DHEA
Dehydroepiandrosterone
A naturally occurring precursor hormone that converts to both testosterone and estrogen. Available OTC as a dietary supplement. Levels decline significantly with age, making supplementation popular in anti-aging protocols.
Half-life
15–38 hours
Typical Dose
25–100 mg/day
60/100Route
oral
Category
metabolic
Evidence Overview
Strength of evidence across clinical, expert, and experimental lanes.
How DHEA is dosed in practice
Usually taken by mouth. Typical range: 25–100 mg/day. Half-life: 15–38 hours. Each card gives the dose, frequency and duration from one evidence lane: Clinical (human trials), Expert (practitioner protocols) or Experimental (early or animal data). These ranges describe what has been studied or used; they are not a prescription.
Work out the units to draw with the reconstitution calculator, how long a vial lasts with the vial duration calculator, and how levels fall between doses with the half-life calculator.
Key trials gave 50 mg once daily: for 4 months in women with adrenal insufficiency (1999, better well-being and mood) and for 1 year in adults aged 60–79 (2000, small gains in bone turnover, libido and skin in older women).
- Randomized trial in adrenal insufficiency (1999)
- One-year trial in older adults (2000)
Anti-aging practitioners use DHEA to restore youthful levels (target DHEA-S 250–400 mcg/dL). Doses vary by sex: men 25–100 mg, women 5–25 mg. Monitor DHEA-S levels and downstream hormones quarterly.
- Life Extension Foundation protocols
- Anti-aging medicine clinical guidelines
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Upgrade to ProSafety & Contraindications
- Hormone-sensitive cancers
- PCOS in women (may worsen androgen excess)
- Liver disease
DHEA: common questions
What is DHEA?
A naturally occurring precursor hormone that converts to both testosterone and estrogen. Available OTC as a dietary supplement. Levels decline significantly with age, making supplementation popular in anti-aging protocols.
How is DHEA dosed?
DHEA is usually taken by mouth. Typical range in DoseCraft's library: 25–100 mg/day. Clinical (human trials): 50 mg daily (most trials); Once daily, morning; 4–12 months. Expert (practitioner protocols): 25–50 mg (men), 5–25 mg (women); Once daily, morning; Ongoing with lab monitoring. These ranges describe what has been studied or used; they are not a prescription.
Is DHEA FDA-approved?
DHEA is sold as a dietary supplement, which the FDA does not approve for safety or effectiveness before sale.
What is the half-life of DHEA?
DoseCraft's library lists a half-life of 15–38 hours. Half-life sets how often a compound is dosed and how long it takes to clear: about five half-lives.
Who should not use DHEA?
Listed contraindications: Hormone-sensitive cancers; PCOS in women (may worsen androgen excess); Liver disease.
Information is for educational purposes only. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting any peptide regimen.
Page updated . How we grade evidence: methodology.