DHEA Research & Evidence

SupplementScience.ai Editorial Team·Evidence-Based Supplement Research

Published Mar 11, 2026

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Full disclaimer

Evidence Level

Moderate

DHEA has a solid evidence base for adrenal insufficiency, where it is considered standard adjunctive therapy. The landmark Arlt et al. (1999) study in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated significant quality-of-life improvements in women with adrenal insufficiency taking 50mg daily. For anti-aging applications in healthy older adults, evidence is mixed — some studies show benefits for mood and bone density, while the DHEAge trial showed limited benefits. Intravaginal DHEA (prasterone) received FDA approval in 2016 based on strong RCT evidence for postmenopausal vulvovaginal atrophy.

Evidence by Condition

Condition	Studied Dose	Evidence
Adrenal insufficiency	25-50mg daily	Strong
General anti-aging	25-50mg daily	Moderate
Vaginal atrophy (intravaginal)	6.5mg nightly	Strong
Bone density support	50mg daily	Moderate

Full DHEA Guide

References

Arlt W, Callies F, van Vlijmen JC, Koehler I, Reincke M, Bidlingmaier M, Huebler D, Oettel M, Ernst M, Schulte HM, Allolio B (1999). Dehydroepiandrosterone replacement in women with adrenal insufficiency. New England Journal of Medicine. DOI PubMed
Labrie F, Archer DF, Koltun W, Vachon A, Young D, Frenette L, Portman D, Montesino M, Cote I, Parent J, Lavoie L, Beauregard A, Martel C, Vaillancourt M, Balser J, Bhatt E (2016). Efficacy of intravaginal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on moderate to severe dyspareunia and vaginal dryness. Menopause. DOI PubMed
Jankowski CM, Gozansky WS, Schwartz RS, Dahl DJ, Kittelson JM, Scott SM, Van Pelt RE, Kohrt WM (2006). Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone replacement therapy on bone mineral density in older adults: a randomized, controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. DOI PubMed