supplement products
127
on-market products containing DHEA (NIH DSLD)
Brands carrying DHEA (82)
Click a brand to see its DHEA products.
9 Frequently paired with
10 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. DHEA — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Aug 19]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/ingredients/dhea/
APA 7th: Pkhakadze, G. (2026). DHEA — Safety profile. Public Health Institute of Georgia. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/dhea/
📋 Editorial information
Author: Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Institution: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: February 2027
References: 2 cited sources
COI: SupplementIndex receives no funding from supplement manufacturers. All content independently authored by PHIG.
Process: Systematic literature review
📄 License & reuse
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Pkhakadze G. "DHEA — Safety Profile." SupplementIndex, PHIG, 2026. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/dhea/ CC BY 4.0.
GP
Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Public Health · Head of Department, DTMU
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (ISSN 3088-4322)
Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia · UEMS Public Health Section
Educational and public health purposes. CC BY 4.0. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Corrections: info@accreditation.ge. Publisher: PHIG