Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an androgen hormone essential for testosterone synthesis and overall hormone production, acting as a precursor for androgens and estrogens. It may improve mood, quality of life, and physical health.

Time to notice full effects: 3-4 Weeks (With Acute Effects)

Why Should I Take DHEA?

DHEA is a fantastic supplement for those looking to enhance their overall hormone profile, with a particular focus on testosterone. This is because DHEA is only two steps away from testosterone in the process of steroidogenesis, which is the primary biosynthetic pathway used for testosterone synthesis. By taking DHEA, you can “feed” the process of steroidogenesis with a testosterone precursor, thereby driving more testosterone synthesis.

DHEA levels tend to drop as we age, and by extension, testosterone levels also start to decline. Due to this, DHEA is particularly popular amongst older individuals looking to restore their testosterone levels. However, in younger individuals looking to optimize their testosterone levels, especially in conjunction with testosterone boosting supplements like Tongkat Ali, DHEA can also produce very beneficial effects! However, you need to be careful with the dose. Most DHEA on the market is dosed very high, but it actually appears that lower doses may be the more appropriate way to dose DHEA. With this in mind, we kept our dose purposely low at 5 mg. 

What is DHEA?

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an androgen hormone which is crucial for the synthesis of testosterone. DHEA is one of the intermediary steps in the process of steroidogenesis which starts with cholesterol and eventually yields testosterone. Another important hormone in this process is Pregnenolone, however, DHEA is much further downstream from pregnenolone and due to this may have a more direct effect than pregnenolone. That being said, we find that we get the best benefits from combining both pregnenolone and DHEA, like we have recently showcased quite successfully with our optimized Cistanche tubulosa stack, CistaMAX, which contains both pregnenolone and DHEA!

DHEA Benefits & Uses

Promotes steroid hormone synthesis
Boosts mood
Enhances cognitive function
Supports fertility
An Impactful Androgen Hormone
The benefits of DHEA are quite clear when we consider its place in the process of steroidogenesis. It’s only two steps away from becoming testosterone, and thus, supplementing with low doses of DHEA can help nudge the process of steroidogenesis in the right direction, towards testosterone synthesis. That being said, DHEA also has some of its own tricks up its sleeve. For example, DHEA acts as an agonist at the elusive Sigma-1 receptor. Agonism of the Sigma-1 receptor by compounds such as DHEA has shown mood and cognition boosting effects! In women, DHEA also appears to have a generally positive effect on the ovaries, and due to this, DHEA may help promote female fertility.