Dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA, is produced primarily by the adrenal glands and serves as a precursor to both testosterone and oestrogen. It is one of the most abundant hormones in the human body at its peak, and one of the most consistently and dramatically affected by ageing. DHEA production peaks in the early to mid-twenties and declines at approximately 2 percent per year thereafter, irrespective of health status or lifestyle. By age 70, circulating DHEA levels are typically 80 percent lower than at peak.
What Low DHEA Is Associated With
Population studies consistently show that lower DHEA levels are associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, reduced cognitive function, lower muscle mass, impaired immune function, and higher all-cause mortality. The key question is whether low DHEA is a cause of these outcomes or merely a marker of declining overall health. This distinction matters because it determines whether restoring DHEA levels produces benefit or simply reflects an already unhealthy state.
What the Intervention Evidence Shows
DHEA supplementation studies have produced mixed results. The largest randomised trial, the DHEA and Well-being study, found modest improvements in quality of life, sexual function, and bone density in adults over 60. Other trials have found improvements in body composition and insulin sensitivity. The effects are generally modest rather than dramatic. DHEA is available over the counter in some countries but requires a prescription in the UK; the variability in conversion to active hormones between individuals makes clinical monitoring appropriate.
Sources
- Orentreich, N., et al. (1984). Age changes and sex differences in serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentrations throughout adulthood. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 59(3), 551-555.
- Baulieu, E.E., et al. (2000). Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), DHEA sulfate, and aging: contribution of the DHEAge Study to a sociobiomedical issue. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 97(8), 4279-4284.
- Nair, K.S., et al. (2006). DHEA in elderly women and DHEA or testosterone in elderly men. New England Journal of Medicine, 355(16), 1647-1659.